Injuries and Buffalo: who do we sit?

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If I’m correct, and although it will be a game between two of the league’s best teams, losing to Buffalo doesn’t really hurt the Lions.

if there was ever a game to give players extra rest, it’s this one.

What do you guys think? Keep the day-to-day guys off the field for an extended break?

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If there’s risk of reinjury, you sit em… I think most of the day to day guys could’ve played against the Packers, but they did as you suggested and held them out. I’d be shocked if 4 of the 5 (Levi may need another week) don’t play against Buffalo… They wanna wear those black jerseys again :wink:

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DC won’t sit guys but

I wouldn’t be shocked if the below guys are “hurt” after being nicked up and sit and get 100% healthy for the stretch run

Decker
Reader
McNeil
Branch
Levi

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I have trouble saying will not hurt to lose at this junction still.

Let’s assume Vikings win the rest of their games (beat Lions week 18), Lions will drop to 5 seed.

or

Let’s assume Eagles win the rest of their games and Lions lose one of the games after the Bills (drop to #2 seed).

I will trust the Lions staff to have a good read on availability but if available hopefully they play.

Might be a bit easier to have this discussion if Eagles and Vikings lost this weekend. Time to be Panthers fan for Sunday (and root against the guy who bet on the Eagles)!

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This will be a day to day, game time call …

If he remotely thinks a player isn’t ready to play the Bills, they simply won’t

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I think if a guy is cleared, he will play. I just can’t see the Lions taking this game ‘off’. They know they’re in a battle and every game matters (a win is a win after all). With that said, I’m in the same camp as some others. If a week off gets a guy like Levi from 75% to 90%, he might sit. But of the guys out for the Packers (Levi, Paschal, DJ, Decker), I think Paschal and DJ will have the best chances to play. Alim is pretty straight forward, he either clears concussion protocol or he doesn’t. If he clears, he will play.

One thing to add, that game against the Vikings will be coming off a short week (MNF) and cross-country trip. It would be nice to have nothing on the line in that game.

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  1. every loss hurts as long as Minnesota is one game behind.
  2. our players have 10 days to rest.
  3. they’ll have plenty of time to rest between March and June.
    Buffalo, sorry about your bad luck.
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Don’t want to potentially play Philly in Philly come the conference finals. Gotta play to win until that isn’t possible anymore.

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How the Vikes and Eagles do this Sunday will greatly inform the decision making.

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We can’t knock Philly out of “one seed” contention, directly. We’re up one game and need to keep the hammer down until Philly and Minnesota lose another game.
Do I hear, 19-1?

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That Philly game could be a trap. Carolina is playing good ball right now.

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A loss to Buffalo doesn’t hurt IF THE LIONS WIN ALL THE REST OF THEIR GAMES.
Losing to Buffalo would possibly force the Lions to win out to maintain #1 seed.
If the Lions win all there games before playing the Vikings in week #18, that game wouldn’t matter.
Lions will keep “pedal to the metal” until they have clinched. You can’t count on winning out after the Buffalo game. We see how injuries can occur at any time.

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We are indirectly 2 up on Philly because they cannot tie Lions record wise and claim #1 seed assuming they both tie for best record (with no other team involved). There is a scenario where Philly, Detroit and Viking tie at 13-4 records where Eagles get #1 seed, Vikings #2 and Lions 5 seed.

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Ending up with the 5 seed, and not even getting a home playoff game, would be soul crushing after this start.

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They’re up 1.5 games… If Philly and Detroit end up with the same record, Detroit has the tie breaker due to strength of victory

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We should still have “points for”, too.
Dan Campbell football is aggressive. I approve.
Leave nothing to chance.

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This game is massive, we’re playing for the 1st round bye, which will be a huge advantage to the team that gets it. We might have to win out. We certainly need to try to do that.

I guess we can lose a game looking at the standings and still have the 1 seed. If that loss is to the AFC Bills.

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im horny jack nicholson GIF

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I feel like Dan has this printed out and taped above his office door.

And he taps it every time he leaves the room

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Agree
Not the right message to sit someone if healthy

You can reduce their reps especially on the defensive side

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