Going for 16-0 or resting players on the last game.

[dakevdude]

A little change from that "16-0 or Another superbowl win" thread. LOL

If the Patriots are in that 15-0 position going into the last game of the regular season...

I myself am torn about the decision...

 

[Truck]

both...play half the game, get a 21 pt lead, then rest the second half...
We have a bye the first week of the playoffs, so the 2 weeks rest we'll get is plenty. No reason to make it 3 weeks rest

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

Start everyone, keep them in game shape.....

Look at the Rockies.....

 

[zadnor]

I know the goal is to win the Super Bowl but the chance to go undefeated is, I think, too great an opportunity to pass on. Play 'em.

 

[Pats_AZ]

I would think first that BB wouldn't keep his starters out for fear that they get soft. Also if we get a bye and we don't play our starters the lsat game, that would be 3 weeks till they play full speed....i would think that would be a bad idea.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

A chance at an undefeated season should be treated as a challenge worth taking on. These players are ultra-competitive and if they are 15-0 heading into that Giants game, they'll be chomping at the bit for a chance at history. One can make a logical argument of not risking injury and resting players, but there will always be a nagging thought on the players' minds about why the coaching staff didn't take a shot at history. Then the media will make it a huge story the two weeks leading up to the divisional round, with stories of how BB was "scared" to face the pressure of attempting 19-0. The players will have two weeks to stew over the decision and that's not a distraction they need when prepping for a team like Pittsburgh, San Diego or Tennessee. Plus, the team has been going full-bore all season. Suddenly putting on the brakes would be an ending to the regular season completely out of character on how the team has played so far, one other thing the players shouldn't be stewing over for two weeks.

Regards,
Chris

 

[TruthSeeker]

The decision has already been made. Or perhaps you haven't noticed that the Patriots keep their starters on the field longer than they (sometimes) need to...

 

[Ring 6]

I dont understand these threads. They imply that there is a tradeoff between having players play all the games and success in the playoffs.
I do not believe there is.

I think that if we have clinched HFA with 4 games left, we play our players for those 4 games. (I would agree we should be more apt during that time to remove them when we are ahead by a lot). I am certain that a team that continues to play through the season is more prepared for the playoffs whether or not they have injuries. If you sit players to avoid injuries, you lose your edge. Players play. I would rather have my players on the field at 90% because they are banged up than have them at 100% but inactive for 2,3,4 weeks.
we will have a bye in 'week 18'. I do not want our players sitting out from week 16 to 'week 19' because they will be less effective than if they played and were banged up a bit, and the entire team will be more effective with those guys having played and stayed sharp, even if some of them are not on the field because they sustained injuries in the last game or 2.

 

[JoeSixPat]

A little change from that "16-0 or Another superbowl win" thread. LOL

If the Patriots are in that 15-0 position going into the last game of the regular season...

I myself am torn about the decision...

As one of the local sports writers mentioned, do you think Belichick, a veritable NFL historian who took such glee in calling for the first drop kick since 1941 (actually filling in reporters on the historic aspect of Flutie's kick) is going to pass up a chance for NFL immortality?

Even if he were you don't think the players would beg for a chance?

We'd be 15-0 ... there's no chance we don't have the bye and a week to rest the next week.

You might be torn but no one in the Patriots organization would be.

They play to win.

 

[ChoWZa]

They have to get to 15-0 first. Not to be a kill-joy. One step at a time

 

[homerpatsfan]

just go for it. i agree, players should play and stay sharp!

 

[PlattsFan]

Play to win. Every game. The key to being healthy in the NFL is a) luck and b) being the aggressor. So take it to the Giants and hope for the best.

Besides, there's a Super Bowl winner every year, but there ain't never been a team 19-0.

 

[dakevdude]

So be it...if the Pats are fortunate enough to be in that position...everyone then unanimously agree...even with the risk of injuries vs the Giants...they should play on!!!

 

[Haterproof]

I think BB is going to go for the entire thing if the Pats are indeed 15-0 heading into week 16.I don't see the Pats falling into the same trap as Indy did in 2005.I always said that if there was an NFL team that can go undefeated it was the Patriots.

 

[DisgruntledTunaFan]

A little change from that "16-0 or Another superbowl win" thread. LOL

If the Patriots are in that 15-0 position going into the last game of the regular season...

I myself am torn about the decision...

The goal is to WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, *NOT* to win every single game on the schedule. Heck-didn't the Pats get whooped by Buffalo and Pitt in their Super Bowl years? Yah-like the sky was falling.

And plus the Giants are still likely going to be fighting for that NFCE crown, so it may NOT be a good idea to bang bodies with them and risk injury.

 

[Haterproof]

The goal is to WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, *NOT* to win every single game on the schedule. Heck-didn't the Pats get whooped by Buffalo and Pitt in their Super Bowl years? Yah-like the sky was falling.

And plus the Giants are still likely going to be fighting for that NFCE crown, so it may NOT be a good idea to bang bodies with them and risk injury.

Not if the Giants kick the Cowboys A** like I think they're on Sunday.I wouldn't be shocked if they some how won the NFC East in the end.

 

[Vern]

Lets make this easy, lets say if the Pats are only, oh I don't know, 13-2 and yet absolutely cannot change their playoff seeding and already have a bye and have nothing else like perfect season to play for, guess what...

they STILL play everyone who is healthy, and well into the 4th quarter!

Because it's exactly what they did in that situation in 2004 against the 49ers.

 

[Bostonian1962]

A little change from that "16-0 or Another superbowl win" thread. LOL

If the Patriots are in that 15-0 position going into the last game of the regular season...

I myself am torn about the decision...

Before Old Man Shula showed his true colors, I would have said rest. Now I say go for the record, with the exception being resting the truly banged up.

 

[Patjew]

Lets make this easy, lets say if the Pats are only, oh I don't know, 13-2 and yet absolutely cannot change their playoff seeding and already have a bye and have nothing else like perfect season to play for, guess what...

they STILL play everyone who is healthy, and well into the 4th quarter!

Because it's exactly what they did in that situation in 2004 against the 49ers.

I think the starters played so much in that game because they were playing like crap.

Anyway, I don't really disagree with you. I think they play a half.

 

[Deus Irae]

It's always nice when the trolls prove they're worthy of the ignore function with just one or two posts.