Playoff-bound Eagles may rest starters vs. Cowboys

As Grant Gordon explained for the NFL's website, the Philadelphia Eagles secured a berth in the NFC playoffs via Sunday's win over the Washington Football Team combined with the Green Bay Packers downing the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night. 

Philadelphia cannot catch the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East division standings, and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni suggested on Monday he could rest starters for Saturday's primetime matchup versus Dallas. 

"We’re talking through all that still. We haven’t decided anything there yet. We don’t have to decide right now," Sirianni explained, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. Sirianni added his staff is "taking everything into account" regarding such a call.

Debates arise ahead of practically every final week of NFL campaigns about whether or not teams that have clinched postseason spots should play or rest starters who could potentially suffer injuries in what are essentially meaningless games. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and Bruce Arians of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers both said Monday they intend to at least start their key guys for Week 18 contests even though the Packers have already cemented themselves as the conference's top playoff seed. 

It sounds like Sirianni may go in a different direction and treat Saturday's divisional showdown largely like a preseason affair.