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To rest them or not to rest them?
Andrew O’Brien | aobrien7@gmail.com
That was the question Sunday afternoon in the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Jets. With a little over five minutes remaining in the third quarter, and holding a manageable 15-10 lead, Colts coach Jim Caldwell decided it was time. He pulled Peyton Manning, among many other starters, to rest for the remaining 20 minutes. The chances of an undefeated season went kaput, but the ramifications of Caldwell’s decision expanded much further than his Colts becoming the first team to go 19-0.
As we delve into the scenarios of the tough decision Caldwell had to make, we should keep one thing in mind: we don’t know what goes on behind doors within the Indianapolis Colts organization.
Nonetheless, Manning’s discontent for being pulled from the game was evident on the sideline.
Of course there are reasons for everything, but the Colts pulling their starters and then losing the game goes way beyond their pursuit of perfection.
I know they didn’t lose the game on purpose, and I know Caldwell thought he would have a legitimate chance of winning the game without Manning and other starters in, but there are still some problems I’m sure many people have with the decision, although Mercury Morris probably loved Caldwell’s decision.
Problem #1
First off, what’s the big deal with leaving the starters in the game for one more quarter? It’s not like it was a blowout and the Colts were clearly winning or clearly losing. Manning has started 191 consecutive games, and although an injury can happen at any time, you have to trust that the offensive line would protect their quarterback. The Jets weren’t getting much pressure on Manning for most of the game anyways.
Problem #2
How is this fair to the rest of the AFC teams trying to make the playoffs? Coming into Week 16, there were six teams tied with a 7-7 record and then two teams holding the wild card at 8-6. Playoff berths are contingent upon tiebreakers, so when the Colts sat some of their starters, it opened the door for the Jets go steal a victory. With all the teams losing that the Jets needed to, a win put them in control of their destiny, a scenario that was considered a long shot Sunday morning. This works for teams who were hurt by the decision too. The Colts played the Jaguars Thursday night in Week 15, and although it was a nationally televised game, did that factor in the decision to leave the starters in? It just might not be fair to other teams around the conference and league.
Problem #3
It doesn’t seem fair to the players. Last week, after moving to 14-0, Caldwell and Colts management said they would love to go undefeated, but winning a Super Bowl undoubtedly is top priority. In fact, Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, said he would have loved to see the New Orleans Saints and his Colts play in a Super Bowl with two undefeated teams.
“I think obviously you’d love to see two 18-0 teams in the Super Bowl,” Irsay said. “That would be tremendous and unprecedented for the league. But I can only know about us. We’d love to get to 16-0. But the biggest focus is going to be on being prepared for that first playoff game.”
Irsay and Caldwell said it would ultimately be a player’s poll that decides what would happen if Sunday’s situation did, in fact, happen. it did, and Caldwell pulled his starters. The question is: was it a player’s decision in the end? Again, Manning looked quite upset when he was pulled.
One positive to the loss: they can rest their starters in the last regular season game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday. But, how will this parlay into their playoff momentum? After all, they are going to get a first-round bye and this means their starters are going to be off for a little over two weeks.
On the contrary, however, here are some upsides to Caldwell’s decision and the oppositions to the three problems I mentioned in regards to Sunday’s Colts game.
With problem No. 1 – you can always get injured. The slightest movement can injure someone, and in football when injuries are so common, you just never know what could happen. What’s the point in risking such a great season just to continue to have the chance to go 19-0? When it’s all said and done, it doesn’t matter how many games you win or lose, the only win that counts is winning the Super Bowl. When you think about it, all teams except for one end their season disappointed; only the Super Bowl champion will be satisfied.
With problem No. 2 – sure, this is a compelling argument. And ultimately, it frustrates me since I am a Jacksonville Jaguars fan, so my opinion on this might be somewhat biased. However, when it comes down to it, if you want to win in the NFL, you need to be able to control your own destiny and win games when it counts. If you end the season and go back and say “the reason we didn’t make the playoffs was because the Colts sat their starters in the third quarter of an essentially meaningless game to the New York Jets” then you’re never going to be great. You can’t rely on other team’s performances to get into the playoffs. The Jaguars, for example, had plenty of opportunities to guarantee themselves a playoff berth. Until two weeks ago, the Jaguars controlled their own destiny. Even Sunday, if they were to beat the New England Patriots, they got the help they needed with the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos losing. Again, they didn’t help themselves. So who’s to say what the Colts did wasn’t fair to everyone else? It’s not the job of the Indianapolis Colts to make sure they play fair for everybody. They simply decided it was in their best interest to rest some of their starters.
With problem No. 3 – these are professional athletes. Of course they want to play every minute of every game, but that’s why they are players and not coaches or owners. The players will rebound, and you have to think, especially if you are a Colts fan, that Sunday’s decision will not affect the way they play in the playoffs.
One big problem: their own fans booing their 14-1 team at home. HELLO! Your team has sealed up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs for you, they have won another AFC South title, and they have provided entertaining football for you all season. Can’t some of these fans acquire some ‘fan intelligence’ somewhere? I’m sure they were booing Caldwell’s decision, but that’s just not fair to the players. As a fan, you can’t honestly think the players didn’t want to be out there trying to get to 15 wins, can you?
Ultimately, I think the decision to rest the starters is a good decision. That may have not been the perfect time to pull the plug, but I think it was going to happen eventually. Let’s face it, they made it through the first 40 minutes of the game injury-free, one would have to think they could have made it through the remaining 20-plus minutes. But if the Colts would have won, what would happen this Sunday against the Bills? Especially if it’s a close game. I think if Caldwell would have allowed the game against the Jets to play out, it would have made his decision much easier for the last regular season game. If his team comes into the Bills game 15-0, you play your starters and hope they put the game away early. I think if they were 15-0, Caldwell would have definitely played the game like any other game, especially with 16-0 one win away.
Since the Colts lost, you have to think most of the starters will see limited action in their last game now. Already having one loss, despite not wanted to have two, a loss doesn’t change anything really.
Again, an undefeated season doesn’t get you a Super Bowl ring. The New England Patriots went 18-0, but most people remember them as the undefeated team to lose in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. In my opinion, I don’t care if my team goes 8-8 during the regular season. I will take my Super Bowl ring over your 16-0 any day.
These are just some thoughts to chew on. Caldwell’s decision was a very tough one to make. And no matter which way he decided, he was going to receive negativity from at least someone.
Now, how will the Colts respond?
