New York Sports

NEW YORK (CBS) ― The New England Patriots' shot at history Saturday night will be available for every household in the country with a television after months of wrangling.

The game against the New York Giants, in which the Patriots could become the first NFL team to go 16-0 in the regular season, was originally scheduled to be shown only on the NFL Network, which is available in fewer than 40 percent of the nation's homes with TVs.

But the league announced Wednesday that the NFL Network feed will be simulcast on NBC and CBS. It's a major concession by league officials, who repeatedly said they would not show the game anywhere but the NFL Network. The NFL had faced mounting pressure from politicians in recent weeks to make the game available to more viewers.

This will be the first three-network simulcast in NFL history and the first simulcast of any kind of an NFL game since the first Super Bowl in 1967, when CBS and NBC both televised the first meeting of the champions of the newly merged National Football League and American Football League.

"We have taken this extraordinary step because it is in the best interest of our fans," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "What we have seen for the past year is a very strong consumer demand for NFL Network. We appreciate CBS and NBC delivering the NFL Network telecast on Saturday night to the broad audience that deserves to see this potentially historic game. Our commitment to the NFL Network is stronger than ever."

NBC was scheduled to air "Dateline NBC" and a repeat of "Law & Order: SVU" during the Saturday time slot. CBS was set to broadcast the movie "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "48 Hours: Mysteries."

As for the game, the big question is how many of each team's biggest stars will play? And if they do play, how long will they go?

Despite having its playoff spot locked up and first-round matchup with Tampa Bay set in stone, the Giants sound like a team ready to ruin the Patriots' one shot at history.

Coach Tom Coughlin sounded a rallying cry on Wednesday, saying at his daily press conference his team will prepare as if it's the most important game of the season. What that will mean once the game moves along Saturday is anybody's guess.

"Week 17 is no different than the objective would be if it was Week 3 or Week 4" Coughlin said. "Our objective is to win. That's what we work for. That's what we prepare for. That's what we practice for and it will be no different this week."

Giants quarterback Eli Manning echoed his coach's charge, saying beating the Pats can only help his team going into serious January football.

"It does have meaning," Manning said. "We want to go out there and play good football. We don't feel like we've been playing at our best and we want to go against a team that is very talented and obviously has won 15 games, and go in there and play well against them."

As for the Patriots, who will try to become the first team to finish the regular season unbeaten since the 1972 Miami Dolphins went 14-0, quarterback Tom Brady is hoping Coughlin gives veteran defensive lineman Michael Strahan and Pro Bowler Osi Umenyiora the day off Saturday.

"They are very talented," Brady said. "I think definitely Strahan and Osi should take the weekend off."

How long Brady plays remains to be seen. The odds-on favorite to win the NFL MVP has thrown 48 touchdown passes this season, one behind Peyton Manning's league record.

Wide receiver Randy Moss sits one TD reception behind Jerry Rice's 1987 mark of 22.

Both figure to play at least as long as it would take to give the Patriots a healthy lead. However, one thing is certain, normally guarded coach Bill Belichick likely will not reveal the Patriots' player personnel plan any time before Saturday.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)