DALLAS — The NFC East may be wrapped up, but the Dallas Cowboys have one last divisional game in Week 17 at the New York Giants. The apparent logic is for Dallas to rest their starters and play a passive role in the game's outcome. However, the organization is putting forward a public front that they intend to win the game by every means necessary.
"If guys are injured, obviously they aren't going to play," coach Jason Garrett told reporters after the club's 27-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday at AT&T Stadium. "If guys are able to play we’re going to play them. We’ve got an important ball game in New York next week.”
Important may be an overstatement. Yes, a win would give the Cowboys a 5-1 record in the division for the second straight season and third in the Garrett era, but the game is hardly consequential in terms of playoff positioning. The Cowboys are virtually locked at the No. 4 seed, and have no shot at moving up into the No. 2 seed and procuring a first-round bye. Therefore, why not sit the starters, rest up injured players, and avoid excessive dings on starters and key contributors?
"I want to play, and I think a lot of these guys in here want to play as we talk about things that we want to get better on, we need to improve, this is a good game for us to do it against a good team that has been playing better football in the later part of the season," said Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, who completed 20 passes on 25 attempts for 161 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. "It is important for us to get in there, but at the same time stay healthy, be able to clean up things and iron the things that aren’t so well in our offense just so we can continue this momentum going into the postseason.”
The concept of capturing momentum and bottling it up for postseason use is the driving force behind Dallas seeking to play a relatively meaningless game at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 30. There is also past precedent in Garrett's coaching tenure with Dallas going back to 2007 that a strong finish correlates to an opening game win.
In 2007, Dallas, who had home-field advantage locked up, went through the motions against Washington at a rainy FedEx Field and lost 27-6. In their first game, the divisional playoffs versus the New York Giants, the Cowboys were unable to complete the three-game sweep and lost 21-17 to the eventual Super Bowl champions.
In 2009, Dallas needed to beat the Philadelphia Eagles to win the division and host the next week's wildcard playoff rematch at then-Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys prevailed 24-0 and completed a three-game sweep of Philadelphia with a 34-14 win.
In 2014, much like 2018, the Cowboys were division champions and had little chance to advance as the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Nonetheless, they played their starters and crushed Washington 44-17 and went on to execute a fourth quarter comeback the next week in the wildcard versus the Detroit Lions, 24-20.
In 2016, the Cowboys had home-field advantage wrapped up for New Year's, and they played the last-place Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Dallas had passive participation in the 27-13 loss. Two weeks later, the Green Bay Packers upset the Cowboys 34-31.
Running back Ezekiel Elliott, who had 18 carries for 85 yards, remembers two seasons ago and doesn't believe the Cowboys can let up against the Giants.
"I don’t think we can approach it that way," said Elliott. "We can’t afford to take a week off. That’s not even an option. We’ve got to attack this week the same way we’ve been attacking these games – it’s must win and we’ve go to go out there and get that win and finish this season off right.”
Either Dallas owner, president, and general manager is agenda setting with his remarks, or he is parroting the philosophy of the coach. Either way, he is in line with what the rest of the team feels.
"Let me say this, that was a big win to clinch this East," Jerry Jones told reporters Sunday. "It was an important emotional thing for this team. We just have to take advantage of it. We won’t let up against the Giants. I will assure you of that.”
If Dallas doesn't let up against the Giants, they have to weigh what the costs and benefits of doing so. The question the Cowboys will wrestle with over Christmas is whether a dab of momentum is worth the injury risk.
Do you think the Cowboys should go all out in Week 17 to tuneup for the playoffs or should they lay off the throttle and rest up? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.