The Buffalo Payments held off the New England Patriots on Sunday, stopping the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs from locking up the AFC’s 1-seed. They very almost gave the Pittsburgh Steelers some large assist, because the Chiefs would’ve had nothing to play for.
Due to how good Andy Reid’s groups have been over time, there are many examples to take a look at. Should you go far sufficient again to 2004, his Philadelphia Eagles clinched the 1-seed with two weeks to go within the common season. He rested Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, and different vital starters for the ultimate two weeks of the common season. They went on to lose within the Tremendous Bowl that yr. Clearly the additional rust didn’t come again to chew him.
All through his profession, Reid has had his playoff positioning locked up on eight completely different events. He rested key starters on almost each alternative he had. The one exception was 2018, when he considerably diminished snaps for key starters, however a few of them nonetheless performed restricted snaps. That got here after he rested starters in 2013 and 2017 and each led to one-and-done playoff appearances. He could have gotten a bit shy from these losses to tell his determination in 2018, however he has since returned to his methods of resting key starters in 2020 and 2023.
Most not too long ago, the Chiefs rested Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Donovan Smith, L’Jarius Sneed and others in Week 18 of final season after locking within the AFC’s 3-seed with no risk to maneuver up or down within the closing week.
In all of his years resting starters they’ve solely misplaced their first playoff recreation two of eight alternatives. That’s sufficient success to proceed the pattern.
Historical past very clearly tells us that Reid likes to relaxation his starters when there may be nothing to play for. He’s by no means had the chance to relaxation for 2 weeks whereas with the Chiefs, however he did so 20 years in the past with the Eagles.
All that to say, the Steelers won’t be catching a break this time round with the Payments’ 1-seed hopes nonetheless alive. The Chiefs gained’t be resting gamers like Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, or Chris Jones, although Jones is coping with an harm from Saturday’s recreation.
The Steelers want to remain even with the Baltimore Ravens the remainder of the way in which in the event that they need to win the AFC North and host a playoff recreation. The Chiefs resting starters definitely would have helped the Steelers’ case.
