FOXBORO - The debates rage on outside Gillette Stadium. All over New England, fans are offering their own opinions on the question of how many starters should play in the Patriots [team stats]’ finale against the Texans.
Yet it’s not clear how fiery the deliberation is inside Bill Belichick’s head.
The coach offered no insight yesterday, one day after throttling the Jaguars, 35-7. He did describe his, um, philosophy.
“I do what’s best for our football team,” Belichick said. “That’s my philosophy.”
The AFC East title is already rooted in Foxboro. Only seeding is undecided.
A win means the Patriots are the No. 3 seed, and a loss (coupled with a win by No. 4 Cincinnati) hands the Pats the fourth seed. The third seed is paired with No. 2 San Diego if it wins in the wild card round, while the fourth seed would theoretically head out to Indianapolis following a wild card win.
Here are the issues:
Is one of those situations really more favorable? Would the Patriots rather have a rematch with the Colts or face a white-hot Chargers team?
And since the AFC representative in the Super Bowl must either play both of those teams or be one of those teams, does it matter in which order it occurs? Does a potential Saturday game alter the planning?
Is one wild card opponent - the Jets, the Ravens, etc. - any more challenging than another?
With quarterback Tom Brady [stats] (rib, finger) ailing, does it make sense to risk his health for a minimal gain? Or, from the other perspective, is it really the right call to risk ruining the momentum gained recently?
“I honestly haven’t given it any thought at all,” Belichick said. “We’ll deal with this week this week.”
Texans coach Gary Kubiak was asked about the possibility the Patriots won’t play their starters on Sunday.
“That would surprise me,” Kubiak said. “The team I saw is getting ready to make a big run. They’re a great football team and I don’t see them coming in here any different.”
In a fortunate turn for the Bengals, who lose a seeding tiebreaker to the Patriots, they play at night vs. the Jets. While coach Marvin Lewis said, “It will be another Sunday for us,” he added that he “could” adjust his plan depending on earlier results.
Either way, injured players will receive extra consideration.
Hobbled defensive end Ty Warren [stats] (ankle) said he played on Sunday with the thought in mind that a team victory meant he could rest a week before the playoffs. Off time may also help nose tackle Vince Wilfork [stats] (foot), who has missed two games.
“I can, and other guys can, get the rest they need,” Warren said. “I intend on it. But we’ll see.”
To make the decision more complicated, precedent doesn’t indicate one way or the other. Following the 2005 season, with an AFC East title in the bag, Brady played a quarter in the regular-season finale, as backup Matt Cassel finished the 28-26 loss to the Dolphins. Cassel’s misfire on the would-be tying two-point conversion led to the conspiracy theory that his team was trying to lose to avoid facing the Steelers, a charge the Patriots [team stats] laugh off.
Regardless of who is in the game, would Belichick actually tell his team to lose? Not likely. But - and here’s the kicker - he may rest players late in the game to prepare for the playoffs, and then tell the subs to go win it.
Yet in 2007, with an undefeated season on the line, Brady and company played all the way through.
What about Sunday?
“You’re not going to put guys out there that really aren’t capable of playing,” Brady said during his weekly interview on WEEI radio. “But who knows what coach is going to do? I think we’re all preparing to play the whole game. That’s what I would prefer to do.”
ok bill...ogni mia speranza di fare 11-5 è svanita....thanks
schaub farà il bello e il cattivo tempo...poi non vuoi far giocare mayo....allora sono stracazzi tua bill