If we clinch the division this weekend...

[CATCH17]

Would you rest the Starters against the Giants?


I would love to give the team a week off and I really don't see any advantages of going full tilt against the Giants but our team is so rusty after they get any time off that I don't know if we should play'em or sit'em.


What would you do?

 

[supercowboy8]

IF we clinch the East and the Giants have no way of making the wildcard, then yes rest the players. No reason to risk injury.

 

[TheSport78]

Another interesting question, if the Giants beat the Jets at 1pm, the Eagles game has absolutely no meaning to us. Do we rest our starters against Philly?

 

[CATCH17]

Another interesting question, if the Giants beat the Jets at 1pm, the Eagles game has absolutely no meaning to us. Do we rest our starters against Philly?

No because we could still pull off a wildcard.

 

[TheSport78]

No because we could still pull off a wildcard.

Detroit and Atlanta would have to lose out, correct?

 

[DallasEast]

No. Neither the offense nor defense is playing at a high enough level of consistency to afford taking a week off.

I know how some feel that this team is one-and-done, etc., should they reach the playoffs. That could become true, but it remains an uncertainty. Any team can get hot and peak come playoff time in this era of the NFL. I would prefer that Dallas not cool down and level off in week 17 should they have already secured a postseason berth.

 

[laythewood28]

No. Neither the offense nor defense is playing at a high enough level of consistency to afford taking a week off.

I know how some feel that this team is one-and-done, etc., should they reach the playoffs. That could become true, but it remains an uncertainty. Any team can get hot and peak come playoff time in this era of the NFL. I would prefer that Dallas not cool down and level off in week 17 should they have already secured a postseason berth.

this.

 

[laythewood28]

Another interesting question, if the Giants beat the Jets at 1pm, the Eagles game has absolutely no meaning to us. Do we rest our starters against Philly?

can't the Eagles still take the division if they win out?

 

[ufcrules1]

can't the Eagles still take the division if they win out?

No, if the Giants beat the Jets... the Eagles are completely eliminated. I don't want that to happen though. I want the Jets to win and then that will give us 2 chances at winning the NFC east. If we beat Philly we would win it.. or if we beat NYG we would win it. J E T S....JETS JETS JETS! :starspin

 

[CATCH17]

can't the Eagles still take the division if they win out?

Giant's / Eagle's / Cowboy's must all be 8-8 for Philly to get in.

 

[Tusan_Homichi]

I absolutely would rest the starters. No question. We have quite a few guys with nagging injuries.

 

[catskillthunder]

It's a double edged sword. Rest them and have the fear of the team not being psychologically ready for the following week. Play them, the team remains somewhat sharp, but that one freak accident play where when of our lineman roll into Romo's knee, etc. Look what happened to Wes Welker a few years ago, played in a meaningless game and blew out his knee the week before the playoffs.

 

[Doomsday101]

Would you rest the Starters against the Giants?


I would love to give the team a week off and I really don't see any advantages of going full tilt against the Giants but our team is so rusty after they get any time off that I don't know if we should play'em or sit'em.


What would you do?

If by chance Dallas had the division before the NY game then I would look to play the starters at least half of the Giants game. At this stage I think the Cowboys would still need the work heading into the playoffs

 

[Doomsday101]

No, if the Giants beat the Jets... the Eagles are completely eliminated. I don't want that to happen though. I want the Jets to win and then that will give us 2 chances at winning the NFC east. If we beat Philly we would win it.. or if we beat NYG we would win it. J E T S....JETS JETS JETS! :starspin

That is how I'm looking at it. Jets win we can clinch Sat if we come up short you still have the matchup with NY for the division.

Great thing is no matter the outcome of Sat game the Cowboys will still be in the hunt until the very last game.

 

[fanfromvirginia]

I'd rest any starter with any lingering or recurring injuries (Ware and Jenkins come to mind) and pull many of the key starters after a half or so.

 

[CATCH17]

If by chance Dallas had the division before the NY game then I would look to play the starters at least half of the Giants game. At this stage I think the Cowboys would still need the work heading into the playoffs

We did that against the Commanders a while back and it threw us off.

I think we either need to go full tilt or not go at all.

Playing a half is a bad idea imo.

 

[Doomsday101]

We did that against the Commanders a while back and it threw us off.

I think we either need to go full tilt or not go at all.

Playing a half is a bad idea imo.

I don't base things on what happened in a game a few years back. The game you are talking about is 2007 season that has no relevance with this team here and now and the circumstances are not the same.

 

[Alweezy]

IMO this team needs to be in playoff mode. Now.

Do what you have to do to win out. Resting people is a nice gesture but it leaves room for coming out flat when it matters.

 

[Tricericon]

We did that against the Commanders a while back and it threw us off.

I think we either need to go full tilt or not go at all.

Playing a half is a bad idea imo.

One data point is not enough data points to draw the conclusion that resting starters is bad for you.

In fact, that conclusion is flatly wrong. Going back to 1990, teams that rest their starters at least one week have a higher win percentage in their opening playoff game than teams that do not. While the difference is very marginal and probably explained by teams with a chance to rest being better on average than teams that don't rest, the argument "resting is bad" fails to hold any water.

As far as 2007 goes, we were skidding hard anyway for two weeks before pulling our starters against the 'skins. It's hard to argue that's what started the problem - I personally blame Romo's busted thumb he got playing Philly.

 

[Robert_California]

I'd say not at all. Seeing Tyron go down in garbage time the other day was enough for me. No meaningless snaps please.