Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Sean Payton: "We're Going for it."
Peter King, Article - MMQB

Payton's about to have a lot more admirers around the United States. He told me Saturday he's not going to take the foot off the accelerator down the stretch, not even if the Saints have homefield advantage clinched in the NFC playoffs. The Saints, instead of taking the last game or two to let players heal for the playoffs, will try to make history if they're in position. They're aiming for a perfect season.


Payton loved what Tom Coughlin did in 2007, having his Giants play the Patriots like it was the seventh game of the World Series in a meaningless final game of the regular season, going down to defeat valiantly and narrowly, and setting up the Giants' 4-0 playoff run that ended in the Super Bowl upset of the perfect Patriots.


I'm not saying what the Colts have done over the years -- resting their key players so they'll be fresh for the playoffs when their playoff position can't change -- is wrong. Obviously, fluky plays can happen and Peyton Manning or Reggie Wayne or Dwight Freeney could get hurt on any snap of the ball. But the Colts are the winningest regular-season team of this decade, and here's what they have to show for it: eight playoff

appearances, one Super Bowl victory and five first-game playoff losses.


It was particularly disastrous in 2005 and 2007, when the Colts went a combined 27-5, rested many of their starters, rested them some more with a playoff bye, then went out and lost at home to Pittsburgh and at home to San Diego, respectively.



Jim Caldwell says the same thing is planned this year when the Colts clinch homefield, and with a three-game lead and four games to go, Indy could have three late-season games to snooze. That could mean taking a month off before a battle-tested team like New England or Baltimore comes to Indiana for a Jan. 16 or 17 playoff game.


Payton's not going to do that. He thinks his players -- many playoff rookies -- will be energized by going for it. And though you might get the PC answer from most of the players, I can tell you guys like Drew Brees definitely will want to make a run at history. No team has ever gone 19-0; the Patriots came within a velcroed David Tyree catch of doing it two years ago. When I asked Meachem about it Sunday, he said, "I feel good about that. We always want to play. If our coach says that, we've got to back him and go out and do it.''


The landscape changed quite a bit Sunday. New Orleans (12-0) took a two-game lead over 10-2 Minnesota when the Vikes lost in Arizona. For the Saints to lose home-field advantage now, Minnesota would have to go 4-0 down the stretch, and New Orleans would have to lose two of its final four games (all NFC games). Because there's no head-to-head game this year between the Saints and Vikings, the tiebreaker would come down to conference record. My scenario would give the Saints and Vikings 14-2 records, but Minnesota would win homefield by virtue of an 11-1 NFC record, while New Orleans would be 10-2 in the conference.


It's easy to say the Saints have it locked now, but who'd have thought New Orleans could be taken to overtime by the Redskins? New Orleans will play at Atlanta on Sunday -- GM Thomas Dimitroff says injured quarterback Matt Ryan (turf toe) told him he would play against the Saints, but he's at best questionable -- and it's a playoff game for the 6-6 Falcons. Then Dallas plays at New Orleans, and that could be a must-win for the Cowboys, who have a bear of a schedule the rest of the way. Final two games for New Orleans: Tampa Bay, at Carolina. Should follow form, but if the Panthers come to play, their top-tier running game could make it a time-of-possession game.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

So No resting players.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Go for it!!

Just imagine when we say "who dat", the answer is noooooobody!!!!

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

I am fine with that.

This team has found an identity by not letting up.

Finish.

The next game is the most important.

That is their mantra.

Why change the dynamic?

If they are afraid that perhaps losing a player will sink their chances.
That philosophy goes against the TEAM concept that they have ridden to this (historic) point.

BALLS TO THE WALL!!!!!

19-0!

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

I think this is losing something in translation.. I think is more of Coach saying they are going to come out and play to win the games, but not necessarily that he won't rest players who need it. I'm pretty sure if, say, for any given reason, Brees start taking sack after sack in a game, he'd pull him out.

Like it or not, as it is right now, the Saints need to win at least 3 more games out of 4 to secure HFA.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

awesome, i've always thought teams aren't as sharp as they were when they rest.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

I'm all for it. Somebody eventually has to win it all with the modern schedule. Why not us? WHO-DAT!

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

im not a fan of this

if we have homefield advantage i would rather take the loss and get the ring with a healthy team

we have already seen what teams can do to us when we are without some key starters......we need everybody healthy

are players on IR allowed to come back for the post season or are they done until next season? i dont know the ruling on that but maybe we could get some more players back as well

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Injured Reserve ends a player's season.
No way around it.
You don't have to keep them on the active roster, so it frees up a roster spot for needs of the team.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Anyone catch Ditka on Mike & Mike this morning? He was talking about the Bears 15-1 season and how the lost in week 13. Then they nearly lost to the Colts and beat the Jets by a slim margin. Both they should have handled easily. It happens in the NFL.

He said that even if they would not have lost that game he still would have started all of his players. "How would I have told Walter Payton that he is going to sit and rest"? :-D

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

I like Payton's attitude about this, and I think he's absolutely right that playing the starters in the final game will help the team in its first playoff game. They're going to get a bye, so too much rest would make them rusty. I also think this will energize rather than drain the team.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Cannot take any games off. Absolutely preposterous. I am somewhat worried about our injuries though. We need to rest the players that are hurt so they can be ready for the playoff run.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

this is the one statement that i disagree with and this is why im in favor of resting starters

these guys have played football since they were 5.....all they ever do now is football....their entire lives revolve around football....they play an entire season and most of them have played several seasons in the NFL already

players dont get rusty from taking a couple weeks off when they are beaten down....bruised....aching.....at this point in the season, the best thing would be to rest them....let all their bumps and bruises that arent in the injury reports heal up and have them fresh for the playoff run

16-0 means nothing to me as a fan and it shouldnt mean anything to anyone else when we have only won 2 playoff games ever....rather than risk injury i would rest every single one of my starters if i could and bring them in only for emergencies

Payton to go for 19-0!
 

I can't tell you guys how relieved I am. The thought of the Saints laying
down in the last game or 2 didn't set well with me.

SI Story link:

Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback, Week 13 - Peter King - SI.com

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Payton will rest the players it just depends on the game, if we're leading by big margins and whose to say it can't happen against the teams we play in the next few weeks than he'll pull his players but the Saints will continue to come out and win so going undefeated could obtainable.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Listening to people reminisce about their careers, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say "I really regret winning that game.".

You don't mess with a chance to make history. You have to go all out for it.
If you intentionally lose a game, you don't deserve to win the next one.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Payton is a motivator. There's no doubt about it. He wants to see his team aggressive until the very end. If someone is questionable Payton will make a smart decision.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Good for him ... it is as it should be. It is what is it. And it is what we think it is! And we are what everybody thinks we are! It's time to show the world!

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Let's get a big lead in some/all of these final games ... then we can rest some starters later in the game. Best of both worlds.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

I think that is the right call...like the article says, when the Colts have rested players it has typically not turned out well in the playoffs. Gotta keep the intensity up. In some ways it may be good that the Vikings are doing so well (even with the loss last night) and that the Saints feel that pressure for Home Field Advantage.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

I agree with playing them. I think Marty S. rested his players when he was with the Chiefs and it never worked out well for him.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Everyone healthy needs to play until they clinch HFA, if its clinched before week 17 then rest them up. They went to the championship game in 06 even though Sean rested players in the last game plus they had a 1st round bye that year

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

its not intentionally losing the game.....its just resting the players that are more valuable to the future of the team

if we have homefield advantage locked up and drew gets hurt playing for some dumbass record nobody in new orleans is going to be happy with paytons decision

its just stupid to risk further injury when you are playing for nothing more than a stat on a piece of paper.....if you are playing for a super bowl championship, a ring, a place in history as the best team of the season......its smarter to rest your starters

sure resting starters doesnt always work out.....but look at the only team that didnt rest its starters when they were undefeated.....they get a big old banner in their stadium that says

http://www.boston.com/sports/footbal.../banner156.jpg

now i know not everybody would think this.....but without a super bowl ring to top that off....that banner is just embarrassing

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

rotate in the 2nd stringers to get much needed work..let the starters play but give heavier dose of the #2's

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

They really have that, you have to be kidding me. That's more embarrassing then the 07-09 Season Ticket Banner that Benson has hanging up in the dome and I wish they would take it down, the one for 06 makes sense but now its dumb

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

To rest or not to rest.
All I can say is what an absolutely fabulous dilemma to have.
Payton has brought us this far, if he says play it out to win, I say let the dogs out.
Besides, at this point we've only secured a playoff spot, nothing more. What if Payton had said "yeah, we're gonna lay-up if we secure HFA". What kind of message would that send to the players about the next 4 games that we need to win 3 of? 3 of these next 4 teams are not gonna hand us a W just because we're 12-0. I think Payton wants to instill the mindset that we're going for it all and hope we win 3 when it's all said n done.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Alot of the Saints players have had plenty of rest this year. LOL.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

This shouldn't even be an issue right now. The Saints have only locked up a division title so far. Still way too much football to go. With that said, I do believe the Saints will take their best shot at 16-0. Atlanta is going to have a beast on their hands next week, especially since the Saints should have lost to Washington, you have to believe the team will be looking to redeem themselves. I know that sounds a little ridiculous, redeeming after a win, but I guarantee Payton and Williams will have this team thinking that way and should be much better against the Falcons.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

I like his Philosophy, and the fact that he has left no debate- so no need to keep asking about it. Never mind he has let his players know- we play baby- we don't take breaks. I am sure he will rest them some though...

What ya think?

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

GO FOR IT... especially us. We deserve a season like this after all the past seasons we have had. If your team is hot you keep them hot and carry them into the playoffs hot you don't put them on the shelf and ice them.

Lets face it this is a once in a lifetime event the way it goes for Saints fans. Take advantage of this one oppitunity to do something special.

Injuries happen - someone can teak an ankle crossing the street.

You mean to tell me that Benson is ok with fans not showing up to a game because we are going to sit everyone?

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Yeah. Go all out. Don't rush anyone back, but if you're healthy you play until the game is out of reach, just like the 1st game of the season. I Love Sean Payton.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

I've seen what happened to the Colts when they rested players. They lost their edge. These guys are pros, and they are in that game routine. Changing that to keep them healthy is a double edged sword. When we have the game well in hand, I can see SP pulling Brees in the 4th qtr. But our starters should start, in order to keep them in their routine. And since nearly everyone plays some in almost every game,theres really no way to rest them anyhow.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Go for it and shut those damn 72 Dolphins up.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

Saints will have a bye week to heal bumps and bruises. Saints were particularly sharp after their bye week vs. the Giants. Keeping the edge by playing out to 16-0 makes sense. If the past is an indication, the week of rest could work very much in our favor.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

exactly... if we win out and go 16-0, we will have a first round bye to rest up some guys and get a few guys healthier... taking off in week 16 would be a bad idea

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

I agree. DO IIIIIIIIIIITTTT!!!!!

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

We should have a Black and Gold game during the bye just for attitude. :D

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

You mean like Brees did during the bye in the regular season?

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

and those 2007 Pats.

Re: Payton: "We're Going for it." (16-0)
 

The 2007 Patriots don't have anything to talk about anyways, they lost Superbowl 42 so they didn't finish the season undefeated