Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy can smile now that his Cowboys have clinched the NFC East. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Mike McCarthy reveals plan for Cowboys’ starters in Week 18

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated 1/3/22

The Dallas Cowboys have very little to play for in Week 18 after their loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but that does not mean they are going to bench all of their starters.

The Cowboys have clinched the NFC East, meaning they will have a home game in the opening round of the playoffs. They’re currently the No. 4 seed, and they would need to beat the Philadelphia Eagles next weekend and have several other teams lose in order to improve their seeding. Despite the long odds of moving up, head coach Mike McCarthy hinted on Monday that Week 18 will be business as usual.

Coach Mike McCarthy said will play to win at Philadelphia: "That is the best thing for our football team. We understand the scenarios. There are slight odds we could potentially move up. We want to make sure we take care of business on our end."

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) January 3, 2022

McCarthy probably wants the Cowboys to be able to take some momentum into the playoffs. However, they will have their hands full against a tough divisional opponent on the road.

Coaches of playoff-bound teams often have to make difficult decisions in the final week of the regular season. On one hand, you don’t want to take the risk of starters and important players getting injured. On the other, resting players for multiple weeks can impact a team’s mojo.

We know one other NFC coach who hinted that he may take a similar approach to McCarthy in Week 18.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: