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What is Clayton basing this on. I don't get his reasoning. There are so few games remaining. I don't get why they would "save" him for NO if he could play vs. Pitt. The race is close enough that they need every game, not just the game against NO.
Yea this is brutal....If Julio sits will you guys start Douglas? What are realistic expectations for Douglas?
I have no idea. Just passing along what I saw on tv. If he suits up though, you have to be nervous playing him. Now isn't the time for a 1.5 from a decoy.
This might sound stupid but I will be a little relieved if Julio sits out due to me having Douglas also on my team.
Yea i'm in the same boat I can't afford Julio playing decoy....I hope he sits if he's not healthy
That makes no sense. So, they intentionally blow this week so they "have" to win the last two? Something tells me that there chances are better to make the playoffs if they win this week. NO is tied with them and Carolina is a half game back. Atlanta could be in 3rd place if they lose.
How do you figure they don't need to win? As bad as they are, they are tied for first in their division and only a half-game ahead of Carolina. I'd say they need this game very badly.
Atlanta is in control of their own destiny even if they lose. I think people are mis-applying that fact, and using it to say that the game is meaningless.
They can't. It is all based on the Falcons beating both the Saints and the Panthers in weeks 16 and 17. That is a pretty bad assumption. I wouldn't "assume" they are going to win both, they aren't that good of a team. If they lose this week, there is a good chance that NO can beat Chicago and Carolina can beat TB. There is also a good chance if they win that both those teams lose and they are up a game on NO and 1.5 games on Carolina.
I grabbed Douglas also - but I am not so sure I will plug him in if Julio sits.....what makes you think he will be productive?
I've got Stills and I just picked up Douglas on the WW. I'm not decided on who I would start if JJ is out, but I'm looking at Douglas stats last year and he had 4 great games (12/121, 10/140, 13/172, 13/283/2)
That's much more positive then Clayton's report that he doubts JJ will play.
I'd view him as a strong WR2 with low-end WR1 upside this week if Julio's out. Matchup is great and Roddy doesn't look like he's playing at full strength. Douglas could be the top receiving option in what projects to be a shootout with both passing games putting up big numbers.
Where did you find those numbers? I'm not seeing anything like that when I check Douglas' 2013 stats on CBS.
umm cuz they play NO and CAR the last two games
The numbers you posted are from the Splits page. We need to click the Game Log tab to see what he did in individual games. In 2013 Douglas had 3 games over 100 yards, 1 game where he posted double digit receptions, and 2 games where he posted 1TD. I don't think he's had a 2 TD game in his career. Probably still a good start if Julio is out.
So? Controlling their own destiny <> meaningless game against Pitt/can afford to lose. The latter makes a big assumption that they will win the last two. If they win 1 of 2, then the Pitt game could be the reason they make the playoffs or get left out.
Yes, as posted above, that page is splits so some teams are two games. That said, after Jones went down, Douglas had PPR games of 27, 24, 11, 11, 25, 16, 13, 4, 8, 9 and 12. The first 7 games were WR1 numbers (based on 2014 WR averages) and all 11 games were WR2 numbers. I can't recall if there was a reason for his tailing off the last 4 weeks.
I don't know who these commentators are saying the game is meaningless, but basically that is just poppycock. I don't want to go through all the scenarios, but I can easily think of ones where losing this game vs. Pittsburgh is the reason Atlanta misses the playoffs. For instance, say Atlanta loses to Pittsburgh, loses to New Orleans, then beats Carolina. They finish at 6-10. Now assume that New Orleans loses to Bears, beats Atlanta, and beats the Bucs. They go 7-9 and have a better record than Atlanta, winning the division. Now, assume that nothing else changes but Atlanta beating Pittsburgh. All of a sudden they are 7-9 and in the playoffs. Why? Because they would have a better divisional record than New Orleans at 5-1.
Atlanta is tied with New Orleans, a half game ahead of Carolina.
I'm sorry but I just can't see Coach Smith sitting down and saying, "well mathematically this game has a X% chance of being meaningless, so let's not play our best player, even if he can play." He is a football coach, not a mathematics professor. I think he looks at it like, "we have to win to give ourselves the best chance of going to the playoffs," so let's go out and win. Bear in mind he may be coaching for his job here.
Your premise was that there was "no possible way you can say the Pittsburgh game is meaningless". Now we are into Mike Smith's psyche, which I can't speak to.
They basically did that with White the first half of last season when he was hurt. Instead of wisely sitting him and trying to get him healthy they kept running him out there while he was hurt, preventing the injury from healing and pretty much ruining most of his season in the process. So even if Julio is active there's no way to guarantee he'll have his usual or a meaningful role.
Interesting. No thoughts that he's taking it easy, you know to heal up as much as possible?
They won't know the results of those games until after they play and a 5-8 New Orleans team on the road and a Carolina team that barely beat the Bucs when Anderson played a great game (I'll give you a hint, he isn't that good) are not gimmes to win.
There is no scenario that could render week 17 meaningless for them that does not include winning next weeks game. That includes winning this game. They could back in with a week 17 loss, but only with a win next week.
at the fact that this game means nothing and that "they" know they don't have a chance in the playoffs. You guys can't be serious.
