Week 17 - Patriots win "Backup Bowl" against NY Giants, 24-21

We were going to show highlights of the "Backup Bowl," but then wisened up

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey - Both Patriots Head Coach Bill Belicheck and NY Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin decided to rest their starting QBs for this game, as both teams had clinched their divisions (and the Patriots clinched the first round BYE), thereby giving rise to this game being the "Backup Bowl" which pitted Patriots backup QB Brian Hoyer (pictured) against Giants backup QB Sage Rosenfels. The Patriots won 24 to 21, and other than Giants HB "Cadillac" Williams showing he still has some left in the tank with two explosive long runs for TDs, this game bares mention because Patriots star TE Rob "Gronk" Gronkowski suffered a broken forearm on a Special Teams play that will sideline him for 6 weeks.

The following is the list of players that New England has out due to injury, and the duration remaining:

• WR Wes Welker - Dislocated Elbow - 1 Week
• WR Ben Tate - Torn Hamstring - 2 Weeks
• MLB Gary Guyton - Partial PLC Tear - 4 Weeks
• TE Rob Gronkowski - Broken Forearm - 6 Weeks
• And of course, WR Deion Branch - Fractured Vertebrae - Career-Ending

What's most shocking about this injury list is that except for Guyton, it includes some of Brady's favorite receiving targets. Will the backups step up enough for the Patriots in the playoffs?