“I also want Usama Young, Pierson Prioleau, Marcus McCauley and Chris Reis in the defensive backfield”

Who’s got to say they are not better than the Washington starters… LOL

I think they will play flat-out untill Dallas then not taking stupid risks can (and should) happen

I agree on this I say we build a big lead against the Falcons and lets see the backups in the game
Not only to safe guard our starters but to give them alot of playing time you never know when they will be needed and the more game time they have the better prepared they will be if needed

and I think when we get to games 15 and 16, resting some or many players will increasingly look attractive. It’s all about the Super Bowl. Going undefeated means we make history. But if we win the Super Bowl, even then we will make history.

nice cross-branding, Dave and Saints-Nation…our corporate sponsors will be proud!

I am in the same ballpark as you, I think.

I feel that pulling starters once the game is “in hand” (because one game “in the hand” is worth 2 future games “in the BUSH!” HaHa. Maybe that’s FINALLY how we can take it one game at a time while looking ahead wisely, too!) in a natural, “we want to win the game, but we don’t need to risk our starters once the outcome is no longer in doubt” manner. But I also think it’s going to be a matter of opinion as to when a game is “in hand” though.

But pulling them too early and not letting them play enough to stay alert and “game-ready” could be problematic, especially if it starts happening in Week 14 of a 17-week season.

Either way, it’ll be LHO’s decision, which, no matter what it is we can discuss and dissect it here ad nauseum.

Also, let’s discuss this a bit more:

After Bill Belicheck quit on the Saints down 38-17, I remember thinking to myself as Mike Bell took the clock running carries: “Why not run Lynell Hamilton here. He’s active…” Sure enough, Bell went limping to the sidelines and had me cursing, “You idiots!”

I forget at what minute on the clock that this occurred in the game, but it reminds me of the Atlanta game, when Payton ran MB and PT late, and they both fumbled, and many of us thought Payton should have had Brees kneeling out the clock.

So my point is, what is the best strategy when it’s in the gray area of, “we can’t quite run out the clock yet” but “we’re not trying to run a real drive and score more points.” If you keep the starters in and one of them fumbles because he’s worn out or gets injured, it would be/it WAS terrible. But, if you put in a guy who hasn’t been in this game at all (or maybe who hasn’t seen any significant action in weeks), do you run the risk on this player fumbling or otherwise screwing up because they’re not fresh (mentally or physically)?

Play ‘em when we need ’em; Rest ’em when we don’t. I hope the 1st stringers can get a lot of rest.

I must be the only one with the attitude that they should play thru all of it. Payton can shuffle players in and out any time to rest them during the game but the most important factor is timing. If you asked the players if they wanted to play or rest……They would all play.
Playing keeps the timing and tempo alive within the team and you just dont make wholesale changes to forfeit the games to save health. Any of those players could just as easily get hurt during practice or driving home. Do you not practice the team? You cant just lay down and not put out the effort. Drew Brees said they want a 16-0 record going into the playoffs and I agree. There is no guarantees they win the Super Bowl if they did rest players. History has shown that resting players has not won Super Bowls. I say play them all and just be smart about it. Payton has a finger on the pulse of the team and will make the right choices. Some of the players that have been hurt during the season HAS been given extra time on the bench when they say they could have played. That tells me that Payon wants everbody well for the Playoffs and will not risk a players health to win, but he will not let off the throttle to lose either. I say win baby win till it’s all over. Winning it all is a Hell of an acheivement and even if they lose the Super Bowl, it will have been a year to remember. If you lose the last two because of resting players and still Lose the Super Bowl, thats another can of bitter worms that will bring the ire of the Saints Nation. Winning breeds winning and I want it all…………………………..

If the Saints are kicking ass in all these games, I’m okay with yanking some starters in the fourth quarter.

I agree. We should just be weary of the consequences. I thought Brunell went into the game way late in the Pats game, but what make you think Brees or any of these guys want to come out of the game? what happens if they are told to come out and they dont? It happens all the time yall, trust me on this.

it’s a bit early to be talking about resting starters. We don’t exactly have home field advantage “locked up” by any means. Drop any two of these last four and we’re heading to Minnesota if they win out.

I’m all for making sure your team is healthy. And I readily agree that if we’re in a situation where it’s blatantly obvious, and I stress blatantly, that the game is ours. Sit some guys. Get some reps in for the backups. In saying all this, I really feel like Sean Payton has this philosophy pretty well locked up. I haven’t disagreed with his decisions thus far, regardless of the negatives. You can’t argue with 12-0. I understand it’s hard for us, as Saints fans, not really having much to bitch about, and to scrutinize. But the bottom line is, we need to play to win. This team is competitive, they are winners. If we had everything locked up, and our starters were sitting on the bench watching the 2nd team lose to Carolina, I think it would do more harm than good.

*I would like to add that I have full faith in Mark Brunnell. He’s a very talented QB that knows how to win games. I’ll take him in a pinch anytime.

Wants to comment on my pot shot at Charles Grant?

So, here’s a possibility – SP is saying the Saints are going to keep their foot on the acelerator till the end. Hmmmmmm, what would that have the future opposition game planning for? An all out attack by our starters? The typical Saints overwhelming onslaught? Then, SP, as well as GW will throw something completely different at them. While they’re using up perfectly good chalk trying to figure it out, the Saints are ahead by four TDs!

Yep, I think ol’ Sean is as devious as they come! Watching him coach is like dancing with a memory ~ it gets better every time!!!

I guess we have all become numb about him because

1) We are winning
2) The defense for the most part is playing well (overall) and much better than last year
3) a lot of the focus has been on the defensive backfield

But, I have said it all year- he is our weak link. Even with all the subs, etc, he is the weak link and wjen we get back ti full strength with Porter, Greer, Fujita, we need to replace him. I suggest Hargrove and Mc Cray as the replacements and I would take Charleston also. I would love to hear what GW has to say.

sat out Warner, and when it looked like the other team was going to make a come back, I can’t remember what game it was and I am just too lazy to look it up, he came back in and threw his 6th td of the game to put it away. I think that Payton knows what he is doing and I trust him. They want to go all the way and finish the season and so do I. If Brees gets hurt in a blow out game, yes we are all going to want Payton’s head on a stick because we all love Brees, but I will trust any move he makes.