There is no intelligent reason to make Romo play Sunday

[cowboys2233]

I wouldn't mind Romo in for a bit just to keep his arm warmed up. Depending on how the game is going, pull the starters before the half.

Is Brady going to play next week to keep his arm warmed up before his first playoff game? No, he has a bye. So why does Romo need to forgo rest to keep his arm warmed up this week?

 

[TheFinisher]

We have the early game and still have a realistic shot at the bye if STL beats SeA and if SF beats a AZ team QB'd by Logan Thomas. You absolutely play to win.

 

[ufcrules1]

Why the heck are so many people on this board having such a hard time comprehending that?

Because they let their emotions take over. I have a friend that desperately wants to see Murray break the Cowboys rushing record. The dude had surgery on his hand and needs to heal up... but never mind that. We will be the biggest laughing stock of the NFL if we go out there and play the starters and one of them gets injured.

 

[ufcrules1]

Is Brady going to play next week to keep his arm warmed up before his first playoff game? No, he has a bye. So why does Romo need to forgo rest to keep his arm warmed up this week?

They have a smarter coach.

 

[mldardy]

We have the early game and still have a realistic shot at the bye if STL beats SeA and if SF beats a AZ team QB'd by Logan Thomas. You absolutely play to win.

We can lose and still get a bye with all of what you said happening. You play smart for what is really important which is not that Washington game.

 

[FootballFan1]

Is Brady going to play next week to keep his arm warmed up before his first playoff game? No, he has a bye. So why does Romo need to forgo rest to keep his arm warmed up this week?

I will say this, in the preseason, Brady I don't think even played one down. My reasoning of the action was (which I disagreed with), well after all these years does he really need it?? Well, got my answer in the first few games, Brady and the team looked bad. It takes a while to be in harmony with your players. And in particular with the Pats because we are always having a change with the roster.

If it is just one week off, then I think it is fine. Two weeks, don't think so. You have to go in with a winning mentality and not sitting with a loss behind you. I know you folks are not Skins fans, but I do not think of them as a "dirty" team out to hurt. Just do not see them that way. The Steelers and Lions, well another story.

Tough call, but I really like the full steam ahead mentality. And only rest players that need the extra time to get healthy.

 

[tyke1doe]

The way I see it is, realistically, we're playing the week after the Skins game because we'll be the third seed. And, the road to the Super Bowl is three weeks long. We won't be getting a bye week. But Green Bay (assuming they win) and Seattle (assuming they win, which is a high probability) will have an opportunity to rest. So why not let our guys who need to heal up for the stretch run rest this week?

Jason will likely let Romo and Murray play a half and then let them sit the second half. He'll probably let the other injured Cowboys sit also.
That's my prediction.

 

[Blackspider214]

There is one other scenario you missed. If SF beats Arizona and Seattle ties St. Louis, then the Cowboys do need to win against Washington. With that said, that just isn't going to happen. Most of the scenarios that have any chance at all, don't require Dallas to win that game. We should be sitting the starters to avoid injury.
If one of our starters gets injured, it will be ridiculous.

Yeah any scenario that involves a tie, I pretty much throw out the window. It's just not going to happen.

Go into the wild card game healthy. Number one priority right now. Washington has nothing to play for except pride and can play for pride. While Dallas players probably would be playing a little timid just trying not to get hurt. Not a good combination.

 

[cowboys2233]

The way I see it is, realistically, we're playing the week after the Skins game because we'll be the third seed. And, the road to the Super Bowl is three weeks long. We won't be getting a bye week. But Green Bay (assuming they win) and Seattle (assuming they win, which is a high probability) will have an opportunity to rest. So why not let our guys who need to heal up for the stretch run rest this week?

Jason will likely let Romo and Murray play a half and then let them sit the second half. He'll probably let the other injured Cowboys sit also.
That's my prediction.

Again, why? Why a half? This isn't preseason, where the players need reps to get ready for the season. So why on earth would they even play a half? Just because? What you're saying makes no sense, every team gets a bye during the year, every team plays for one of the top two seeds in their conference each year, precisely to get those pre-playoff byes. There is no concern about "getting cold" or "losing momentum" for those teams, they welcome the rest before starting their playoff run.

 

[Risen Star]

Yeah but who plays the other tackle spot. I'm all for it but don't know who plays that other tackle spot.

If Weeden's playing, I would prefer not even having a blindside OT.

 

[Risen Star]

we are going to play to win.

You play to win the game. You don't just play it to play it.

Hello?!

 

[JBell]

We have the early game and still have a realistic shot at the bye if STL beats SeA and if SF beats a AZ team QB'd by Logan Thomas. You absolutely play to win.

If STL beats SEA, and SF beats AZ, we get a bye regardless if we win or lose vs. WAS.

 

[LandryFan]

Seattle and Arizona both losing is a very real possibility. 49ers will likely beat Arizona and St. Louis is coming off a tough loss after a good streak of playing very well and would like nothing better than to spoil some pf their division rivals thunder by putting a L on them.

I think they have to play and to win. A bye is THAT important.

What people need to remember is that the Seattle-StL game is a divisional game. I know we tend to think we're the only division with strong rivalries, but that's just not true. Seems like the Rams play Seattle tough most of the time. I guarantee Jeff Fisher will be trying to win the game. Now do I think Seattle loses? No. But I wouldn't be shocked if it happened, either. As for the SF-AZ game, we all know that AZ is reeling. They just got their tails handed to them by Seattle and they're playing with a third string QB. San Fran will either quit from the git-go or go all out for a win. I'm not sure which will happen, but if they really go for the win, there is a real possibility they beat AZ. However, Dallas' game has no meaning in that scenario, so I'll just defer to what Garrett thinks is best for the team. JMO.

 

[ChooChoo73]

Rest as many starters as possible. Health is more important than momentum since we will be a physical run first team. If we were a rythym and volume passing team, I might think differently. We can take a week off and still pound the rock.

 

[chagus]

The dude has been in the league since 2003 and has been starting games since 2006. The idea that a grizzled veteran like him can't take a game off to keep his momentum going is frankly idiotic. Risking your franchise QB with a bad back in a meaningless game is insane. Full stop.

Has anyone considered that the Commanders may want to lose this game to improve their draft status?

 

[Nirvana]

Jerry Jones is on the same page as the team’s head coach.

“I feel strongly about going all out against the Commanders,” the Cowboys owner and general manager said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM]. “There’s several reasons, but No. 1, I think there’s a bigger concern about losing your edge than there is ever about some of those other issues that are involved. There will be opportunities enough as the game goes along to see if anybody needs to be resting. But we need that win. We could really need it. It could really make a difference. And, so, that’s that.”

DeMarco Murray is 29 yards away from setting a new single-season franchise rushing record. And to Jones, that plays a factor in playing Murray despite his surgically-repaired left hand.

“We all know the risk of losing a player in a game,” Jones said. “And all of those have their way or sorting out. I think you can make a good case for even someone like Murray getting his reps in. You know, you’ve got Murray, who’s got – let’s look at the record aspect of this thing, 29 yards to go. That’s not just Murray’s record. That offensive line – I know as a former offensive lineman, you’re so proud of those yards, it’s like you made every one of them yourself. And so, there’s an inspirational thing about doing well, winning, stats.

“You’ve got to temper all of that as to the risk. As you know, I’m a risk-taker. You’ve got to weigh that against the reward. And I think the mental, feel-good of competing, or give yourself a chance to compete, is good.”

http://cowboysblog.***BANNED-URL***...cts-starters-to-play-against-washington.html/

 

[mldardy]

What people need to remember is that the Seattle-StL game is a divisional game. I know we tend to think we're the only division with strong rivalries, but that's just not true. Seems like the Rams play Seattle tough most of the time. I guarantee Jeff Fisher will be trying to win the game. Now do I think Seattle loses? No. But I wouldn't be shocked if it happened, either. As for the SF-AZ game, we all know that AZ is reeling. They just got their tails handed to them by Seattle and they're playing with a third string QB. San Fran will either quit from the git-go or go all out for a win. I'm not sure which will happen, but if they really go for the win, there is a real possibility they beat AZ. JMO.

Very true the Rams will play them tough and the Seahawks are just not a good offensive team so the game will be low scoring and fairly close and then could go like the Cards game where the Seahawks pull away late. I just hope that Fisher starts someone else besides Shaun Hill or if Hill isn't playing well that he comes to his senses and pulls him.

That SF-ARI game will be similar. Low scoring, close game. Arizona can't even get in the end zone with the crap they have been rolling out at QB so you know they would put up a lot of points.

 

[LandryFan]

There is a downside to letting half of the team off. If our most important players sit and the rest are mixed with back-ups, there is more concern about injuries.

You can't go in planning on a loss but starting half of the starters, that is a recipe for disaster. Either go all in(minus Romo for most if not all of the game) or sit the most that you can and tell them to just go through the motions.

In my experience in playing sports, if you play to avoid injuries, they happen more frequently. It is in the back of their minds to avoid contact, etc.

They have two options:
1. play to win
2. plan on the loss and use a simple game-plan while resting as many as they can

But, it is difficult to do both.

I think you may be onto something, there.

 

[Iago33]

So ignore the statistics that teams play better coming off a bye? And the fact that this game is meaningless in terms of seeding?

Show me those statistics and factor out the fact that a playoff bye is only achieved by the best teams.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

The dude has been in the league since 2003 and has been starting games since 2006. The idea that a grizzled veteran like him can't take a game off to keep his momentum going is frankly idiotic. Risking your franchise QB with a bad back in a meaningless game is insane. Full stop.

You would think this is the obvious decision. It is a no-brainer decision. Why am I worried Garrett will have a lot of the starters out there?