Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

Poll. Start em or sit em.

SFIAH

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

Let the starters come in for one series to get some love from the home crowd. Then sit them and let the backups finish the game.

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

I say play previously injured people who are now healthy such as Colston for the first half. Scratch 'em for the second half kickoff.
Starters who are willing to contribute play up to the start of the fourth quarter then bench 'em. Give people like Karney a lot of real serious action and get them fine tuned to perfection for the whole game. Our secondary needs all the assistance they can so give them all the playing time they can handle.
Drew will play three quarters. If there are benchmark stats for Deuce or Reggie, then I say hell, leave 'em in.

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

Nah....I say play them into the 3rd quarter. We still need to try to put our best foot forward to win the game, for the sake of momentum. I think two weeks is plenty enough time off. I'm against resting them substantially for this game.

Resting players in the forth is ok, but our players need to play. Time off may be our enemy.

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

I guess playing them for a QTR or two is ok, less likely to get hurt but still get some playing time..
Sure we'll know by Wednesday from coach..

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

They Bye thing is great.....but being on a roll is the real key. Play a mix of starters & reserves, but win the game to keep the momentum.

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

Can't sit them too long. Especially our younger players. Don't need them going 3 weeks without significant playing time. Remember what happed to Indy and Chicago last year?

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

This is going to be a difficult decision for Sean Payton. I say play the starters in the first half and play the backups in the second.

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

Sit them after the half.

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

It should be noted that Payton involves so many in each game that the distinction between starters and backups seems to be nomenclature rather than practical implementation. Who's a backup at WR? RB? TE? What about DT?? The only players considered backups in the secondary are those guys who've been injured all season, like DeLoach, Scott and Groce.

Play it for real, but give the "backups" extra reps. Definitely give Jaimie Martin some serious work - you never know...

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

Keep up the momentum, we'll be off for a week and we need to go in hungry.

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

play them the first quarter then sit them....remember what happened in san diego last year?? brees had no reason to be in that game, we dont need same mistake to any of our key players.

maybe we should just throw the ball to henderson on every play and see if he can learn to catch.

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

I'd definitely go with play them, but give other guys a extra touches. By the second half I'd like to see Brees, Deuce, Bush, and Colston on the sidelines. I want the W though. There's no need to tarnish a good season with a loss.

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

Great idea!

RE: Now that the Saints are the #2 and have a bye. Carolina?
 

I also think that they should practice at the Dome all three weeks to help give them a sense that they own the place, not like the last 4 home games.

At most, I'd let Brees, Bush, and Deuce play one series. All the rest of the starters can play the half.
If one of those guys got hurt, it would be devastating not only from a talent stanpoint, but also for morale.

For what my opinion is worth, I'd say play the starters into the 3rd quarter and then sit them down. I sure would hate to have what happened to Indy last year happen to us. Its a fine line though and its different for every team. We can only hope that Sean makes the decision that works best our team.