Re: Injury Bug or getting ready for the post-season?
 

Gumbeau I'd like to see your list of players that Payton should sit ad for what games...

Re: Injury Bug or getting ready for the post-season?
 

My list is very short.

Sit the players that have injuries affecting performance on the field and can benefit from a game or more off. Sit them during this 3 game stretch.

An injury requiring season ending surgery would not qualify nor would a paper cut.

And nobody knows if the staff is doing this or not but the injury list this year sure is weird.

Re: Injury Bug or getting ready for the post-season?
 

I've been doing some thinking on this issue. While normally I would think that HFA would be crucial, it may be just a bit less so this year because the only other contender at this point are the ViQueens. So if by chance the Saints do end up the #2 seed, it would leave the potential of having to play the NFC championship game on the road in a Dome on a fast track. That's not anything like having to be in Philly, New York, or Chicago in mid January.

So while I would prefer, and fully expect, to play all playoff games in the SuperDome: Payton's House of Pain (I just love that song!), I think this is a workable scenario.

However, there is no way we're going to give Dallas a shot. So we need to stomp them CowGirls into submission on December 19th, at which point the playoff picture may be all but wrapped up with the Viking having to take on the Bengals the previous Sunday.

So to rank the importance of the games that the Saints have remaining:

1) Clowns (put away the division)
2) CowGirls (ensure they are in the rear view)
3) Pats (national statement game)
4) Panthers (may or may not be a moot point. But still want the season sweep)
5,6) Bucs I and II (division games. Cannot let up)
7A,7B) Washington, St. Louis should be easily handled.

That's my take on it.

SFIAH

Re: Injury Bug or getting ready for the post-season?
 

I'm all for letting the injured players sit to start the game. If the backups aren't performing well then put in the injured starters. I don't necessarily want to deactivate them, just sit them to start the game. Our backups have been doing an adequate job of filling in so far and as long as the Saints aren't fielding too many supporting players then we should be fine.

Re: Injury Bug or getting ready for the post-season?
 

I think its perfect to sit a few players with minor injuries this week. As long as we don't lose the fact that we must win games that we should win - Rams.

Sit Sharper, I think we'll be ok without him this week. I don't see them keeping up with our offense and let our offense win this week for us for a change, lol.

Re: Injury Bug or getting ready for the post-season?
 

I agree with that. Suit 'em up just in case the backups can't handle the Rams or the Bucs... maybe just let them play a couple plays just to maintain continuity.

Re: Injury Bug or getting ready for the post-season?
 

This thinking is similar to the team that has it's playoff spot locked at the end of the season wondering if they should play the starters and risk injury. (Hopefully we will have that discussion here with 2-3 games left in the season.)

The opposing thought is do you rest the starters and therefore risk the continuity that had brought you all those wins in the first place.

The Rams don't have a great team (YES!) but they are an NFL team with some talented players so the do have the ability to give the Saints fits, especially with their run game. A loss to the Rams would be short of devastating for the Saints and other teams in the NFL would feel a lot more confident when they play against the Saints.

So I think that if the player can play, even if he's a little dinged up, he's going to play and the Saints will hopefully beat the crap out of the Rams.