Rest 'Em or Start 'Em?

Simple poll. Feel free to expand on your answer.

You play to win the game. You play to win the game!

Why rest? Seriously? I know people will probably bring up a freak injury or some sort of garbage excuse. Unless a player is hurt and can't play, like Chancellor. Then yeah, rest him. Otherwise, we have to beat the Cardinals! Have too! A possible scenario of losing 3 straight to the Cardinals would be a nightmare.

IMO having the momentum going forward outweighs the risk of injury. *NOTE* - this excludes playing teams like the rams, where risk of injury is MUCH higher than playing the Cardinals. I don't like the Cards, but IMO they play straight-up.

Only way I think they should sit the starters is if we are completely blowing them out. Don't see that happening.

Start them and play them...don't let the Rams game be the last before the playoffs.

You play to win the game but rest anyone with an injury or tweak.....that includes Dangeruss if the knee is bruised or otherwise bothering him in any way. Same with Beast - heal up as much as possible. Let them get as healthy as possible for this time of year.

Scared money don't make none.

Want the Owl. I'm in the no more than a series or two camp for anyone that won't benefit from the reps. I think the offensive line should probably play most of the game, they need to reestablish some rhythm after getting handled by St. Louis' ridiculous defensive front.

I think getting guys like Pinkins, Francis, and the UW receivers reps can pay dividends later on.

My theory is, the 3 times we made the Bowl, we had a bye. The game against Az means nothing in the great scheme of things. Treat this week like it is a first round bye into the playoffs. Then go kick ass and take down names!

oregonhawkfan":80m07p4c said:

You play to win the game but rest anyone with an injury or tweak.....that includes Dangeruss if the knee is bruised or otherwise bothering him in any way. Same with Beast - heal up as much as possible. Let them get as healthy as possible for this time of year.

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Bingo. You don't rest your starters but no one should be playing hurt. That probably includes Lockett Baldwin lynch chancellor okung etc.

I'll trust in what PC ends up doing. But for me, I'd play them for a few series and then sit 'em. When Russ got blasted and came up limping I was like "there we go". I absolutely would rather rest the guys that are "dinged" and get them ready as possible for the playoffs. Its a game we very likely wouldn't win anyhow. Risk vs reward thing.

seedhawk":3nfczhmg said:

My theory is, the 3 times we made the Bowl, we had a bye. The game against Az means nothing in the great scheme of things. Treat this week like it is a first round bye into the playoffs. Then go kick ass and take down names!

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People keep saying this, and it confuses me.

Not only does going into the playoffs with two bad losses suck all our momentum, but I'd rather not have to go to GB in the first round where we've played terrible forever.

We can debate which team we'd rather play in the Wildcard round, but the fact is beating a full strength Arizona team in their house, getting the #5 seed and not have to go to Lambeau where we stink is more important than MAYBE risking injury.

If players can't play, Pete won't play them, so the injury thing doesn't work for me.

Arians was asked about resting players this week and he had a good point.

The roster is only made up of 45 players or so on Gameday. Hard to rest players in that scenario.

ringless":ou2zupcv said:

Arians was asked about resting players this week and he had a good point.

The roster is only made up of 45 players or so on Gameday. Hard to rest players in that scenario.

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PC said the same thing. That we play so many of our players, who could we possible rest? It's a media thing.

Sgt. Largent":oqqv4e23 said:

seedhawk":oqqv4e23 said:

My theory is, the 3 times we made the Bowl, we had a bye. The game against Az means nothing in the great scheme of things. Treat this week like it is a first round bye into the playoffs. Then go kick ass and take down names!

Click to expand...

People keep saying this, and it confuses me.

Not only does going into the playoffs with two bad losses suck all our momentum, but I'd rather not have to go to GB in the first round where we've played terrible forever.

We can debate which team we'd rather play in the Wildcard round, but the fact is beating a full strength Arizona team in their house, getting the #5 seed and not have to go to Lambeau where we stink is more important than MAYBE risking injury.

If players can't play, Pete won't play them, so the injury thing doesn't work for me.

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I know what you're saying here Sgt. Consider this though....We play all starters vs Az (win or lose doesn't matter)
and somebody gest hurt. Somebody important. What then? ALMOST every game someone comes up gimpy or out right injured. If not multiple players. I would rather have as healthy a team as possible going into the playoffs instead of giving much thought to seeding at this point. Of course, if HFA was at stake one would have to look at it differently.

If the Hawks are concerned about playing one team over another at this point I think we already have a problem.

All this chat about momentum I find slightly bemusing. In our current state, in terms of players nicked up, Arizona are winning this game at a canter. I'd much prefer we give this game up and rest our stars to enable them to be healthy going into the post season.

We are so thin at several positions (D line, RB, WR) that one more injury to a key player and we are screwed.

There is little evidence that winning this game is going to help our chances in the playoffs (I think WAS / MIN / GB are all similar given Green Bay's O-line injury drama they got going on at the moment), so ignore this one and start focusing on attacking the play-offs.

I just do not understand this idea that "momentum" is valuable enough to risk getting more guys nicked up, ESPECIALLY given that even if we play our starters, our chance of winning the game with NO 1 seed on line for Cardinals would only be about 30-35% in my book.

davidonmi":3ece1c8e said:

oregonhawkfan":3ece1c8e said:

You play to win the game but rest anyone with an injury or tweak.....that includes Dangeruss if the knee is bruised or otherwise bothering him in any way. Same with Beast - heal up as much as possible. Let them get as healthy as possible for this time of year.

Click to expand...

Bingo. You don't rest your starters but no one should be playing hurt. That probably includes Lockett Baldwin lynch chancellor okung etc.

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I agree, which is why I chose "play starters for a few series".

Play the game like its Week 1.

Russ is the only one I rest, and only then after a drive or a few. 46 active on gameday, we run a rotation at the DL anyway, not enough WRs on the roster to rest those guys, Lynch needs some resemblance to a real offense if he is going to work into being a part of it..

But TJ getting a bunch of snaps could pay playoff dividends in the event we actually need him.

I am very torn on this. I am so annoyed we lost to the Rams because we should have locked up the #5 seed and be able to rest players.

But now I think we need to beat Arizona because I don't want to go to Lambeau in the wildcard game. I would probably play to win the game at this point just to avoid going there.

I am totally not convinced Arizona is playing like it's 'Game 1'. You're telling me if the Panthers are beating the Bucs 24-0 at halftime (and so the Cards outcome is meaningless) that he's not taking Palmer out of the game in the 2nd half rather than risk injury in a game that means absolutely nothing? The Cards can go to the Super Bowl and Palmer is injury prone - can you imagine if he tears an ACL in the 4th quarter of a game that means nothing to them?

Ultimately it's a moot point because Pete is going to always compete and try to build momentum.

However, I'm not convinced that Green Bay will be a tougher opponent than Washington. GB has been playing the second half of their season about the way that we did against the Rams yesterday. Their O-Line has been as bad as ours is and we're not a dome team that is scared of playing in the cold.

Personally, I would sit anybody who is less than 95% and give TJack snaps in the third quarter.