If the Bengals are fortunate and go 15-0, do you rest starters in game 16 or play to win for an undefeated season?

Well, 15-0 would mean we've beaten the Broncos and have one of the byes. If the Pats haven't lost either, that would mean home field adv. is still out there to play for. Foxboro or The Jungle? Not a tough choice.

If some miracle occurs and the Pats lose two games, then you could make a case for resting starters, but
16-0 is worth chasing, right?

The odds of two undefeated teams in the same division are not real good, but since they don't play each other it is possible.

(11-11-2015, 05:55 AM)McC Wrote: Well, 15-0 would mean we've beaten the Broncos and have one of the byes.  If the Pats haven't lost either, that would mean home field adv. is still out there to play for.  Foxboro or The Jungle?  Not  a tough choice.

If some miracle occurs and the Pats lose two games, then you could make a case for resting starters, but
16-0 is worth chasing, right?

^This

If the home field advantage is still an option and is not secured, you play them I think. If they have already sewn that up, the you rest them. Perfect season means nothing to the Bengals at this point. Getting a playoff win > perfect regular season.

If there is nothing at stake uou sit them and prepare for playoffs.

(11-11-2015, 08:38 AM)HarleyDog Wrote: If there is nothing at stake uou sit them and prepare for playoffs.

I don't think so.  Here's why:  If there is nothing at stake as far as playoff seeding goes, then you have the #1 seed.  If you have the #1 seed, you already have a first round bye.  The Colts made a habit of resting their starters even when they had a first round bye and they didn't seem to be as good a team coming off two weeks of rest.  You can lose some of your timing, etc., with two consecutive weeks off.

If we are fortunate enough to be in such a circumstance, you play your starters and you try to win the game.  If for no other reason than to keep the motor running before you head out on the highway, looking for adventure in whatever comes your way.  Yeah Darlin', gonna make it happen.  Take the world in a love embrace.  Fire all of your guns at once and explode in to space.  Like a true nature's child, we were born, born to be wild.  We can climb so high, I never wanna die!  Born to be wild!  Born to be wild!

If they decided to rest their starters, it means that they wouldn't have played from December 28th to January 16th or 17th. I'll pass on that.

You play for the perfect season. Granted, going perfect in the regular season doesn't mean nearly as much unless you win the Super Bowl, but there has only been one perfect season all the way through... the team, the coaches, and the organization would go down in history. You don't pass up that opportunity.

(11-11-2015, 05:48 AM)psychdoctor Wrote: If the Bengals are fortunate and go 15-0, do you rest starters in game 16 or play to win for an undefeated season?

Depends on if the Patriots are 15-0.  We want home field advantage in the AFC Championship game.

Lots of situations that would lead to a yay or nay.

I would follow the Patriots blueprint, but maybe just play the starters some and then get key guys out of there similar to a preseason game.Personally, I'm not that hyped on the idea of 16-0.

I'd definitely rest starters. We'd need to be as fresh as possible for the Playoffs.

(11-11-2015, 09:23 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: I don't think so.  Here's why:  If there is nothing at stake as far as playoff seeding goes, then you have the #1 seed.  If you have the #1 seed, you already have a first round bye.  The Colts made a habit of resting their starters even when they had a first round bye and they didn't seem to be as good a team coming off two weeks of rest.  You can lose some of your timing, etc., with two consecutive weeks off.

If we are fortunate enough to be in such a circumstance, you play your starters and you try to win the game.  If for no other reason than to keep the motor running before you head out on the highway, looking for adventure in whatever comes your way.  Yeah Darlin', gonna make it happen.  Take the world in a love embrace.  Fire all of your guns at once and explode in to space.  Like a true nature's child, we were born, born to be wild.  We can climb so high, I never wanna die!  Born to be wild!  Born to be wild!

Flashback?

Obviously if home field advantage is undecided you play to win.

If everything is locked up then you rest them. I don't think NFL players forget how to play in a couple of weeks, and the risk of injury to a key player is just too high.

(11-11-2015, 07:53 AM)Bengalzona Wrote: ^This

If the home field advantage is still an option and is not secured, you play them I think. If they have already sewn that up, the you rest them. Perfect season means nothing to the Bengals at this point. Getting a playoff win > perfect season.

Id say play them they are already gonna get a week off.. maybe not the full game but we dont want them 2 weeks rusty

Play them a half and rest them second half but honestly I see us more around 13-3 14-2

(11-11-2015, 11:01 AM)TSwigZ Wrote: Play them a half and rest them second half but honestly I see us more around 13-3 14-2

yeah id rather lose one in the regular season than post season

We've had so many imperfect seasons that I think it would be great for the franchise to be one of the few with a perfect season.

No, hell no, people need to understand if we are 15-0, you let the players play, they played all season and now have the opportunity to do something special with an undefeated season and youre not gonna allow that?

You play them. We would already have a bye week to rest, no reason to let them start getting rusty. All those times the Colts did it worked so well for them....

(11-11-2015, 11:30 AM)Au165 Wrote: You play them. We would already have a bye week to rest, no reason to let them start getting rusty. All those times the Colts did it worked so well for them....

We are not the Colts.  In fact the Colts had post season struggles even when they did not have time off, so that argument does not hold water.

First of all I don't believe that an NFL team will get "rusty" in two weeks.  But even if they do I take my chances with a little rust over having to play without Dalton or another key player that could get injured.