National Football League

Should Eagles, 49ers, other playoff clinchers rest stars or follow routine?

Updated Dec. 22, 2022 5:12 p.m. ET

Over the next few weeks, the hottest debates in NFL meeting rooms will revolve around the "rest vs. rust" conversation.

With several teams poised to clinch postseason berths and cement their playoff seeding, coaches and executives are huddling up to discuss how to handle the season's final weeks to give their team the best opportunity to make a title run.

Some in the room will suggest maintaining the same practice routine and game plan is the best approach. Coaches and players are creatures of habit, and any alteration will ultimately impact their performance between the lines. Although they understand the inherent risks in playing the "stars" in meaningless games, the team is less likely to lose momentum heading into the playoffs.

Players need repetition to master their craft while developing chemistry and continuity with their teammates. The opportunity to execute plays and techniques in game action benefits the players and helps the coaches determine which players and plays are playoff-ready. Considering how those experiences lead to expertise, the benefits are apparent when factoring in the rest vs. rust debate.

"I think that's one of the biggest mistakes people make just watching it over the years. That's my opinion," San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Tuesday when asked about resting starters. "I would understand if you were getting ready for a seven-game series; I don't think football is like that. It's three-and-a-half hours. It's one shot. I've been on a lot of teams where you rest guys and or give guys a few more weeks and those are usually the guys who struggle the most in that first playoff game."

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As a former player, I can attest to how quickly a player and team can lose momentum. Despite the energy and intensity that most NFL players bring to the practice field, there is nothing like playing in games. The speed, urgency and intensity are at a fever pitch in regular-season games, and those elements only escalate in the playoffs.

During my rookie season with the Buffalo Bills in 1994, I had Hall of Fame players like Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed tell me that the pro game operates at four different speeds and intensity levels: preseason, regular season, playoffs and Super Bowl. The four-time Super Bowl participants told me the game becomes faster and more physical in the playoffs due to the "win-or-go-home" urgency everyone brings to the field.

With the stakes at a much higher level in the postseason tournament, it is sensible to prepare the players for the playoffs by maintaining the regular routine through the end of the season.

That said, the No. 1 goal of most teams is to reach the playoffs with all of their weapons available to play. The postseason is about "star power," and the championship teams put the burden on their stars to carry them through the tournament. With that in mind, it is essential to exhibit caution when contemplating whether to play a player nursing a nagging injury.

While the repetitions matter, health should trump the reps to get your stars to the tournament fresh and ready to go.

"Like last year when it came down to our last game, you have guys that are fighting to play because they're right on the bubble of not being able to play," Shanahan added. "In this situation, those guys you would definitely rest. So anybody who has an injury that could risk them for the following week … definitely rest them."

The decisions coaches make regarding the "rest vs. rust" debate will not guarantee a win in any way. Teams have enjoyed deep playoff runs without resting players, and others have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after taking late-season sabbaticals.

Ultimately, it comes down to knowing your team and what it takes to get your players ready. That comes from the experience of watching them respond to different scenarios and situations throughout the season. In addition, it also requires reflecting on previous years and how the team has handled bye weeks and off days or weekends in the past.

No matter the decision, the playoff results will ultimately determine whether the coach properly handled the "rest vs. rust" debate.

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Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He regularly appears on "Speak For Yourself" and also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.