If Bengals beat Denver, would Patriots rest 1st-team players?

brdmaverick said:

And we all know what happend in 2009, losing Wes Welker.

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yes but they lost Welker because of the terrible field in Houston

fnordcircle said:

I hope Denver wins tomorrow. Going 20 days without playing a meaningful game of football is not a positive thing this time of the year.

I'd rather see the team playing with something on the line next week and to go into the bye with a sense of having gone out and earned it rather than the Broncos gift HFA to us.

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That's crazy, gimme my HF. Buffalo has played some great defense recently, I think it'll be another grind it out game. Plus rooting for Peyton is never acceptable

Froob said:

That's crazy, gimme my HF. Buffalo has played some great defense recently, I think it'll be another grind it out game. Plus rooting for Peyton is never acceptable

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Throughout the 2000s how many times did we see the Colts go 3-4 weeks without playing a meaningful game of football and end up coming out rusty?

I'm a firm believer that playing games is the best way to keep competitive edge.

They'd only rest the guys who are injured. They have some work to do on getting the OLine straightened out for the playoffs, and everyone can rest the following week. Two weeks off makes people too rusty (I think this is BB's philosophy too).

fnordcircle said:

Throughout the 2000s how many times did we see the Colts go 3-4 weeks without playing a meaningful game of football and end up coming out rusty?

I'm a firm believer that playing games is the best way to keep competitive edge.

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I still want them to play most of the game unless it gets outta hand, but you never know what could happen in the division. Especially with Buffalo's defense. Although I wouldn't mind trying to lower the usage on Gronk....need him healthy for the playoffs for once.

If there is one player they should rest it's Nink, I think he still leads the league in percentage of defensive snaps played. Give the man a breather and let Zach Moore start

Jlaff said:

I thought Joker was the only one on this forum who posted while drinking.

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I think that's the only way I post...

I think most of the injured players will get the day off or very limited snaps. I think Jimmy G will get the start.

fnordcircle said:

Throughout the 2000s how many times did we see the Colts go 3-4 weeks without playing a meaningful game of football and end up coming out rusty?

I'm a firm believer that playing games is the best way to keep competitive edge.

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I don't know...

Didn't we see your example of the Colts having taken weeks 16 and 17 off the year they had a shot at 16-0 with HFA, only to make it to the Super Bowl where they lost on a last minute INT?

I believe it was the 2009 season.

ivanvamp said:

- Completely rest Gronk, or at most play him a quarter.
- Completely rest Revis. Let Dennard get some snaps in.
- Completely rest Connelly, assuming he's still dinged up.
- Completely rest Edelman, assuming he's still dinged up.
- Let Brady play a quarter or two, maybe. Then it's JG time.

Let the rest of the starters play.

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I'd also add some other players to the mix, such as Wilfork, Hightower, Collins, Browner, and even LaFell.

Understanding that you can't rest everyone, all of these players are certainly important to our postseason run, and will be facing a very tough, pissed off Buffalo Bills defensive front.

The goal has already been achieved. Nothing that good can really come from playing most of these guys, aside from a glorified practice.

I don't buy into the thought that they are all going to suddenly forget how to play competitive football in 2-3 weeks from now. I think the answer is to play them for the first quarter or two, then take them out.

Hell, we have bye weeks every year, and could be playing 13 days from the Bills game. It's not that long of a time when you give them a couple/few days off to rest.

Well, Denver lost, so the Buffalo game will not secure HFA. I think the pats play to win just because it is a home game. If Buffalo lays down, the starters rest later in the game, but I don't think the home team wants to wrap up with a stinker.

The real question is what will Buffalo bring to Foxboro? I'm not sure this is their Superbowl. And they are not likely going to be playing in front of a lot of fans -- in person or on TV. That leaves pride. My sense is that they will want to get off the field in one piece.

The pats should take an early lead and I suspect our backup QB will take meaningful (for him) snaps.