Resting Starters

If we had been hitting on all cylinders going into this week, I think resting some starters could be an option. But the opposite has been going on and we have to figure out how to fix it before the playoffs. With the starters.

 

That is correct and why it made sense for the Bengals to play Saturday. They need to win and have both the Dolphins and Broncos lose. The Dolphins need a win and a loss by the Broncos. The Broncos just need to win.

 

Resting starters doesn’t always get you a win the next week.

 

Give or take this is pretty much proven by the first week of the season after teams rest their players in the last preseason game

And the fans on the losing team message boards complain the team was flat and unprepared

 

Wow, until a cou0le of weeks ago the Steelers had the Ravens and LaMars number. They were up in their head. They had the magic formula that Jackson could crack. Now going to Balt is a death sentence. Oh, how times have changed.

 

we are 8-2 against them since 2020.

 

Past is not prologue.

 

The lowest the Steelers could drop is to the 6th seed. They are guaranteed to avoid Buffalo in the first round

 

I wonder why the NFL did not make us the early game on Saturday because of that possibility.

Did Tomlin secretly guarantee to Goodell he will play all the starters the whole game?

I guess it does not matter now because the Browns are giving up the game. That has to bother Goodell.

 

Play to win or stay home .

 

OOps we are playing at home.

 

Play to Win.
Or BUST!

 

Health is one thing but so is momentum and confidence. Even if it's just a half, we need to play good football as a team to carry over into the playoffs.

 

If the Ravens lose and we win, we get the Chargers.

If the Ravens win, and we win, we get the Texans.

If we lose and the Chargers win, we will get the Ravens.

If we lose and the Chargers lose, we get the Texans.

From the aspect of who would you rather play, staying in the 5 seed to get the Texans is our best spot......IMO.

With all that in mind, I think we're locked into playing the starters no matter what. If the Ravens lose, we have to play to win because the division title is on the line. You can't tank that. If the Ravens win, I think we have to play to win as well because we don't know what the Chargers are going to do behind us since they're on Sunday. We have to play to win so that we stay locked up in the 5th seed and get to play the Texans in the first round of the playoffs.

In addition to all that, you can bet that this entire last week has been spent planning to win with the starters. Pulling them out 20 minutes before the game because the Ravens win is not going to be a realistic option.

 

The only shot Pittsburgh has of winning a playoff game this year is getting Houston. We absolutely have to play to win this game. I know the Steelers have faired well against Baltimore recently but those are two teams in the exact opposite direction right now. Plus Lamar got the monkey off his back last game.

 

As much as I hate to admit it, Lamar has turned the corner this season. His passing stats are one of the greatest of any QB in history plus he has ran for almost a thousand yards. Having Derrick Henry on the team certainly helps him but nevertheless he is having a phenomenal year.

 

Have to see what he does in the playoffs. Hes the Mike Tomlin of QBs so far.

 

I'm trying to click the "Agree" icon, but ... I just can't bring myself to.
(But I agree.)

 

You keep it light in here. I love the sense of humor and sarcasm.

 

Yet he is still making those killer mistakes that cost his team games. The Ravens are going to win the division because the Bengals let him get away with those mistakes twice by screwing up even worse.

Even in the win over the Steelers, he threw a killer interception that gave the Steelers life. Unfortunately, Russell Wilson gave it right back with a pick-six. The Ravens are far from invincible, but the Steelers have to get their act back together on defense.

 

Thank you

I don’t always get that warm of a reception

Go figure

 

I'm off the opinion that when healthy, we are just as good as the Ravens. Their place or our place. If we are a healthy team it does not matter who we get matched up with. We have a chance. I do not believe this is a championship team this year. But we can hang in there with any team. That gives us a punchers chance.

 

Comfy Bengals, and they wonder why they don't make playoffs.

 

"past performance is not indicative of future gains" , as mutual fund prospectus' tell us....

several of those wins (read this some of you numb nut Fannies) were against 2nd and 3rd string Rats QB's. (Lamar Huntley and worse.....) AND - the game the end of last year DID NOT MEAN A HILL OF BEANS for them

some of you need to wake up.......