njbuff Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 This is a topic that deserves its own thread as many of us have debated on what McDermott should do with his starters in the final week of the season. Actually, we all have strong opinions on this matter. I am in the camp of just playing your starters and pull some out of the game as the game progresses. What is your take? 3 2
BuffBillsForLife Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 If you rest starters, they do get slightly rusty. But you also don't expose starters to injury in a meaningless game and give people more time to get healthy. I support resting starters. 2
BisonMan Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 (edited) Either no starters at all, or just run regular game prep and have them play one series at most. My question on this is: “Which starter, if injured, makes it worth losing him in meaningless game just before the playoffs?” The Bills are very lucky at this point to only have one Day 1 starter out for the playoffs (Cody Ford). My hope is that Beas returns in time. Everybody else could use the rest/rehab. I'm trying to think of a recent Super Bowl champion that didn’t have a week off before their first playoff game. Anybody think the Chiefs will be “rusty” before their first playoff game? Edited December 30, 2020 by BisonMan 1
RoyBatty is alive Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 Play to win the game...within reason. A marginally injured player like Beasley, you sit him. Old vets that are hurting or fatigued, you sit them. The players you dress, sure as heck you play it like any other game, especially if you are on a hot streak like the Bills are. 12
nucci Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 2 minutes ago, BuffBillsForLife said: If you rest starters, they do get slightly rusty. But you also don't expose starters to injury in a meaningless game and give people more time to get healthy. I support resting starters. No they don't. They will get plenty of practice time. It's only 1 week. '90s Bills rested starters and played very well in the playoffs the following week 4
Gugny Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 Assuming the Steelers will lose is unwise. Secure the 2nd seed. Play to win the game. 16 3 3
RoyBatty is alive Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 3 minutes ago, nucci said: No they don't. They will get plenty of practice time. It's only 1 week. '90s Bills rested starters and played very well in the playoffs the following week The 90s Bills and how they approached the Playoffs is not exactly a winning endorsement imo. 3
Billzfan37 Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 4 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said: The 90s Bills and how they approached the Playoffs is not exactly a winning endorsement imo. If only they took the free bye week off with a meaningless opponent and then remembered not to party like feckless rock starts during Superbowl week. Honestly, all accounts are that they threw spring break ragers during their superbowls and were not anywhere near ready at kickoff each appearance. 1
todzilla Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 To me, Josh, Diggs, Dawkins, Morse, Edmunds, Milano, and Tre should have the day off. Worst case scenario if we finish at 3, we go to Pitt instead of hosting them. We can win there. If one of them goes down it could screw all this up. Don’t take the chance. 4
Saxum Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 14 minutes ago, BisonMan said: I'm trying to think of a recent Super Bowl champion that didn’t have a week off before their first playoff game. Anybody think the Chiefs will be “rusty” before their first playoff game? Giants 9-7 season champ? 1
BillsfaninSB Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 (edited) Play to win unless someone is pretty dinged up. Treat week 17 like it is week 1. Laying that egg against the Jets last year did us no favors in my opinion. I don’t think we should count on the Steelers losing. They have a lot of pride and will play hard. Edited December 30, 2020 by BillsfaninSB
BisonMan Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 Just now, Limeaid said: Giants 9-7 season champ? Trying to make my point? 😁 so, that would be once in the last 10 years?
BuffaloRebound Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 2nd seed vs 3rd seed is close to meaningless this year. If we play Saturday, that’s only 12 days between games New England game and 1st round. So there’s not really a rust argument either so no reason to play the starters. 1
nucci Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 4 minutes ago, BillsfaninSB said: Play to win unless someone is pretty dinged up. Treat week 17 like it is week 1. Laying that egg against the Jets last year did us no favors in my opinion. I don’t think we should count on the Steelers losing. They have a lot of pride and will play hard. week 17 is nothing like week 1....certain players needs to sit out
RoyBatty is alive Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 7 minutes ago, Billzfan37 said: If only they took the free bye week off with a meaningless opponent and then remembered not to party like feckless rock starts during Superbowl week. Honestly, all accounts are that they threw spring break ragers during their superbowls and were not anywhere near ready at kickoff each appearance. That is something I am not sure "we" will every know the full and complete story. I have heard some players of the era confirm that, and others totally deny it.
Saxum Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 No you said you had memory issues. Just throwing in champion I remembered without search. Rest is good and rust is bad. 21 minutes ago, BisonMan said: Either no starters at all, or just run regular game prep and have them play one series at most. My question on this is: “Which starter, if injured, makes it worth losing him in meaningless game just before the playoffs?” The Bills are very lucky at this point to only have one Day 1 starter out for the playoffs (Cody Ford). My hope is that Beas returns in time. Everybody else could use the rest/rehab. I'm trying to think of a recent Super Bowl champion that didn’t have a week off before their first playoff game. Anybody think the Chiefs will be “rusty” before their first playoff game? 6 minutes ago, Limeaid said: Giants 9-7 season champ? 1 minute ago, BisonMan said: Trying to make my point? 😁 so, that would be once in the last 10 years? 2 minutes ago, BuffaloRebound said: 2nd seed vs 3rd seed is close to meaningless this year. If we play Saturday, that’s only 12 days between games New England game and 1st round. So there’s not really a rust argument either so no reason to play the starters. 2nd vs 3rd. Could be Ravens/Steelers/Browns in Buffalo rather than travelling. Every team would take their own beds, no planes or buses and not hotels every time.
Chaos Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 It has always been interesting how the Patriots approached "meaningless" games and special teams. In both cases they put the personnel on the field that gives them the best opportunity to win. I am not quite old enough to remember Vince Lombardi, who is reported to often have repeated the phrase 'Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing" I suspect the Packers did not rest players before the playoffs. I suspect Bellichek thinks that it provided his team some psychological advantage, more than worrying about them being rusty. Patriots certainly didn't intentionally miss out on a playoff bye to avoid getting rusty. Like Tom Brady, Josh Allen carries his offense and likely covers up potential weaknesses that may be more obvious if he is not playing. Not really sure if this is true, but if it is, it is a fairly compelling reason to play your game as you normally would. 8 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said: That is something I am not sure "we" will every know the full and complete story. I have heard some players of the era confirm that, and others totally deny it. the deniers probably just weren't invited to the good parties. 1
skibum Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 This one is not meaningless enough to sit the starters unless they are banged up. I can't believe Pittsburgh is supposedly doing it with home field for round 2 on the line. The Bills are just going to have to jump out to a 50 point lead in the first half so they can sit everyone for the remainder. 1
Rocbillsfan1 Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 First off, most players aren’t going to get the week off. We are talking about a handful of players. This is like getting a bye week. Most teams play better off of a bye. You are criminally insane if you think there is value in playing allen, diggs, Milano, edmunds, tre, poyer, and Hyde. There is also little to no value in trying to get the 2 seed. Not this year. Don’t be stupid buffalo. 2
Rc2catch Posted December 30, 2020 Posted December 30, 2020 I play whoever is healthy because I wanna keep the rhythm going. Allen is hot, O line is hot, receiving group is playing well. I’m keeping that rhythm. I come out and play first quarter like this is the playoffs. If there’s a lead I try to establish the run and kill clock ASAP. With this offense I don’t sit them. I just don’t have the confidence in two weeks they pickup right where they left off. 1
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