Some teams are going to rest their starters in Week 17, but don't expect the New Orleans Saints to be one of them. Sean Payton plans to play his starters in the final week of the season with a first-round bye still on the line.
As we head into Week 17, the Saints are projected to finish the season as the No. 3 seed in the NFC. For them to be able to improve their seeding, they will need to take care of business against the Carolina Panthers.
Besides that, New Orleans will also need the San Francisco 49ers or Green Bay Packers to lose. Of course, the Saints would love to get a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the Divisional round of the postseason.
Therefore, Payton was straightforward when he was asked about whether or not he was going to sit any of his starters versus the Panthers (via Mike Triplett of ESPN).
“No, no, no, no, no, no. Absolutely no,” Payton said. “We're still playing for the 1-, 2- or 3-seed.”
The Saints boast an impressive 12-3 record and clinched the NFC South title weeks ago. But at this moment, New Orleans' loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 10 looms large.
Due to being 4-1 within the NFC South, the Saints do not have the tiebreaker over the Packers in the NFC. Green Bay, meanwhile, is 5-0 in their own division, the NFC North, and is slated to play against the Detroit Lions in Week 17.
On the other hand, the 49ers will square off against the Seattle Seahawks on “Sunday Night Football.” As unlikely as it is that the Saints get the No. 1 or No. 2 seed, they are focused on defeating Carolina with their starters on the field.
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