Oh yeah, late season games for home field and byes are especially valuable. These early games are still important too in determining values for games later on. All these games are important thats why i don't care how we win as long as we do. I replied to this original post because even though we won someone was upset our defense still was bad because if it wasn't for that EZ fumble we would have given up 24 points. I was just happy we won and just hoped to relieve their stress.
If you beat 12 pushover teams, and nobody has a (familiar, to us) 13-3, 14-4, or better record, you've got 12 "not that valuable" wins conferring HFA on you, and therefore a significant advantage heading into the playoffs.
Additionally, if you beat Cleveland on week 3 by a field goal, you might have screamed at the top of your lungs at everybody who'll listen and several who won't, "THIS WIN HAS NO VALUE!" ("I mean, except it could determine the outcome of the season. Other than that, nahhhh.")
Just combining a few of the meanings here.
Any value that we place on regular season wins, division wins, etc., applies to an early-season game equally as to the late-season game, during which the stakes are known.
Granted, AFTER HFA is clinched, you can find yourself in a position in which another win will not change your chances. Interestingly, over the years, BB has often still operated on the premise that you field your real team every game in such late season games. That might just be a matter of keeping competitive regardless of outside declarations of "meaninglessness."
I doubt that by the end of this season, regular season wins will end up being meaningless. Even if they do, however, the early games are necessary to create such a state of affairs, so the logic does not extend backward to this game... in which a W is definitely a W.
That said, it's also a signpost of sorts. It tells us where we are now... not the juggernaut, a 4-2 team that's won close games, warts and all. If that changes, I'm sure we'll all be happier.
