There is a difference of opinion amongst football fans and media on whether or not the Saints & Colts should start pulling Peyton, Drew & the other starters, after a quarter or half of their remaining games, to avoid possible injury. The strategy make sense to many, but has history shown this to be a viable tact?
The athletes themselves seem to want to play, at least the healthier ones do. They are used to routine, daily training sessions, keeping their heads into the game, not standing on the sidelines and watching. They love to compete and set records, and to many there are statistical incentives in their contracts that they wish to reach. Very important is keeping your focus or, as one scribe wrote recently, “not losing your mojo or karma going into the playoffs.”
In 2007, the Colts clinched their playoff spot December 23, shut it down partially, and did not go full speed ahead again until their playoff loss to an injury decimated Charger team on January 13…at home. A lesson learned??? We will see, as the Colt brass do seem to be leaning to the 2007 strategy. The Saints, on the other hand, without a history of success, are in virgin territory, so what they do in the last three games will prove interesting.
Meanwhile, the possibility of seeing two undefeated teams playing the Super Bowl would be the big reason that the fans are routing for playing everyone; and how can one place a confident bet in these last three weeks, when we are not sure who we are betting on…the stars or the scrubs?