MagHawk
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oregonhawkfan":2e7ugj7k said:
This right here.
Rest 'Em or Start 'Em?
- Thread starter AROS
- Start date
This right here.
LolaRox
New member
In my opinion physical readiness/health is more important than momentum (They had momentum going into the Rams game and that didn't get them the win)
Everyone that is less than 100% and/or that could benefit from rest should sit - Russ, MikeB, Avril, Baldwin (if his hamstring isn't 100%)... If Kam/Okung/Hill can play then they play a few series. This game is meaningless in the standings and alone can't determine who the Hawks play. Either way they have to go on the road and play a team (MIN, WAS, GB) that they are capable of beating.
It isn't about being scared, its about being smart. Ultimately they are competing for a SB that is #1 priority. I don't see resting the starters as not competing in this game. You let your young players go out and see if they can get the win. Let Lane and Shead battle it out to see who gets the start in the playoffs, let the RBs battle, let Kelcie, Frank and Marsh get some extra snaps ... there are plenty of things to compete for in this game while allowing the players to rest who need it.
Everyone that is less than 100% and/or that could benefit from rest should sit - Russ, MikeB, Avril, Baldwin (if his hamstring isn't 100%)... If Kam/Okung/Hill can play then they play a few series. This game is meaningless in the standings and alone can't determine who the Hawks play. Either way they have to go on the road and play a team (MIN, WAS, GB) that they are capable of beating.
It isn't about being scared, its about being smart. Ultimately they are competing for a SB that is #1 priority. I don't see resting the starters as not competing in this game. You let your young players go out and see if they can get the win. Let Lane and Shead battle it out to see who gets the start in the playoffs, let the RBs battle, let Kelcie, Frank and Marsh get some extra snaps ... there are plenty of things to compete for in this game while allowing the players to rest who need it.
BirdsCommaAngry
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I drew an effeminate looking face on an oven mitt and then I threatened my friend at knife point into role-playing as the now female oven mitt. After careful instruction from the pointy object and myself, he began nodding the oven mitt up and down to nod yes and mimicking a girly voice to also say yes while I repeatedly asked the girly faced, girl voiced oven mitt out for a date. Why did I behave so strangely and potentially ruin a friendship in the process? Because I'm nervous about asking a girl out and I wanted that sweet, sweet momentum!
(This was an attempt at illustrating how irrational certain superstitions regarding momentum are. Did it work?)
(This was an attempt at illustrating how irrational certain superstitions regarding momentum are. Did it work?)
SeatownJay
Active member
:sarcasm_on:
Maybe we can convince the NFL to just let us forfeit the game. That we we can rest everyone and save money on travel expenses.
Maybe we can convince the NFL to just let us forfeit the game. That we we can rest everyone and save money on travel expenses.
OP
OP
SeatownJay":2volr7iw said:
Hey works for me!
Seriously though, with all these concussions and players out, why on earth would we want our starters to play more than a series or two in this game? The Cardinals would love nothing more than to knock Wilson out of the playoffs. They will be feasting on our M*A*S*H unit of an OL and will be relentless all day.
Send in the backups. 9-7 sits perfectly well with me the way this season has gone.
Nothinbutm
Member
Play the damn game. Momentum is a huge deal for this team. Get it back. A win in AZ would go a long way. Especially if we have to go back there.
OP
OP
Nothinbutm":1hjumik1 said:
If Wilson gets rocked in this game and gets injured you better not answer the door when I knock because there's going to be a burning paper bag with doggie poo in it. :16:
Hasselbeck
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I've changed my mind.. the amount of injuries this team has right now.. and KEY injuries at that.. I know it goes against everything Pete Carroll stands for but we should really just sit as many starters as we can.
raisethe3
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I'd say play 'em for 2 quarters.
Nothinbutm
Member
Aros":32t0fjtf said:
Haha, I wouldn't blame you. But you don't play one of the most violent games on the planet and approach games with that level of conservativeness (I just made that word up, so what?). It's the nature of the beast. Timid is not a good approach to entering the playoffs when you want to hoist the Lombardi again.
That being said, I seriously hope we come out of this game relatively unscathed. This year, injuries for the Hawks has been horrendous.
Siouxhawk
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I changed my mind too in that it's possible we may get the Saturday Wild Card game, meaning even less rest time for those already dinged up a bit. Let them fully heal, have a good week of practice and get ready for an outdoor game at Minnesota, Washington or Green Bay.
OP
OP
Nothinbutm":h2w27b95 said:
This is a fantastic topic because there are so many diverse opinions and approaches to the paradigm of resting or starting when a team has already locked up a playoff birth. I can totally see both sides of the coin, and can agree with many points of each side. But for me, in the end, it comes down to preservation and preparation.
Preserve your players from needless harm in a game that won't count for anything in the playoffs. Momentum? Meh. How well did our momentum hold up coming in to the Rams game? It's meaningless. Every game is it's own entity.
Every. Game. Is. It's. Own. Entity.
I think that is HUGELY important to remember in this sport. We fans tend to overthink every element of the team we follow to a fault, but that's okay because it's our job to do so. In the end, if I am a General (Head Coach) and I have a battle looming against a formidable opponent (Cardinals) which I know is not going to matter much strategically in terms of winning the war (Super Bowl), I will elect to save my soldiers to fight another day, in a bigger battle, when I need them at their utmost strength to win the war.
Momentum? Psychology? There may be a place for those things during the course of a season but under these circumstances, you are smarter to remove needless harm when the bigger war looms just beyond this minor battle.
Hawkscanner
New member
Aros":2hyphjg8 said:
I hear what you're saying Todd and agree with a lot of the points you make in principle. Mike Holmgren said this week he feels exactly the same way you do. A lot of other former players and coaches have said the same thing. They agree with you.
The problem with that all is -- I don't think that's what's going to happen here this weekend. Pete Carroll was asked that exact question today and he flat out said he doesn't believe in doing it. His point of view was basically exactly what I've been saying. He believes in momentum and in competing to win each and every game. I know a lot of people aren't going to agree with him, but the bottom line is that's what I see him (along with Arians) actually doing -- playing to win.
That said, I also don't see him playing it stupid either. For guys who are really honestly banged up, he's going to rest them (or at least reduce the workload they see in this game). He's not dumb. He knows the playoffs are the battles that really count and I don't believe he's going to cost this team a chance at the Super Bowl by getting guys seriously hurt over a Week 17 Game. I also don't think he's going to open up the playbook and show Arizona and the rest of the NFL tricks and wrinkles that they may very well use come playoff time.
Bottom line is that I see Carroll treating this Sunday just like he does every other game. And that is, he's going to play to win.
OP
OP
Oh I agree totally as far as realizing how Pete will be approaching this game. I don't necessarily (well completely) disagree with his message and philosophy, but I do think he's wrong. Yeah, funny for a nobody fan to say that against a winning coach with his pedigree but I stand by my opinion none-the-less.
Look, Belicheck, who most people will agree is somewhat of a "genius" in this sport. A total architect of the game. Hard to argue really when you look at his resume. However, even a "genius" can be a dope from time-to-time. He outsmarted himself last Sunday by electing to kick off in overtime and it kicked his ass.
At the end of the day, we are all slaves to an infinity of variables that can conspire against your very best plans.
Look, Belicheck, who most people will agree is somewhat of a "genius" in this sport. A total architect of the game. Hard to argue really when you look at his resume. However, even a "genius" can be a dope from time-to-time. He outsmarted himself last Sunday by electing to kick off in overtime and it kicked his ass.
At the end of the day, we are all slaves to an infinity of variables that can conspire against your very best plans.
