Rest starters or go for 12 wins?

[yimyammer]

I just read Garrett plans for the starters to play their "usual amount of time"

My opinions matters and I'm ok with it.

I think he's playing possum, Garrett is good about trying not to show his hand but his gm will probably spill the beans before the weeks over like he seems to do on a weekly basis

 

[Bleu Star]

Cowboys play at 10 AM so they will not have the luxury of knowing the results of the early games. Play for 12 wins and hope enough happens that they get the #2 seed? Or rest the starters?

IMO rest the starters.

Rest is for pansies. Play to the possibility of the #1 seed.

 

[TrailBlazer]

Some data on "momentum" for the recent Superbowls:

Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17
2013 (Seattle) Loss Win Loss Win
2012 (Baltimore) Loss Loss Win Loss
2011 (New York) Win Loss Win Win
2010 (Green Bay) Loss Loss Win Win
2009 (New Orleans) Win Loss Loss Loss
2008 (Pittsburgh) Win Win Loss Win
2007 (New York) Win Loss Win Loss

Seems to me this whole "momentum" thing is overblown. 3/7 of the last SB winners lost their last game yet somehow won despite not having that elusive momentum at the end of the regular season.

Rest the starters - I rest my case.

Yes it's completely overblown. Momentum is a football cliché. Teams play better when rested. Period.

 

[TrailBlazer]

Rest is for pansies. Play to the possibility of the #1 seed.

1 seed is not gonna happen. 2 seed is possible but dallas doesn't need to win to get it. Just need seattle and zona to lose.

 

[KJJ]

That momentum didn't help us the next week against Minnesota. The Eagles sucked that year. That's the only reason we made it to the second round. Not momentum.

I already discussed that in a previous post and the Eagles didn't "suck" that season they finished 11-5 and made the playoffs as a wildcard. The Cowboys made the playoffs that season due to the momentum they gained from beating the 13-0 Saints at the dome. The Cowboys started Dec 0-2 and turned their season around with the big win over NO. The Cowboys were riding a 3 game winning streak into the playoffs and relaxed after winning their first playoff game in 13 years acting like they had just won the SB. They went up to Minn still celebrating and weren't focused and it led to a debacle.

 

[wileedog]

Rest is for pansies. Play to the possibility of the #1 seed.

Awesome. So if Romo gets hurt and we are blown out of the first round of the playoffs, at least we will know we weren't "pansies."

 

[TrailBlazer]

I already discussed that in a previous post and the Eagles didn't "suck" that season they finished 11-5 and made the playoffs as a wildcard. The Cowboys made the playoffs that season due to the momentum they gained from beating the 13-0 Saints at the dome. The Cowboys started Dec 0-2 and turned their season around with the big win over NO. The Cowboys were riding a 3 game winning streak into the playoffs and relaxed after winning their first playoff game in 13 years acting like they had just won the SB. They went up to Minn still celebrating and weren't focused and it led to a debacle.

I remember them not being anywhere close to as good as dallas. Which is why we beat them 2 weeks in a row. Not momentum. Teams play better when rested. Players look forward to bye weeks during the season, this is no different. They will not risk romo's health and will not play to win that game. To win the superbowl, we'd have to win 8 straight without a bye week in there. That's ridiculous, give me the bye week. Gives us the best chance.

 

[yimyammer]

I think its a bad decision if these reports are true.... I mean either your going to try and win the game or not. So none of this play a quarter stuff either. Why would u do that?

I get it, playing for the bye. But, I say we just rest our starters. No goofing around.

I agree, I don't see any point in playing starters for a quarter or a half except a scenario where they are steam rolling the skins and its something like 28-0 at half, in that case, I could see letting the back ups finish the game

 

[Fizziksman]

Yes it's completely overblown. Momentum is a football cliché. Teams play better when rested. Period.

agree. the only reason that momentum narrative has legs to stand on is because of parity. Wild Card teams have become almost as good as most 1st and 2nd seeds. I doubt the same could be said for any wild card team during the Cowboys run during the 90s.

 

[Chuck 54]

Well, the only people's opinions that matter are those who own or collect a paycheck from the Dallas Cowboys, and they plan to play the healthy starters.

Personally, I wish there was a league rule against sitting guys who are not injured. It doesn't do the game or fans justice, and I'll bet the starters who have to play because you don't have enough backups to play without any starters stand a bigger chance of injury playing a bogus game with a bunch of guys who shouldn't be out there. This is no different in my mind than teams sitting starters at the end of the year to gain a better draft position. It may make sense, but it's just wrong.

 

[yimyammer]

Some data on "momentum" for the recent Superbowls:

Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17
2013 (Seattle) Loss Win Loss Win
2012 (Baltimore) Loss Loss Win Loss
2011 (New York) Win Loss Win Win
2010 (Green Bay) Loss Loss Win Win
2009 (New Orleans) Win Loss Loss Loss
2008 (Pittsburgh) Win Win Loss Win
2007 (New York) Win Loss Win Loss

Seems to me this whole "momentum" thing is overblown. 3/7 of the last SB winners lost their last game yet somehow won despite not having that elusive momentum at the end of the regular season.

Rest the starters - I rest my case.

seems to me it would really help the "momentum" if Weeden and the backups went out and kicked the Commanders *****, that would be a pretty great outcome as well especially if the miracle happened and AZ & Seattle both lost

 

[KJJ]

I remember them not being anywhere close to as good as dallas. Which is why we beat them 2 weeks in a row. Not momentum. Teams play better when rested. Players look forward to bye weeks during the season, this is no different. They will not risk romo's health and will not play to win that game. To win the superbowl, we'd have to win 8 straight without a bye week in there. That's ridiculous, give me the bye week. Gives us the best chance.

Philly had the same 11-5 record as the Cowboys but we owned them that season beating them 3 times. No team with an 11-5 record "sucks." The Cowboys had their number that season fueled by the 44-6 debacle in Philly the previous season that kept the Cowboys home for the playoffs. The Cowboys were a pissed off team every time they faced Philly in 09 after the embarrassment in the season finale the previous year. The Cowboys don't always play great when rested they had a 13 day rest in 07 with players laying on a beach in Cabo prior to the Giants playoff game and got beat. Just this season they returned well rested from a bye and almost lost to a bad Giants team had it not been for a last ditch drive in the final 3 minutes. They proceeded to get blown out by Philly 4 days later.

The team has had plenty of rest the last few weeks with a bye and a Thursday night game that gave them 10 days off a month later. From listening to Garrett he wants to win on Sunday they may not play Romo but I believe Garrett wants to avoid ending the season on a sour note. He was the OC when the Cowboys stunk it up in Washington in week 17 in 07. The Cowboys may get a bye depending on how this weekends games turn out. It's important to be playing well entering the playoffs so I want to see a solid performance from the Cowboys on Sunday.

 

[5Stars]

The Cowboys know that they are not fat and happy right now. More work needs to be done and that is not sitting on their *** thinking they are something they are not!

Finish the fight!

 

[KJJ]

As I've already stated I would rest Romo in this game the last time the Cowboys played Washington he was sacked 5 times and ended up with 2 fractures in his back. Washington can't keep the Cowboys from making the playoffs but they sure can keep them from advancing so we have to sit Romo.

 

[5Stars]

As I've already stated I would rest Romo in this game the last time the Cowboys played Washington he was sacked 5 times and ended up with 2 fractures in his back. Washington can't keep the Cowboys from making the playoffs but they sure can keep them from advancing so we have to sit Romo.

This does make sense. Romo does need to sit, but he will start, so will the rest of the starters for a series or two.

Let Weeden start against their backup QB.

 

[KJJ]

Those who want to rest the starters on Sunday better consider this if the Cowboys were to get a bye the starters will be going 2 weeks without playing which could lead to rust once the playoffs start. If players go too long without playing they won't be sharp.

 

[Bleu Star]

Awesome. So if Romo gets hurt and we are blown out of the first round of the playoffs, at least we will know we weren't "pansies."

Like I said, rest is for pansies. Everyone (with the exception of Demarco) should play at least a half. This team has proven over the years that resting players by choice does not bode well for a sharp return to the field. As well as they're playing, they cannot afford to lose that focus/sharpness/timing. Come playoff time, one & done can sneak up on you quickly. So I will never be for taking the less aggressive approach. Romo is fine. Not worried..

 

[Galian Beast]

Like I said, rest is for pansies. Everyone (with the exception of Demarco) should play at least a half. This team has proven over the years that resting players by choice does not bode well for a sharp return to the field. As well as they're playing, they cannot afford to lose that focus/sharpness/timing. Come playoff time, one & done can sneak up on you quickly. So I will never be for taking the less aggressive approach. Romo is fine. Not worried..

Yeah, that's why teams have losing records coming off of byes... because they lose their focus and sharpness.

 

[theogt]

During the week 11 bye, would you have rather (1) taken a normal bye or (2) played an extra game?

How stupid does it sound to pick (2)?

 

[theogt]

Yeah, that's why teams have losing records coming off of byes... because they lose their focus and sharpness.

Huh? Teams tend to fair slightly better after coming off a bye.