Gumby
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2004
- Messages
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FROM BOB GEORGE COLUMN: In all the games involving these six teams, the only team which figures to lose are the Patriots, and that would likely be by design, much like last year. The Patriots could very well rest Tom Brady the entire game, especially after that jarring hit he took from Jacksonville linebacker Clint Ingram on Sunday. Other Patriots could very well be rested, including Vince Wilfork, Rodney Harrison, Ben Watson and Ryan O'Callaghan. The Patriots could use the Tennessee game as their bye week, or as a "tuneup" game for Denver, who figures to be their Wild Card round playoff opponent.
Personally I think this whole idea of planning to lose by design idea is BS. I also thought so last year when they tanked against Miami so they could play JAX instead of Pitt.
I think it mentally puts the wrong image into your players mind. Instead of "IF WE GIVE 100% WE CAN BEAT ANYBODY" they go into the playoffs thinking that "WE ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE IF WE FACE SO AND SO".
Psychologically I think you are better off just to play straight up.
I don't know for sure if it made any sort of difference in the Denver game last year**, but I suspect it could have. I just think it is bad practice to go out and intentionally lose a game to try and orchastrate specific playoff seeding. Just play it out and beat who you have to beat.
(** My feelings about that game is that the Patriots were EXPECTING A BAD REFEREED GAME from the outset from their coaching staff. They acted from first couple of plays like they thought the referrees could be talked into flags and I think it actually ended up bouncing back against them. I don't know if they could have overcome 5 turnovers if the PI calls and the out of end zone had been called right; but the whole refereeing in all the playoffs last year was the worst I have seen in 30+ years of watching pro football - so we weren't the only ones screwed. )