Colts won’t rest starters against Texans

[JohnVM]

Colts won’t rest starters against Texans | ProFootballTalk

Coach Chuck Pagano agrees with him. Even though the Colts are locked into the fifth seed in the playoffs, Pagano said Wednesday that they will be approaching the game the same way they’ve approached all their other contests this season.

“It’s not in our DNA,’’ Pagano said, via the Indianapolis Star. “You want to win. You want to win at home. You want to go into the playoffs with momentum. We want to keep the momentum going.”

this bodes well for our HFA/bye hopes

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Like I said in the other thread, they are saying all the right things so far. I'll believe it when I see it though

 

[Kontradiction]

Good for us. The Colts will come out fired up for Pagano.

Bad for them, though, if a catastrophic injury occurs with nothing to gain.

 

[Shockt327]

Good for them. I'll be rooting for them in that match-up; based on their own interests as well as NE's.

 

[Kontradiction]

Good for them. I'll be rooting for them in that match-up; based on their own interests as well as NE's.

Even if the Pats had nothing to gain out of it, I'd be rooting for them purely for Pagano.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

lol... "not in our DNA"

He doesn't know his current franchise very well, does he?

Not in his DNA, sure, but that organization is run at the top by cowardly quitting tankers. Curtis Painter will probably get a nice Christmas bonus for life for his essential role in delivering Andrew Luck, even though (pathetically) he was actually trying hard!

 

[Rob0729]

It is a misnomer that every team rests starters when they have nothing to lose. Even the Pats have played all their starters and gone full out in meaningless games at the end of the season in the past.

Besides, recent history has shown that teams that are playing for real all the way through the regular season even without a bye still can win the Super Bowl. The Giants went all out against the Pats in 2007 with nothing to play for except pride and won the Super Bowl. Five of the last seven Super Bowl winners played in the Wild Card round and I don't think any of them rested starters in week 17 (although many of them were playing for something).

 

[Ring 6]

Good for us. The Colts will come out fired up for Pagano.

Bad for them, though, if a catastrophic injury occurs with nothing to gain.

But its not nothing to gain. There is a lot to gain in keeping the team in competitive mode, in having momentum, in accomplishing a victory against the current #1 seed.
There may be more to gain that the difference between a 5th and 6 or 4th and 5th seed in the big picture.

 

[Kontradiction]

But its not nothing to gain. There is a lot to gain in keeping the team in competitive mode, in having momentum, in accomplishing a victory against the current #1 seed.
There may be more to gain that the difference between a 5th and 6 or 4th and 5th seed in the big picture.

There's no exact science to keeping a team competitive. In the end, good coaching should ensure a team stays competitive no matter what happens. Teams have rested starters in Week 17 and have won the Super Bowl and teams have played starters and won the Super Bowl. Teams have played starters with no further seeding to gain and have come away with no injuries. Teams have played starters with no further seeding to gain and have come away with absolutely catastrophic injuries.

If it were my team, I'd rather play it on the safe side. Give the guys an extra bye week to rest their bones and field the healthiest team possible for the Wild Card round.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Even if the Pats had nothing to gain out of it, I'd be rooting for them purely for Pagano.

Weird rooting for the colts, no?

 

[Kontradiction]

Weird rooting for the colts, no?

Very weird. But the guy has recovered from Leukemia and it's a great story. Add to that the fact that Manning is no longer there, and it gets easier. Their fans still suck, though.

 

[Get it shawtaay]

But its not nothing to gain. There is a lot to gain in keeping the team in competitive mode, in having momentum, in accomplishing a victory against the current #1 seed.
There may be more to gain that the difference between a 5th and 6 or 4th and 5th seed in the big picture.

This a thousand times.

The margin for error is so slim in the playoffs that a single "rust-attributable" error might mean golfing. That's as big if not worse of a risk as risking injury or a worse seed.

 

[102 Pat]

Weird rooting for the colts, no?

Maybe the mayans were nine days off in their prediction?

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

lol... "not in our DNA"

He doesn't know his current franchise very well, does he?

Not in his DNA, sure, but that organization is run at the top by cowardly quitting tankers. Curtis Painter will probably get a nice Christmas bonus for life for his essential role in delivering Andrew Luck, even though (pathetically) he was actually trying hard!

I can't say for sure but perhaps he said that with a purpose, and a change in the overall demeanor of the team is in store? Even though the resting strategy didn't hurt them in '09, I know their fans were extremely pissed about quitting and moreso not going for the undefeated season. Last year the team may not have lost on purpose, but it sure as heck look like they packed it in somewhere in the 2nd quarter of the season. One can only hope for our sake this Sunday that he is serious about this.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

There's no exact science to keeping a team competitive. In the end, good coaching should ensure a team stays competitive no matter what happens. Teams have rested starters in Week 17 and have won the Super Bowl and teams have played starters and won the Super Bowl. Teams have played starters with no further seeding to gain and have come away with no injuries. Teams have played starters with no further seeding to gain and have come away with absolutely catastrophic injuries.

If it were my team, I'd rather play it on the safe side. Give the guys an extra bye week to rest their bones and field the healthiest team possible for the Wild Card round.

Agreed with this word for word. There's no stat or actual evidence I know of that can prove the theory that either approach helps or hurts their team. It basically boils down to what you want to believe.

 

[BananaRepublican]

The Giants went all out against the Pats in 2007 with nothing to play for except pride

Pride supercharged by how famous they would be for busting an undefeated season.

 

[pdangle]

It'll be an interesting case study set of games. I've seen it espoused a few times that there's little actual proof that extra motivation for home field or byes exist once teams are already in the playoffs. Teams will either, 1) fight all out to get in the playoffs or, 2) they're in and they don't. In other words, BOTH teams will be de-motivated. It seems many fans are automatically assuming the Texans (and the Broncos for that matter) will be playing with true urgency for the bye. But human nature, and, I guess whichever games were used to test this theory, might suggest otherwise; it's more likely lip service and not an actual thing seen on the field. We will see.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Even if the Pats had nothing to gain out of it, I'd be rooting for them purely for Pagano.

You have a lot of company in that sentiment, for sure! I hope he fires them up to kick Houston's butt.

 

[Brady=Dilf]

I don't hate the Colts anymore. Most of the obnoxious fans have jumped ship and boarded the Broncos bandwagon now. Luck is a very humble kid and having one hell of a season. Hard not to root for him. I'm also rooting for Chuck. I obviously don't want them to beat the Pats but I'm pulling for them to beat not only Houston but whoever they face in the wild card round.

I can't stand the Broncos or the new wave of Manning-fans. So ******* annoying. All I hear is, "wait for the rematch in our house." ******* losers didn't learn the last 10 times Manning blew a playoff game and they still won't learn.

 

[JMarr]

I don't hate the Colts anymore. Most of the obnoxious fans have jumped ship and boarded the Broncos bandwagon now.

I can't stand the Broncos or the new wave of Manning-fans. So ******* annoying.

Exactly how I feel. I know several former hard-core Colts fans (who of course hate the Patriots), who turned into Broncos fans overnight after Peytie got there. Sickening really.

That's why I really don't want the Pats going to Denver in the playoffs. I have a really bad feeling about that scenario and don't know how I'd handle it Peyton beat us playing for the Doinks. On the other hand, to beat them in Mile High and stun their idiotic fans would be beyond sweet.