Dissecting Cleveland’s ‘Sit Them vs Start Them’ Decision
Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
As the Cleveland Browns sit in the rare situation where their Week 18 matchup has absolutely no consequences for their playoff ranking, it appears that the team will choose to rest most stars in the season finale.
Had the Browns been able to win the division or had to win to keep the top Wild Card position in the AFC, this decision would have been harder, but this game is also on the road so the home fans won’t even miss out.
In a night where five Browns were voted to the Pro Bowl along with six alternates, I think it’s time that we fully trust whatever Kevin Stefanski tells us he is doing. The 2020 NFL Coach Of the Year should be the front runner once again this year. He has more than earned that trust.
Remember, this team has lost 10 players to injured reserved (including two quarterbacks) and has somehow accumulated 11 victories, with Joe Flacco as the improbable hero. I assure you, not even the most pessimistic or optimistic Browns fan had that on their 2023 bingo card.
What is most exciting to watch from this team is how well they have gelled. When Flacco has a turnover, the defense doesn’t lay down, they get on the field and try to limit the damage to a field goal or force a three-and-out.
When the defense gives up a long drive, the offense comes out and finds a way to give them a break, whether that is just picking up a few first downs and chewing some clock or going down and answering with points.
Until the last few weeks, even the special teams have been in sync, with fantastic punts turning the field and a kicker who has been nearly perfect. As good as this team has been for 16 games, they certainly deserve a break (at least the veterans) to prepare for the playoff run.
The Case For Resting Players
The biggest and most obvious positive to resting players in the ability to heal the body up. I’ve never felt the pain of waking up on Monday after an NFL game, but I can assure you after 16 weeks it gets harder and harder to get out of bed.
For guys like Joel Bitonio, Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward, and Za’Darius Smith who have been nursing injuries, the week off is a no-brainer. Not only do these guys already have playoff experience, but they are also seasoned professionals who won’t miss a beat by not playing on Sunday.
I’m most excited for Garrett to get a week off. He hasn’t been right since the shoulder injury six weeks ago. After five weeks without a sack, he finally looked more and more like himself last week, and with another week fully off he could be set up to explode in a playoff run.
With the Browns likely to be matched up against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they have an offensive line that has been beaten up and could be exploited.
Although it will be tough because the Browns already have so many injuries, resting some of the stars will also give Andrew Berry a chance to evaluate his younger players against NFL starters. Guys like Alex Wright, Drew Forbes, and Tony Fields have been waiting for their chance and will have an opportunity to put a full game of reps on film.
There is a fear that with a week off guys could get out of rhythm or take a few snaps to get back into the swing of it, but I’m not worried about the guys Stefanski is going to rest. You can only have six healthy scratches on Sunday, and all those guys will likely have playoff experience for the Browns.
The Negatives Of A Week Off
For some teams, resting players can be a tough strategy. There are too many young players that need the reps, and keeping in rhythm is far too important. In almost every other past year I would have said the same for the Browns, but at this point, they’ve already been through the wringer.
At this point, I’m not even sure if there are more than five players who have started every single game at the same position, so the fact that they have been this successful tells me they can handle the rest.
Although the Browns are a young team on paper, most of their starters were on the team that made the playoffs in 2020 or have other playoff experience. There will certainly be some guys like M.J. Emerson and Greg Newsome who will be playing in their first playoff game, but both have also started for a full two seasons already.
The biggest concern right now is someone else getting hurt. Yes, you can rest some guys, but you can’t rest all 22 starters. At some point, a guy who is a crucial player is going to be on the field, and the Browns can’t afford to miss anyone else from this roster.
Even though we Browns fans haven’t been in this type of situation recently, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the ride. Yes, the stress and the thrill of watching the Wild Card weekend game will come, but Stefanski has full control of this team until then. One thing is certain: This team will be fully prepared in two weeks, no matter who they play.
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