Rest starters vs Cleveland? Or not?

[Fire Goodell]

I'm in favor for it honestly. I like how this game against the Texans we're giving our depth players live game experience. And it's not like the jest are gonna beat NE anyway.

And our bench should still be able to beat the Browns :chuckle:

[86WARD]

I’d play them first half, try to get a lead, have Landry and the rest come in and try to keep it....

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

I’d play them first half, try to get a lead, have Landry and the rest come in and try to keep it.... Yep was getting on here to post the exact same thing for the fact we still have a slim chance at 1 seed. Plus Ben has been pretty accurate the last month or so and don't want to give him to much time off to get rusty.

[86WARD]

You’d hate to give up a possible win if the Patriots drop one to the Jets somehow...just to keep them fresh and sharp. One half, 20-0 at the half would be good and then hope your depth can preserve the win. If they lose it...highly unlikely that it will be a big deal.

[fansince'76]

I’d play them first half, try to get a lead, have Landry and the rest come in and try to keep it....

Agreed - give the starters a half due to the bye week. May keep Bell out entirely as he's had a monster number of touches already.

[pczach]

This is where you have to trust the head coach to know his players and trust that he knows best who to play, who to sit, and for how long.

[DesertSteel]

Can’t take a loss with the #1 still in play. I’d say keep an eye on the scoreboard and rest the starters in the second half if the Patriots are blowing out the Jets.

[zulater]

Play the game to win it! Unless the Patriots take out a big can of whoop ass early to the Jets you've got to play for the 1 seed! Imagine going out half ass and then by some miracle the Jets upset the Patriots! That would be unforgivable!

You can't play in fear of injuries. As long as that 1 seed is viable you go full out for the win!

[SteelerFanInStl]

Play the game to win it! Unless the Patriots take out a big can of whoop ass early to the Jets you've got to play for the 1 seed! Imagine going out half ass and then by some miracle the Jets upset the Patriots! That would be unforgivable!

You can't play in fear of injuries. As long as that 1 seed is viable you go full out for the win!

Yes. We still need to go and win that game. We've already got a bye so players will have time to rest. Besides, I sure as Hell don't want to be the team that the Clowns beat to avoid going 0-16.

[Hawkman]

13-3 and 6-0 in the division sounds much better than 12-4, and 5-1.

[Iron Steeler]

We need to win this game. For the slim chance the Jets bear the Patriots!

Plus Myles Garrett is back and Josh Gordon and they are qvoiding a 0-16 season there is no guarantee this will be an easy game.

[SteelerFanInStl]

We need to win this game. For the slim chance the Jets bear the Patriots!

Plus Myles Garrett is back and Josh Gordon and they are qvoiding a 0-16 season there is no guarantee this will be an easy game.

Agreed and I believe that the Clowns are already guaranteed the #1 pick even if they win.

[Edman]

The whole "rest your starters" thing doesn't work to me. Too many times I've seen top seeds come out totally flat in the Divisional round, then upsets happen.

You play to win. That's what the Browns will do Sunday. They're 0-15.

The Steelers will have all the rest they get for the bye week. They need to be as sharp as possible going into the playoffs.

[Born2Steel]

No. We have 2 weeks off after this game. Everybody plays. I would spell Bell as much as possible with Ridley, but other than that, full steam ahead.

[DesertSteel]

I'd rest Bell after the 1st quarter.
If we were up by 20+ in the 2nd half, I'd sit Ben the rest of the game.
I'd get Sutton plenty of reps.

Every one else, I'd handle based on the score in the 4th.

[86WARD]

Agreed - give the starters a half due to the bye week. May keep Bell out entirely as he's had a monster number of touches already.

Yes. Better idea.

[Rotorhead]

I'd rest Bell after the 1st quarter.
If we were up by 20+ in the 2nd half, I'd sit Ben the rest of the game.
I'd get Sutton plenty of reps.

Every one else, I'd handle based on the score in the 4th.

This

Don't want to be too rusty after the week off, so play at least a half and go from there.

[polamalubeast]

Players who have injuries (like Haden) or who have had a big workload (Bell), I would not play them against the Browns

Maybe I'll put Landry Jones in the second half, but for the defense, they need to play the entire game.But this is very unlikely that the jets win against the pats, we must be realistic ....

[teegre]

Play the game to win it! Unless the Patriots take out a big can of whoop ass early to the Jets you've got to play for the 1 seed! Imagine going out half ass and then by some miracle the Jets upset the Patriots! That would be unforgivable!

You can't play in fear of injuries. As long as that 1 seed is viable you go full out for the win!

As is the case the majority of the time...

You nailed it. :nod:

[polamalubeast]

945714345203335168

[Slimdugger99]

Play the starters until they have the lead, then substitute their backups a few positions at a time and play them until late third, early fourth quarter. Finally give Dobbs and the third stringers the remainder of the final period to show what they can contribute if asked, during the playoff season.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[86WARD]

I kinda want to see the Browns win to ruin their 0-16 parade...lol.

[DesertSteel]

I kinda want to see the Browns win to ruin their 0-16 parade...lol.
Negged :smash:

[ALLD]

Everybody starts, but some hit the bench starting in the 2nd quarter. Protect Bell, Juju, Pouncey and Ben.

[Craic]

Play Ben for the first quarter, then sit him. We know what we have in Landry, so put in Dobbs to see how he reacts to a real NFL game. play the other starts in offense for the second quarter, then begin substituting in the second half. On defense, play the starters for a half, then let the backups come in, except for Spence. Keep him out there the entire game.

[DesertSteel]

Play Ben for the first quarter, then sit him. We know what we have in Landry, so put in Dobbs to see how he reacts to a real NFL game. play the other starts in offense for the second quarter, then begin substituting in the second half. On defense, play the starters for a half, then let the backups come in, except for Spence. Keep him out there the entire game.
I'd play it like a preseason game. Ben for Q1; Landry for Q2-3a and Dobbs for Q3b-4

[SteelMayhem72]

We are always snake bitten...rest your starters and hope your backups can win it. I don't want any of our Stars getting hurt before playoffs

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

[Craic]

I'd play it like a preseason game. Ben for Q1; Landry for Q2-3a and Dobbs for Q3b-4

Naa, like I said. We already know what we are getting with Landry. Now, if you want to argue that he needs a quarter of reps in a game just in case Ben goes down in the playoffs, I could see the logic in that. Of course, I think we'd all agree that this team is pretty much screwed if Ben went down and Landry had to step into the #1 role in the playoffs.

[Born2Steel]

Only 2 players are even in consideration for a game off. Ben and Bell. Everyone else plays no matter what.

[vasteeler]

I say play them. Having a first round bye would give them two weeks without playing if you don't play them.

[AtlantaDan]

Agreed - give the starters a half due to the bye week. May keep Bell out entirely as he's had a monster number of touches already.

I would keep Bell out completely - he could be injured just as easily in the first quarter as any other time

I would tell Ben no scrambling past the line of scrimmage for as long as he is in the game (which IMO would be the first quarter only)

[j-d-s]

No reason to risk anything. Ben and Bell need to sit.

[DesertSteel]

How do you guys calling for rest think Tomlin should handle it if he looks up at the scoreboard and sees Jets up 23-10 at halftime?

[polamalubeast]

How do you guys calling for rest think Tomlin should handle it if he looks up at the scoreboard and sees Jets up 23-10 at halftime?

Unlikely...

[DesertSteel]

Unlikely...
Brady gets injured in 1Q... unlikely but not out of the realm of possibility. I can see the FIRE TOMLIN/ IDIOT threads now!

[Born2Steel]

How do you guys calling for rest think Tomlin should handle it if he looks up at the scoreboard and sees Jets up 23-10 at halftime?

That would be situational football. I think we can beat the Browns this week by moving the ball into range and letting Boswell kick 10 FGs. If the Jets somehow do beat the Pats, we take over the #1 seed. I honestly think we are where we are, and that's where we'll stay. I have very little hope for the Jets pulling it out.

[DesertSteel]

That would be situational football. I think we can beat the Browns this week by moving the ball into range and letting Boswell kick 10 FGs. If the Jets somehow do beat the Pats, we take over the #1 seed. I honestly think we are where we are, and that's where we'll stay. I have very little hope for the Jets pulling it out.
As the coach, you have to be watching that scoreboard though. Unless Tomlin plans to play starters all the way through. If bad fortune were to hit the Patriots (I know, very sad), they have to be ready to seize the opportunity.

[polamalubeast]

As the coach, you have to be watching that scoreboard though. Unless Tomlin plans to play starters all the way through. If bad fortune were to hit the Patriots (I know, very sad), they have to be ready to seize the opportunity.

Home or on the road, the steelers should beat the pats if Hoyer is their QB, same thing for the chiefs and the ravens ....

Also, steelers won against browns last year in week 17 with their backups....

[AtlantaDan]

How do you guys calling for rest think Tomlin should handle it if he looks up at the scoreboard and sees Jets up 23-10 at halftime?

Call the league office and request someone to lock Al Riveron in a closet until the Pats game is over?

I am more concerned about the risk of losing Ben or Bell for the season than playing the Pats in Foxboro

I stick with no Bell and Ben for a quarter to get game reps with a one week layoff coming up - if Tomlin's plan is key starters on offense and defense for a half he needs to maintain the plan rather then live in any fears he may have about playing the Pats again on the road

[Born2Steel]

Bell has 400 touches, and Ben just passed 50,000 yards. They got reps.

[DesertSteel]

Call the league office and request someone to lock Al Riveron in a closet until the Pats game is over?

I am more concerned about the risk of losing Ben or Bell for the season than playing the Pats in Foxboro

I stick with no Bell and Ben for a quarter to get game reps with a one week layoff coming up - if Tomlin's plan is key starters on offense and defense for a half he needs to maintain the plan rather then live in any fears he may have about playing the Pats again on the road
Maybe the Pats should rest Brady and Gronk!!

[polamalubeast]

Maybe the Pats should rest Brady and Gronk!!

C'mon it's a question of being realistic

If the steelers were sure to finish in the first seed with a win, I would play my starters, but this is not the case since the chances of seeing the steelers finish first are very slim and even almost impossible.

I also prefer to be as healthy as possible for the playoffs than to have injuries on a game that will mean nothing to the steelers.

[AtlantaDan]

Bell has 400 touches, and Ben just passed 50,000 yards. They got reps.

After reconsidering I now agree and say sit Ben too - he is not as exposed to risk of injury as Bell is but the risk is still there

[DesertSteel]

According to Dulac's chat, Tomlin will play the starters until the Pats/Jets game becomes conclusive.

[steelreserve]

I can't believe this is a serious question. There is still something very important at stake. You try to win the game. Even though Dolphins-Patriots is a good team against a mediocre team, there's still like a 25% chance of an upset in any given game.

Yeah, if we see it's 44-10 Patriots late in the third quarter, then go ahead and put in the backups. But there is no excuse for taking it easy with anything still on the line.

All this nonsense about resting the starters to avoid injury is way overblown anyway. Injuries are essentially random; you could play Bell the entire game or rest Bell the entire game, and then the first play of the divisional playoffs is when he takes an unlucky hit to the knee. Unless there is a player who is already beat up and you err on the side of caution, you're not doing anything. Rest the starters for a half, congratulations, you've reduced their overall number of snaps played by 3%, not exactly doing much to lower the odds.

At this point in the season, you've been (mostly) lucky with injuries, you say thank you very much and let it ride. You certainly don't do anything stupid that could affect the postseason. There is nothing you can do to "prevent" injury or game the odds. It is literally 100% luck.

[DesertSteel]

You can't live in your fears!

:tomlinism:

[j-d-s]

It's Jets with Bryce Petty @NE. No way the Cheats lose that.

[FrancoLambert]

C'mon it's a question of being realistic

If the steelers were sure to finish in the first seed with a win, I would play my starters, but this is not the case since the chances of seeing the steelers finish first are very slim and even almost impossible.

I also prefer to be as healthy as possible for the playoffs than to have injuries on a game that will mean nothing to the steelers.


Does anybody here really think the Cheats will choke at home against the Jets?

Jets have nothing to play for.....Cheats a lot to play for.

I want us at full strength if we meet them again. I don't want to lose a key player in an essentially meaningless game.

[Moose]

You play to WIN !! The starters will be off until Jan 13/14 so that's plenty of time to heal/rest. Play to win....keep the timing/rhythm going. IF it's a complete runaway game, maybe a little Dobbs would be good. We know what Landry can/can't do.

[steelreserve]

I want us at full strength if we meet them again. I don't want to lose a key player in an essentially meaningless game.

No, it's not a greater than 50 percent chance that the Patriots will lose, but it's a significant one. People are treating it as if it's zero.

Meanwhile, it's a close to zero chance that tanking the Browns game will prevent a key injury, but people are treating it as if it's 100 percent. I don't understand this.

[FrancoLambert]

No, it's not a greater than 50 percent chance that the Patriots will lose, but it's a significant one. People are treating it as if it's zero.

Meanwhile, it's a close to zero chance that tanking the Browns game will prevent a key injury, but people are treating it as if it's 100 percent. I don't understand this.

It's certainly not 50/50.

It's certainly not 0.

10% sounds realistic to me.

[polamalubeast]

946483000514097159

Great decision by Tomlin if this is the case....

[steelreserve]

It's certainly not 50/50.

It's certainly not 0.

10% sounds realistic to me.

I would put the risk of a severe injury to one of our key players at less than that. Plus I would put the chance of an upset at more like 20%. Either way, not worth throwing away over something you have literally no ability to influence.

[tube517]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DSKbE82VAAAHJ_a.jpg:large

[DesertSteel]

Go Landry Jones! Just like 2016.

[Lady Steel]

946483000514097159

Great decision by Tomlin if this is the case....


946493059956707330


:noidea:

[polamalubeast]

946493059956707330


:noidea:


946479885165441025

[Lady Steel]

946479885165441025

Nice! Thanks, polamalubeast. :)

[Psycho Ward 86]

Be honest. How mad would you guys be if we lost to Cleveland?

Just curious.

[polamalubeast]

Be honest. How mad would you guys be if we lost to Cleveland?

Just curious.

It depends on how they lose and also if many starters are out......This will be a preseason game for the steelers and the Browns was 4-0 in the preseason this year.....They don't want to make history too.

I think the steelers can still win even with Landry Jones and Ridley, since Kizer is so bad ....

[DesertSteel]

Be honest. How mad would you guys be if we lost to Cleveland?

Just curious.
Depends if Jets won. If not, I wouldn't care as long as it was to backups. If we lost using starters, I'd be ticked regardless.

[BlackAndGold]

I completely agree on sitting Bell. Heyward shouldn't play also.

[st33lersguy]

I say play for a half, i get not wanting to risk injury, but resting players for 2 full weeks hasnt proven to be high reward (see 2000s colts)

[fansince'76]

This is where you have to trust the head coach to know his players and trust that he knows best who to play, who to sit, and for how long.

Yep. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation that will be second-guessed either way.

[Shoes]

Yep. It's a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation that will be second-guessed either way.

Not an easy decision, its like what do you do if Ben isn't dressed and Jones is blowing the game and the cheats are losing bad to the Jets? :chuckle:

[fansince'76]

Not an easy decision, its like what do you do if Ben isn't dressed and Jones is blowing the game and the cheats are losing bad to the Jets? :chuckle:

Or if, God forbid, a key player gets injured while the Jets make things interesting and hang around for the first half before the Pats blow their doors off anyway.

[teegre]

If Ben doesn’t dress, he should walk out of the stadium.

[Shoes]

If Ben doesn’t dress, he should walk out of the stadium.

:lol:

[tube517]

If Ben doesn’t dress, he should walk out of the stadium.He should fall asleep in Haley's meetings

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[fansince'76]

He should fall asleep in Haley's meetings


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSQ40d8uoOI

:chuckle:

[hawaiiansteeler]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5-iJUuPWis

[stillers4me]

946603461939888128

[GBMelBlount]

If Tomlin does not start Ben or Bell and the Patriots game is close in the 2nd half...

Would you consider putting Ben and Bell in the 2nd half if it was necessary to help secure a win?

[AtlantaDan]

It's certainly not 50/50.

It's certainly not 0.

10% sounds realistic to me.

Winner winner chicken dinner :thumbsup:

FiveThirtyEight places the probability of a Pats win at 91%

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2017-nfl-predictions/games/?ex_cid=rrpromo

[Hawkman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSQ40d8uoOI

:chuckle:

I still have that on vinyl. Cheech and Chongs wedding album.

[Iron Steeler]

We need this Win... and a miracle Jets win

[teegre]

I remember the final game of the 2008 season against the Browns... where BB was carted off on a stretcher.

Translation: Rest him.

[polamalubeast]

I remember the final game of the 2008 season against the Browns... where BB was carted off on a stretcher.

Translation: Rest him.

946603461939888128


Some wanted to fire Tomlin after this injury!

[stillers4me]

Like FS said, it's damned it you do, damned if you don't.

Given the choices, I prefer knowing our starters will all be on the field for the playoffs, rusty or not, than having Landry at QB or Ridley being our starting RB. We need a healthy Oline and all the D out there. Home field advantage is nice but not required to win a championship. The players.......that's another story.

[DesertSteel]

The biggest advantage is with Ridley. If Bell goes down again in the playoffs, the game experience will be invaluable for Ridley.

[steelreserve]

I remember the final game of the 2008 season against the Browns... where BB was carted off on a stretcher.

Translation: Rest him.

Do you remember that we won the division by a single game that year? Or that we finished 12-4 while the Patriots missed the playoffs entirely at 11-5? We had to win that game. And if I recall, Ben being carted off the field didn't do a single thing to affect our Super Bowl chances.

If anything, 2008 ought to serve as an excellent example that it's important to play the last game to win if there's anything at stake, and that while frightening to think about, actual season-ending injuries in any one game are rare.

[polamalubeast]

Do you remember that we won the division by a single game that year? Or that we finished 12-4 while the Patriots missed the playoffs entirely at 11-5? We had to win that game. And if I recall, Ben being carted off the field didn't do a single thing to affect our Super Bowl chances.

If anything, 2008 ought to serve as an excellent example that it's important to play the last game to win if there's anything at stake, and that while frightening to think about, actual season-ending injuries in any one game are rare.

Not true

The steelers were sure to finish in the second seed in 2008 after the win against the ravens in week 15 and after our defeat against the titans the following week.

This games were not important

[tube517]

Do you remember that we won the division by a single game that year? Or that we finished 12-4 while the Patriots missed the playoffs entirely at 11-5? We had to win that game. And if I recall, Ben being carted off the field didn't do a single thing to affect our Super Bowl chances.

If anything, 2008 ought to serve as an excellent example that it's important to play the last game to win if there's anything at stake, and that while frightening to think about, actual season-ending injuries in any one game are rare.

We swept the Ratbirds so the division was ours. We also beat the Cheats** so we had head to head anyways but that didn't come into play because we won the division and had wrapped up the 2nd seed.

[polamalubeast]

3 times the steelers lost their starting RB in week 17 under Tomlin (2011,2014 and 2015).

Parker was injured in week 16 in 2007 too.

So I understand Tomlin to not take a chance ....

[polamalubeast]

947483719979491328

[fansince'76]

Do you remember that we won the division by a single game that year? Or that we finished 12-4 while the Patriots missed the playoffs entirely at 11-5? We had to win that game. And if I recall, Ben being carted off the field didn't do a single thing to affect our Super Bowl chances.

If anything, 2008 ought to serve as an excellent example that it's important to play the last game to win if there's anything at stake, and that while frightening to think about, actual season-ending injuries in any one game are rare.

I remember Cowher resting everybody for the final game in 2004 and winning the game on the road in Buffalo (who were a halfway respectable 9-6 at the time) anyway.

If this team can't beat a winless Browns team in Heinz, even with Landry and the rest of the 2nd string, they're a pretender.

[polamalubeast]

The 2009 saints had a playoffs bye and they rested their starters including Drew Brees in their last game of the season and it worked for them....

[Iron Steeler]

I wish we played after the Pats* JETS game.

Im not a dan pf resting completely. But put Bell on a pitch count

[Shoes]

http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/13120175-74/steelers-have-history-of-sitting-starters-in-finale-with-success

[teegre]

Do you remember that we won the division by a single game that year? Or that we finished 12-4 while the Patriots missed the playoffs entirely at 11-5? We had to win that game. And if I recall, Ben being carted off the field didn't do a single thing to affect our Super Bowl chances.

If anything, 2008 ought to serve as an excellent example that it's important to play the last game to win if there's anything at stake, and that while frightening to think about, actual season-ending injuries in any one game are rare.

As Luke would say:
Impressive... every word in that post was wrong. :wink02:

Even if the Steelers had something to play for in 2008 (which they didn’t) it does not change the fact that I felt like our season was over when Ben had his neck immobilized as he was carted off of the field.

[polamalubeast]

947505336084082690

[AtlantaDan]

947505336084082690

Good to see DeCastro added to the list