Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Saints, Colts need to go for 16-0 mark

The NFL season is quickly coming to a close with only three more games to go...and annual controversy is in high gear -- should teams that have clinched a playoff spot rest their star players...the talk started a few weeks back but has kicked into high gear this past weekend as the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts both stand at 13-0...

Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher of the NFL Today on CBS stated quite emphatically that both head coaches, Jim Caldwell of the Colts and Sean Payton of the Saints should forgo trying to have a perfect season in order to rest and ensure their star players do not get injured before the playoffs...former Colts head coach Tony Dungy, of NBC's Football Night in America, also agreed with Cowher's assessment...

I'm sorry, but I cannot agree with either coach...I understand they are both Super Bowl winning coaches, but I don't believe in pulling or limiting the play of your best players with three games left...all professional athletes like a routine and playing it safe can hurt a player's rhythm...


Also, both teams have an opportunity to do something that only one other NFL team has accomplished: a perfect season...just two years ago the Patriots did not rest any of their stars as they completed a 16-0 regular season...this strategy by head coach Bill Belichick had nothing to do with their loss in the Super Bowl to the Giants...the Patriots were less than 1 minute from completing a 19-0 season...it took the Giants to play a solid all-around game and a miracle catch by David Tyree to ruin the Patriots chance at perfection...

As a fan of the NFL, I want to see both the Colts and Saints play for a perfect record...I will be rooting against either team if their head coach decides to tank a game because they did not want their star players to get hurt...only a few teams have ever made it to 13-0...these teams owe it to the fans to perform at its highest level to see if they can accomplish this rare and elusive feat of perfection...

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