Tampa Bay Buccaneers Not Expecting to Rest Key Starters in Week 17
When top teams earn a spot in the NFL playoffs, starters and key players will usually take the final week of the regular season off ahead of a potential run in the postseason.
For example, Kansas City Chiefs' head coach Andy Ried hinted at the likelihood of backup quarterback Chad Henne seeing the field over star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Based on past seasons, this type of rest is nothing new.
As for head coach Bruce Arians and the Bucs, starting players taking the week off should not be expected as Tampa Bay (10-5) hosts the Atlanta Falcons (4-11), despite having already clinched a spot in the playoffs Saturday. Arians explained there's more work to be done.
“We’re going to play to win," Arians said Monday. "Eleven and five, that’s very rare. To have a chance to get to 11-5, keep that seeding – we want that seeding just for pride. We don’t care who we play, it’s more for pride."
The Bucs are ready to face a tough division opponent in the Falcons, who nearly pulled off the upset two weeks ago in Atlanta. Tampa Bay overcame a 17-point deficit and won 31-27 then dominated the Detroit Lions 47-7 this past week. Arians knows he'll need his starters to come out and play on Sunday and explained it won't be hard to motivate them to play.
"I’d probably have to beat some guys in the head with a stick to try and get them not to play anyway," Arians said. "I talked to them about it before and [they said], ‘I’m playing.’ We’re going to practice and play like everything depends on it. It’s not going to be an easy game, either.”
While it should be expected to see the regular starters like quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski take the field Sunday, there is a chance they will rest in the second half, similar to the Detroit game.
Brady threw for 348 yards on 22-of-27 passing and tossed four touchdowns in the first half alone against the Lions. Reluctantly, Brady sat out the second half as Blaine Gabbert took over and threw touchdowns.
“That was kind of [why we] got Tom out at halftime even though he didn’t want to come out [along with] Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) and some of those other guys last week [to] get some young players some reps," Arians said when asked about the decision between wanting to rest players for the postseason or keeping momentum by playing everyone in the season finale.
Winning on Sunday could provide an easier path in the playoffs as the 5th seed. While still having to travel on the road, the Bucs would face the winner of the NFC East, which will likely be an under-500 team.
RELATED: NFC Playoff Picture: The Buccaneers Battle for the No. 5 Seed
Arians explained his reasoning of why he wants to see his team get their 11th win this week over the Falcons and secure the 5th seed in the playoffs.
"When you make these decisions, and I’ve been a part of both sides, that five and six seed are different," Arians said. "I don’t care what anybody says, they’re different, and 10-6 [versus] 11-5 are different. I’ve been 10-6 a bunch – been 10-6 and didn’t make the playoffs. 11-5 is special. I think our guys are more than ready to go.”
