For Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, there is no internal monologue or debate when it comes to the prospect of resting his starters on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.
"We can only inactivate seven players, so this isn't like a preseason game where you have 75 guys on your roster," he said Monday, via The Boston Globe. "I don't really understand that whole line of questioning. I'm not saying I'm a great mathematician or anything, but the numbers just don't add up for that type of conversation. So, there's no use getting involved in it."
New England technically can still lose home-field advantage throughout the playoffs -- something they did not have a season ago and something that ended up costing them in a loss to the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.
More than that, Belichick's team is finally complete and on a roll. Though they've had massive success and are en route to a 14-win season, the Patriots were missing quarterback Tom Brady for part of the year. They were dealing with injuries across their wide receiving corps and to their greatest offensive weapon, Rob Gronkowski. A dominant win over the Jets Saturday painted the picture of a January force that teams are going to have to be near-perfect to beat.
The Cowboys' decision to play their starters has come under question in recent weeks. Even Jack Del Rio had to defend his decision to leave Derek Carr in the game this past Saturday. Carr broke his fibula against the Rams on Saturday.
While Belichick isn't beyond questioning, his team just feels so much more complete than any other entering the playoffs. One injury, even to Brady, doesn't seem to be a final nail in the coffin.
