Here's how I'd approach things the next few weeks:
- Next week, rest a few more guys than usual. You are going against a team in Tampa that you'd likely have a hard time beating on a normal day. They are an NFC opponent who mean very little for you in the standings. Give some guys nursing things some extra time, because...
- You then have to play on a short week, Thursday night against the Jets. At least it's at home, and it's the Jets. I'd spend some of the Bucs week game-planning for this game to make sure you're completely ready to ensure a win - conference opponent, division opponent, etc.
- You now get a "mini-bye" with 10 days off until your next game, away at Cincinnati. The Bengals are already close to dead as far as playoff standings go after their loss today, and if they lose in two weeks vs. Pittsburgh (they're on a bye next week), they'll definitely be dead. So, this game against NE may ultimately mean nothing for them. Should be a game they can prep a lot for on the mini-bye.
- Week after that is a home game vs. the Giants, who are spunky but irrelevant and not going anywhere, and who have lost almost all of their weapons except for QB Dart. I'd probably be a bit conservative here too - rest some guys - give them advanced rest ahead of the bye coming up the following week.
- This next week is a bye. Get healthy.
- After the bye, Bills at Foxboro. Spend your bye getting healthy and game planning to sweep them. If you do then you probably have the division basically locked up.
- The last 3 weeks of the season then become less tense (at Ravens, at Jets, home v Dolphins) - with at least two of those games being vs irrelevant teams and perhaps all three.
If they play their cards right they can put themselves in position to really only need to "go hard" for about 3 of these games, lock up the division, and otherwise just play smart and get playoff ready and healthy.
