Would you purposely lose the last game of season?

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BriansRams

BriansRams

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I think @GB in the playoffs is way way way more difficult to win than any other team we might play. What are your thoughts?
Let's say hypothetically before our last game of the season, GB is #3 seed, and we're sitting at #6 seed, the seed which would go play GB in January in Wisconsin.
Do you think there's any chance whatsoever that McVay makes unseen, under the table game decisions, purposely, that cause us to lose our last game, so that we instead get the #7 seed and go anywhere but GB for our first playoff game?
 
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You never play to lose. But I would be resting as many key players as possible, to preserve their health for a playoff run, if winning our last games does not grant us any real benefit. If the lower seed has the "easier" playoff matchup, and perhaps also gives us better draft seeding, then I prefer to rest starters, because if the backups lose, so be it, and in some aspects it might actually work out well. But every backup on that field better be busting their behind for a W. You play to win. That's the culture. And if injuries strike, we needs those backups in top form as next men up.
 
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I think that might make sense tactically at some level to rest your starters and sort of be ok with losing at say the front office level, knowing it might actually get you a matchup you want. But turning competitive desire on and off is not something you can easily do. It's a dangerous thing to mess with and sends the wrong message.

Even resting your team at the end of the season is kind of dangerous tbh. Teams pull it off sure. But with this particular roster of stars and veterans it seems like that would be the wrong message for sure. In fact I feel like these guys need to quit with the time off and start prioritizing the physicality and pads and all that.
 
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OntarioRam said:
You never play to lose. But I would be resting as many key players as possible, to preserve their health for a playoff run, if winning our last games does not grant us any real benefit. If the lower seed has the "easier" playoff matchup, and perhaps also gives us better draft seeding, then I prefer to rest starters, because if the backups lose, so be it, and in some aspects it might actually work out well. But every backup on that field better be busting their behind for a W. You play to win. That's the culture. And if injuries strike, we needs those backups in top form as next men up.
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I'm reading between the lines here with your answer. So yeah. That's what McVay can do to save face if needed. "We're resting our starters for the playoffs but still going for the win." (wink wink)

think i get it GIF by Wilson Tennis
 
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rdw said:
You play to win. If we can't beat Green Bay on their turf then we're not champions. Imagine the boost to team confidence if they win a game like that.
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I hear ya. I value your opinion too.
But on the flip side, WHAT IF we just can't beat GB on their turf in the snow .... however, we could go to and win the super bowl (playing other teams) by never having to go to GB (assuming someone else beats them). Could you really say "we're not champions" if we went to and won the superbowl?
 
In some situations, I would rest the team in the final game, others, I would not. There are risks both ways. If you already have a nice playoff spot wrapped up, and don't need to win, then it might be okay to rest starters. But losing can be contagious though, so there is a risk to that. But losing a key player in a meaningless game would be devastating.

I remember a few years ago when the cheatriots went 16-0 in the regular season, they played the Giants in the last game if memory serves correctly. They didn't rest their starters, and played as hard as they could to win the game, as well as cheating, I assume. the Giants were able to gain enough info from playing them that in the superbowl, they were able to beat them.
 
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HE WITH HORNS said:
In some situations, I would rest the team in the final game, others, I would not. There are risks both ways. If you already have a nice playoff spot wrapped up, and don't need to win, then it might be okay to rest starters. But losing can be contagious though, so there is a risk to that. But losing a key player in a meaningless game would be devastating.
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This x1000 for me.
 
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thirteen28 said:
No, but especially not this year when our last game is against a bunch of Satan-worshipping Godless commie pinko scumbags from Scat Francisco.
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Forgot they were our last game of season.
Beating the...
cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed, sack of monkey shit
...9ers and getting that fucking monkey off our backs could be huge for us ahead of a post-season run.

Go Rams!
 
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Alaskan Ram said:
Forgot they were our last game of season.
Beating the...
cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed, sack of monkey shit
...9ers and getting that fucking monkey off our backs could be huge for us ahead of a post-season run.

Go Rams!
Click to expand...

Damn right! A win by the Rams over the 49ers is a win for AMERICA!!!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1mlCPMYtPk&t=56s
 
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Count me among those not okay with resting the team.

Sure didn't help against the Falcons in 2017. Not sure if that's why we lost, but it sure didn't help.

And honestly - normally I'm a big picture guy. And Super Bowl is the goal. But if you told me we'd have a 90% chance of winning it all if we let the Niners beat us down and only a 50% chance if we play our starters......I'm playing the starters. I'm done losing to that team.
 
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