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Resting Players post Xmas Eve


WheatieMan

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Dallas still barely in the thick of things in the NFCE. If we beat the Eagles on Xmas Eve we probably go all out to win the division as the Eagles have a divisional loss.

Lose that game, we get locked into the #5 hole with games @Tenn @Washington. Washington may need that game. It's a very tricky spot, similar to 07' when we took the foot off the gas against Washington.

Nonetheless, I think you play those last two road games like the third preseason game. Tenn won't need that game but Commanders will still be in it Week18 and if you can't match that intensity you just sit the starters.

I'm also aware of last year and McCarthy playing deep into the game on the road against a surging Eagle team although neither club really needed the game. We still were flat against SF on WC weekend.

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6 hours ago, WheatieMan said:

Dallas still barely in the thick of things in the NFCE. If we beat the Eagles on Xmas Eve we probably go all out to win the division as the Eagles have a divisional loss.

Lose that game, we get locked into the #5 hole with games @Tenn @Washington. Washington may need that game. It's a very tricky spot, similar to 07' when we took the foot off the gas against Washington.

Nonetheless, I think you play those last two road games like the third preseason game. Tenn won't need that game but Commanders will still be in it Week18 and if you can't match that intensity you just sit the starters.

I'm also aware of last year and McCarthy playing deep into the game on the road against a surging Eagle team although neither club really needed the game. We still were flat against SF on WC weekend.

Way too many variables to make this determination right now, but a few points of consideration: 1) I don’t think you can let off the gas for 2 weeks, maybe 1. 2) Bad karma to tank a game against WFT and let them into the playoffs. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Cowboys in a very precarious spot in that they pretty much have to run the table to win the division and get the one seed at 14-3 (Eagles only have two tough games @NYG and @Dallas). 

One loss pretty much means playing meaningless games the rest of the way assuming we get additional separation this week after Giants lose and we presumably beat Houston. Every game is a playoff game going forward.

Let's say Shegles beat us but we're still up 2.5 games with two to play on Wash NYG, or even 1.5 on 1/2 of those teams (both of whom play very tough schedules), it's going to be very interesting to see how we play the TNF game week 17 @Tenn.

It will basically be 10 days of rest going into the playoffs assuming we have enough bodies to finish a meaningless against a Commander team who will likely need the game.

If we enter that game tied with the Eagles with the tie breaker in hand, I think they will flex Cowboys Commanders to SNF (edit: actually they'd have to play both NFC East games simultaneously so maybe not).

 

 

 

 

Edited by WheatieMan
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  • 3 weeks later...

What's the strategy for McCarthy? Playing starters deep into week 18 last year didn't help us in the playoffs. We have a lot of players on defense injured.

Obviously you play Philly straight and lock up the fifth seed. Then Tenn who will be desperate for a win on Thursday. This is a potential blood bath game for both teams.

Do you play Cooper on a short week and activate some players lower in the depth chart, and give Vraebel a pass? The problem with this is assuming a Philly win at home against the Saints the following Sunday.

I think I'd rather play the Commanders straight and rest on the short week on the road. Knock Washington out of the playoffs because Lions/Packers are more dangerous can can do the dirty work.

First things first, beat Gardner Minshew otherwise we can't take it easy for the Holidays.

 

Edited by WheatieMan
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Some players will probably rest but you can’t rest everyone. We don’t have enough guys on the roster for our main 5/6 OL and everyone solid in the DL rotation to sit. I think if there is nothing to play for week 18, then and only then do you think about sitting guys like Dak, Zeke/Pollard/ Lamb/ Martin, Tyron, Parsons, DLaw, LVE, Diggs.

 

Everyone else can play. Tyler Smith is a rookie and needs all the reps he can get. Gallup/Washington/TY/Noah all need reps. The TEs need reps. All the CBs/Safeties other than Diggs need reps. Damone Clark and Anthony Barr need reps. Biadasz, and McGovern need reps, but you could probably rest Peters. 
 

Give Rush the start week 18 IF there is ZERO to play for. But no more than one week off. The Football season can be a routine, and taking two weeks off breaks routine. Players are used to bye weeks and long weeks after Thursday games, so taking a week off before the playoffs is fine. Two weeks off isn’t normal and usually comes with some rust though.

Edited by DaBoys
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We kinda, sorta, already had a thread going on this topic. 

BUT!!! What da hell???

I'm for handling the next 3 games like pre season.

Put your starters in to keep em, ahem, sharp, for a few series and then gradually work your FA signings in along with your back ups in preparation for the playoffs.

Because, from what I've seen, injuries are a mounting, including Parsons. He went from possible MVP candidate to "Mr. Irrelevant".

He SUCKS lately. Just like Lawerence. He looked unstoppable, until defenses keyed on him and realized we had nothing else to offer.

In this approach I also advocate for falling from 5 to 7.

Too many times we entered the post season with false bravado based on the glory of teams past, only to sheet the bed in the 1st round.

Let's try beating the teams we know we can beat and getting to the "any given Sunday" BS philosophy and hope it breaks our way!

That's my plan!

You got a better one???

 

 

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1 hour ago, Rtnldave said:

Because, from what I've seen, injuries are a mounting, including Parsons. He went from possible MVP candidate to "Mr. Irrelevant".

He SUCKS lately. Just like Lawerence. He looked unstoppable, until defenses keyed on him and realized we had nothing else to offer.

Micah had 12 pressures and a sack against the Jags…

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12 hours ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

Micah had 12 pressures and a sack against the Jags…

Yeah, but we didn't win the game. I understand it's a team sport and Dak turned it over twice, but we had a 17 point lead in the second half! That's 3 scores!!!

If Parsons is supposed to be MVP and the "Lionbacker" then DONT GIVE UP 3 SCORES!

I know, I know, he can't do it all, blah, blah, blah.

Look, if you all think I'm asking too much of him, I will counter with, I believe we are not asking enough if him. 

If he is THEE guy on defense, then, like the QB, you take the brunt of the heat.

I'm sorry if this seems absurd, and to a degree I admit that it does, but if you want to win post season and compete for a title, then you have to ask the impossible from your best players, because no one else on this team can do it.

Make a play that seals the game.

 

 

 

 

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31 minutes ago, Rtnldave said:

Yeah, but we didn't win the game. I understand it's a team sport and Dak turned it over twice, but we had a 17 point lead in the second half! That's 3 scores!!!

If Parsons is supposed to be MVP and the "Lionbacker" then DONT GIVE UP 3 SCORES!

I know, I know, he can't do it all, blah, blah, blah.

Look, if you all think I'm asking too much of him, I will counter with, I believe we are not asking enough if him. 

If he is THEE guy on defense, then, like the QB, you take the brunt of the heat.

I'm sorry if this seems absurd, and to a degree I admit that it does, but if you want to win post season and compete for a title, then you have to ask the impossible from your best players, because no one else on this team can do it.

You said he “SUCKS lately”. You didn’t say he “didn’t make an impossible play to close out the game and we needed him to do that”.

33 minutes ago, Rtnldave said:

Make a play that seals the game.

I mean, he hustled and got the fumble recovery that *should have* sealed the game…

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5 hours ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

You said he “SUCKS lately”. You didn’t say he “didn’t make an impossible play to close out the game and we needed him to do that”.

I mean, he hustled and got the fumble recovery that *should have* sealed the game…

That's true. Can't argue that.

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6 hours ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

You said he “SUCKS lately”. You didn’t say he “didn’t make an impossible play to close out the game and we needed him to do that”.

I mean, he hustled and got the fumble recovery that *should have* sealed the game…

If we had just called a run play on 3rd down we would have won the game. No way they kick that last fg without the help of a time out to stop the clock. 

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4 hours ago, DaBoys said:

If we had just called a run play on 3rd down we would have won the game. No way they kick that last fg without the help of a time out to stop the clock. 

I wouldn’t have blamed them for calling the right pass play, because a first down would have 100% sealed it. But it has to be one of those plays where, if it isn’t 100% there, Dak just tucks it. Too much downside to go with such a low-percentage shot.

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33 minutes ago, Nextyearfordaboyz said:

I wouldn’t have blamed them for calling the right pass play, because a first down would have 100% sealed it. But it has to be one of those plays where, if it isn’t 100% there, Dak just tucks it. Too much downside to go with such a low-percentage shot.

A Peyton Manning/Tom Brady takes a sack/knee there instead of a 50/50 ball deep to Noah Brown no matter the play call. No way the 9 route to Noah Brown was the primary look. If your first look to get the 3rd down conversion Isn’t there, then take a sack. Don’t launch a prayer to Noah Brown, and if you do you better not throw it 4 foot out of bounds. But yeah, just call a run play and be done with it. They need to let Dak get a big lead and then put Cooper Rush in because they won’t lose a lead calling plays for Rush. 

Edited by DaBoys
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