The last top seed to rest its QB in the regular-season finale and win a title came in 2009.
Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  [FOX Sports Insider Newsletter] In todayâs FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: Is it wise to rest your quarterback in the final week of the regular season? ⦠How can the Jets fix their team for next year? ⦠and more! In chilly, sunny Santa Clara, Brock Purdy stood as a sideline spectator last weekend, the NFCâs No. 1 seed already in possession of the San Francisco 49ers and their impressive QB. Over in Baltimore, Lamar Jackson did the same, albeit while in downright torrential conditions, making the most of his and the Ravensâ superb campaign to take Week 18 as a time of recuperation ahead of the postseason. Elsewhere, a trio of Super Bowl winners in Patrick Mahomes, Joe Flacco and Matthew Stafford all left the rigors of game action to their deputies, in an effort to be as healthy as can be for the bruising nature of the wild-card round this weekend. In each case, it didnât seem like much of a decision at all. If a team had something to either strive for or defend in Week 18, from the all-or-nothing chase of a bracket spot like that claimed by C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans, all the way to the Detroit Lions and Jared Goff seeking the unlikely (and ultimately fruitless) prospect of jumping to a No. 2 seed, they started their QB. If they didnât, they rested him. The only tweak is that the Los Angeles Rams could theoretically have dropped from No. 6 to No. 7 in the NFC had they lost to the undermanned 49ers, with backup Carson Wentz under center in place of Stafford. They beat them anyway, 21-20, and will now travel to Staffordâs old stomping grounds in Detroit. NFL teams do things for a wide variety of reasons, the main ones being common sense, perceived future advantage, and, increasingly, data-driven evidence. However, the last of those doesnât quite mingle with the "rest or rust" debate when it comes to season-ending quarterback activity. For the rest of the story, [click here](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRngW7ZP0T_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm94c3BvcnRzLmNvbS9zdG9yaWVzL25mbC90aGVvcnktb2YtcmVzdGluZy1xYi1pbi1maW5hbC13ZWVrLXdpbGwtYmUtdGVzdGVkLWFnYWluLWluLXBsYXlvZmZzP2xpZD1tejdjbDl0dnY3ZGQmY21waWQ9b3JnPVNwb3J0czo6YWc9b3duZWQ6Om1jPWVtYWlsOjpzcmM9ZW1haWw6OmNtcD1BMTRfU3BvcnRzX05ld3NsZXR0ZXJfQ2FtcGFpZ25fRW1haWxfSW5zaWRlcl9DdXN0b21fUmVjdXJyaW5nXzIwMjQwMTEwI25sLWVudHJ5VwNzcGNCCmWe2umeZUZNcAVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAD0g~~). [Main Story 1] â [In Other Words] - After a miserable Jets season, Aaron Rodgers is calling for changes for 2024. Worry not, Aaron, Henry McKenna has an [11-step plan to fix the team](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRngW7ZP4QAAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZveHNwb3J0cy5jb20vc3Rvcmllcy9uZmwvYWFyb24tcm9kZ2Vycy1leHBlY3RzLWpldHMtdG8tcmVsb2FkLXN0YXJ0LXdpdGgtdGhpcy0xMS1zdGVwLXBsYW4tdG8tZml4LXRlYW0_bGlkPTMzcnB3NWR4eTVkcSZjbXBpZD1vcmc9U3BvcnRzOjphZz1vd25lZDo6bWM9ZW1haWw6OnNyYz1lbWFpbDo6Y21wPUExNF9TcG9ydHNfTmV3c2xldHRlcl9DYW1wYWlnbl9FbWFpbF9JbnNpZGVyX0N1c3RvbV9SZWN1cnJpbmdfMjAyNDAxMTBXA3NwY0IKZZ7a6Z5lRk1wBVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAPS).
- Mike Vrabel and Ran Carthon [seemed to be in different corners](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRngW7ZP0T-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm94c3BvcnRzLmNvbS9zdG9yaWVzL25mbC90aXRhbnMtaGMtbWlrZS12cmFiZWxzLWZpcmluZy1lbXBvd2Vycy1nbS1yYW4tY2FydGhvbnMtdmlzaW9uLWZvci1mcmFuY2hpc2U_bGlkPWd1b2JsbGdvNXR3YSZjbXBpZD1vcmc9U3BvcnRzOjphZz1vd25lZDo6bWM9ZW1haWw6OnNyYz1lbWFpbDo6Y21wPUExNF9TcG9ydHNfTmV3c2xldHRlcl9DYW1wYWlnbl9FbWFpbF9JbnNpZGVyX0N1c3RvbV9SZWN1cnJpbmdfMjAyNDAxMTBXA3NwY0IKZZ7a6Z5lRk1wBVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAPS). With Vrabel now gone, the GM has the chance to fully initiate his vision, writes Ben Arthur.
- Jim Harbaugh revamped his defense by [poaching two bright minds](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRngW7ZP4QTAWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZveHNwb3J0cy5jb20vc3Rvcmllcy9jb2xsZWdlLWZvb3RiYWxsL2Jyb3RoZXJseS10aWVzLXJhdmVucy1jb25uZWN0aW9uLWxhaWQtZm91bmRhdGlvbi1mb3ItbWljaGlnYW5zLWNoYW1waW9uc2hpcC1kZWZlbnNlP2xpZD0yd254dXRqczBhcHAmY21waWQ9b3JnPVNwb3J0czo6YWc9b3duZWQ6Om1jPWVtYWlsOjpzcmM9ZW1haWw6OmNtcD1BMTRfU3BvcnRzX05ld3NsZXR0ZXJfQ2FtcGFpZ25fRW1haWxfSW5zaWRlcl9DdXN0b21fUmVjdXJyaW5nXzIwMjQwMTEwVwNzcGNCCmWe2umeZUZNcAVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAD0g~~) from his brother's staff on the Baltimore Ravens. It paid off in the CFP title game. Michael Cohen has the story.
- With the 2023 college football season in the books, the focus shifts to the hardwood, where FOX Sports bracket forecaster Mike DeCourcy offers up his [updated NCAA Tournament projections](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRngW7ZP0TiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm94c3BvcnRzLmNvbS9zdG9yaWVzL2NvbGxlZ2UtYmFza2V0YmFsbC8yMDI0LW5jYWEtdG91cm5hbWVudC1wcm9qZWN0aW9ucz9saWQ9MzMydjQxd3gza3cyJmNtcGlkPW9yZz1TcG9ydHM6OmFnPW93bmVkOjptYz1lbWFpbDo6c3JjPWVtYWlsOjpjbXA9QTE0X1Nwb3J0c19OZXdzbGV0dGVyX0NhbXBhaWduX0VtYWlsX0luc2lkZXJfQ3VzdG9tX1JlY3VycmluZ18yMDI0MDExMFcDc3BjQgplntrpnmVGTXAFUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAA9I~). For the latest news and updates, [click here](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRngW7ZP0SuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm94c3BvcnRzLmNvbS9zdG9yaWVzP2xpZD1wNWpjbGRrZzlxOTUmY21waWQ9b3JnPVNwb3J0czo6YWc9b3duZWQ6Om1jPWVtYWlsOjpzcmM9ZW1haWw6OmNtcD1BMTRfU3BvcnRzX05ld3NsZXR0ZXJfQ2FtcGFpZ25fRW1haWxfSW5zaWRlcl9DdXN0b21fUmVjdXJyaW5nXzIwMjQwMTEwVwNzcGNCCmWe2umeZUZNcAVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAD0g~~). â [Viewer's Guide] ð Providence Friars at St. Johnâs Red Storm (FS1, 6:30 p.m. ET) Rick Pitino and the Red Storm look to pick up another Big East win when they welcome the Friars to Madison Square Garden. ð No. 4 UConn Huskies at Xavier Musketeers (FS1, 8:30 p.m. ET) The Huskies aim to continue their hot start when they take on the Musketeers in a Big East battle. ð Washington State Cougars at USC Trojans (FS1, 10:30 p.m. ET) Bronny James and the Trojans host the Cougars in a clash of Pac-12 foes. For all of the latest games and scores, [click here](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRngW7ZP0StaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm94c3BvcnRzLmNvbS9zY29yZXM_bGlkPXcyNG8xNDF1eGlobyZjbXBpZD1vcmc9U3BvcnRzOjphZz1vd25lZDo6bWM9ZW1haWw6OnNyYz1lbWFpbDo6Y21wPUExNF9TcG9ydHNfTmV3c2xldHRlcl9DYW1wYWlnbl9FbWFpbF9JbnNpZGVyX0N1c3RvbV9SZWN1cnJpbmdfMjAyNDAxMTBXA3NwY0IKZZ7a6Z5lRk1wBVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTBAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAPS). â [Bet of the Day] Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills (-9.5), Sunday, 1 p.m. ET PICK: Bills to win by more than 9.5 points From FOX Sports Gambling Analyst: Jason McIntyre Lots of things are working against the Steelers here: injuries to T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, a first-time playoff starting QB in Mason Rudolph and the Bills having the cornerbacks to slow down Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. This smells like when Pittsburgh went to Kansas City a few years ago and got blasted in a Wild Card game, 42-21. For the latest betting odds, [click here](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRngW7ZP0SraHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZm94c3BvcnRzLmNvbS9vZGRzP2xpZD1xdHNyY2d2djhjMGsmY21waWQ9b3JnPVNwb3J0czo6YWc9b3duZWQ6Om1jPWVtYWlsOjpzcmM9ZW1haWw6OmNtcD1BMTRfU3BvcnRzX05ld3NsZXR0ZXJfQ2FtcGFpZ25fRW1haWxfSW5zaWRlcl9DdXN0b21fUmVjdXJyaW5nXzIwMjQwMTEwVwNzcGNCCmWe2umeZUZNcAVSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAD0g~~). 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