PHILADELPHIA — What is best for the Giants, almost every time they square off with the Eagles is to do everything possible to stick it to a fairly despised NFC East rival that has dominated them for a decade. Whenever the Giants can beat the Eagles, it is a good day for them and their fans.

That full-blown effort makes sense almost every time. But not this time.

First-year head coach Brian Daboll has said repeatedly in the past few days that he will deploy his players in Week 18 based on what is best for his team. What is best for the Giants on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field is to resist the temptation to stoke any burning competitive fires. The game will be about inward thoughts. There will be a playoff game to prepare for and try to win, and anything that hurts the chances of that happening must be avoided, at all costs.

This means the Giants, locked into the No. 6 seed in the NFC, will put up a fight with whomever Daboll opts to put on the field. That fight, though, will not include several starting players, as Daboll is expected to do his best to keep his team as healthy as possible for a trip the following week to either Minneapolis (most likely) or San Francisco (OK, actually San Jose) for the Giants’ first postseason appearance since they lost at Green Bay in January 2017.

There is nothing new in all this. Coaches around the NFL, year after year, face similar dilemmas. It is a good place to be, knowing there is a postseason to look forward to and an opportunity to tilt the risk-reward formula, allowing vital players to rest up for the more relevant game to follow.

So it is no surprise that Davis Webb will start at QB — other than it isn’t Tyrod Taylor getting the call while Daniel Jones is parked safely on the bench. Don’t blink when you see Saquon Barkley on the sideline and Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell handling the load at running back. Defensive lineman Leonard Williams, dealing with a neck issue, and outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari (ankle) will not be out there, and Dexter Lawrence, completing the best regular season of his career, can use a break. There will be plenty of starters on the field for the Giants because, unlike the 80-player roster of the preseason, there is not a full second squad available.

The Eagles (13-3) need to win to secure the No. 1 seed (and the coveted first-round bye) and will play it straight — meaning Jalen Hurts, after missing two games with a right shoulder issue, figures to be back at quarterback, though he was listed as questionable.

The Giants (9-6-1) last week clinched their playoff berth with a resounding 38-10 whalloping of the Colts in a party-like atmosphere at MetLife Stadium. It will not be pleasant for them if this becomes a “Fly, Eagles, fly’’ serenade and a three-hour ode to Philadelphia superiority. Four weeks ago, the Eagles hammered the Giants, 48-22, but this will not be the time or place to try to exact payback.

The upside to resting players: There will be no new injuries to the most important players, and there will be no new bumps or bruises for players who have been bumped and bruised often in the previous 16 games. The downside: The momentum gained the past few weeks will be halted, and a reasonable facsimile of the Giants will go into the playoffs by losing in lackluster fashion.

“I think as a player you’re always wanting to prepare to play and do what you can,’’ Jones said. “At the same time, you have an obligation to the team, you have an obligation to what’s best for the situation, and that’s Dabs’ job to make those decisions. I trust him, and obviously I’m going to do whatever he tells me to do.’’

Listen to what Jones said. His job is to “prepare to play.’’ Daboll made sure to treat this week as normally as possible. He did not announce who will play and who will sit.

“Full steam ahead on getting prepped and ready for the Eagles,’’ he said. Prepare all, but sit some.

The Giants will do everything possible to win the game — with whatever players are out there.