Beating the Titans

[spacecrime]

So Rodney is out, hurt playing in what some of us called a meaningless game and a chance to rest up hurting and recovering players.

Others thought it very important to win that game.

Of course, we could have lost a backup if we played them in hte game, maybe even Cassel, and there is no telling what might have happened, but one thing is for certain: Rodney got hurt playing in a game where he should have been resting because he was so recently back from his shoulder injury. I really really really wish BB had let Rodney rest most of the game. I also wish Watson hadn't played. His knee has been bothering him and in teh Jets game he looked slow and sluggish. It would have been nice to give him the week off.

Anyone here prefer to be 11-5 with Rodney available and Watson at full speed?

I do. The only good thing to come out of the Titans game is that I am no longer worried about Rodney's shoulder blade.

 

[BelichickFan]

Anyone here prefer to be 11-5 with Rodney available and Watson at full speed?

Or how about 12-4 with Rodney available. There was no way to predict a major injury would happen. It could but it also could not have. Tough break. Tough league. Get Sanders ready.

 

[Willie55]

It's easy to second guess when you have hind-sight.

It wasn't a meaningless game, the Pats still had a chance at the 3rd seed.

 

[PonyExpress]

Rodney would have got hurt last Sunday against the Jets. Move on.

 

[sarge]

Hindsite sure is something.

I mean just these past few days we had people saying that if they were the Cowboys, they would have went for the FG on 3rd down instead of forth.

Forget the fact that they would have been giving the Hawks the ball back down less then a FG with over a minute left in the game.

You can never predict this stuff. It happens. It sucks, but it happens!

 

[Sunqueen212]

When you talk about the choice of going into the post season with momentum and having a chance to move up a seed or sitting out a few players and playing a game half-@ssed, I would think a Bill Bellicheck-coached team would do the former every time.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

When you talk about the choice of going into the offseason with momentum and having a chance to move up a seed or sitting out a few players and playing a game half-@ssed, I would think a Bill Bellicheck-coached team would do the former every time.

I think you mean the post-season, but, yeah, every time.

 

[spacecrime]

Hindsite sure is something.

It's easy to second guess when you have hind-sight.

I didn't second guess. I said beforehand we should rest the starters, that a healthy and rested team was more important than a win.

There was no way to predict a major injury would happen.

No there isn't. There is no way to predict if you will get hit by a car if you never look before running across Re 128 either, but you can do the smart thing and try to put the odds in your favor.

Weigh benefit/gain.

Benefit of winning: None (miniscule possiblity of getting 3rd third seed which was likely to be meaningless unless the Colts beat the Ravens.

Benefit of resting: Healthy players, rested players.

Anyone here who says it is better to play a hard game rather than have a bye is ignoring the fact they they would love to have had a bye week.

 

[Deus Irae]

I didn't second guess. I said beforehand we should rest the starters, that a healthy and rested team was more important than a win.

No there isn't. There is no way to predict if you will get hit by a car if you never look before running across Re 128 either, but you can do the smart thing and try to put the odds in your favor.

Weigh benefit/gain.

Benefit of winning: None (miniscule possiblity of getting 3rd third seed which was likely to be meaningless unless the Colts beat the Ravens.

Benefit of resting: Healthy players, rested players.

Anyone here who says it is better to play a hard game rather than have a bye is ignoring the fact they they would love to have had a bye week.

Number of players who can dress per week: 45

Number of starters, including punter and kicker: 24


Therefore, even if the team only carried exactly 1 backup for each spot and no backup for the punter and kicker, you'd need to have 46 spots to rest every starter. In New England, the team carries 3 quarterbacks, meaning that's yet another spot taken up. And that's with no special packages (i.e. nickel, dime).

In other words, even in meaningless games during the regular season, you must play many of your starters because you don't have enough bodies not to. Unlike the exhibition/pre-season games, the regular season rosters aren't full of stiffs that can serve as cannon fodder, particularly on a Patriots team where depth is preferable to a superstar system. Now, add to that the need for Harrison to get some time in to get back up to speed after his injury and you have a situation where it's obvious he should have been on the field playing.

Considering the injury to Harrison had absolutely nothing to do with his broken bone that had kept him on the shelf, this complaining because Harrison was in the game isn't hindsight, it's looking for something to cry about.

 

[420jim]

Ahm spacecrime, Rodney Harrison needed to play. He needed the game time to get back into game form. You can't get into game form by sitting on the sideline. The problem came about by a blatant attack on his knee. When the Titan offensive player decided instead of blocking he'd dive into Harrison's knee it became an issue. Playing good solid winning football going into the playoffs is the correct process, playing out the string to rest players is a sure way to go home early, just like the Colts found out last season.

 

[pats1]

Ben Watson didn't play against the Titans. He and Wilfork were hurt in the Dolphins game and returned against the Jets.

 

[ironwasp]

I do. The only good thing to come out of the Titans game is that I am no longer worried about Rodney's shoulder blade.

If only you were the coach. We'd probably not even have needed Rodney Harrison as with your perfect 20-20 vision of hindsight we'd have signed a dominant non-injury prone safety a couple of years ago. And we'd not have signed Tebucky Jones or Mel Mitchell either. Cos everyone knew they were injury liabilities unable to make it to week one.

 

[BajaBolt]

I would have liked to see the hitman come back to SD and play. Of course, from a winning stand point I can't see that I'm not happy we don't have to face him. He was one of my all time favorites and if he hadn't built up such a bad rep with the refs in a bolts uni, he would have probably remained a bolt. He was one more fine away from a major suspension and he kind of escaped that by donning a new uniform. I have been very happy for the guy winning 2 SB's. He's a warrior and a hard worker.

If it makes you feel any better, Rivers thrashed his foot so badly against the Cards that he has been wearing a protective boot for the last 10 days. In hindsight, he should have sit the last game too.

However, both of our teams have shown the ability to carry on despite injuries. We're almost at full strength, less our 4th DL Cesaire, so the Chargers should have no excuse to not show up and execute with their first teamers.

 

[PatsDeb]

I disagree that Rodney would have been kept out to rest his shoulder. It was only his second game back, and I think he would have played some even if we went with scrubs from the beginning in order to get his game timing back.

 

[upstater1]

When you talk about the choice of going into the post season with momentum and having a chance to move up a seed or sitting out a few players and playing a game half-@ssed, I would think a Bill Bellicheck-coached team would do the former every time.

OH? Then what about the Miami game last year?

This isn't a case of hindsight either. It's just a case of criticizing Belichick, since there were a lot of people on this board, including myself, saying BEFOREHAND that the players should be protected and rested. Was it a meaningless game? I believe so. The BYE was out of the question. The main thing at stake was playing Denver or the Jets (this was our thinking at the time).