NFL | The record or the rest?

Is it better to give 110%, or is it better to give a little less, perhaps 109% or 108%, in the hope of preserving your strength for another day?

The question has been bothering the greatest thinkers for centuries. Voltaire, for example, once wrote that “everyone must always give 110%, even if they play for the New York Jets.” Pat Burns, again, has already written that “no one is held to the impossible”.

These wise words lead us to one of the most prestigious records in American football: Eric Dickerson’s 2,105 rushing yards.

Dickerson, a running back by trade, made a sensational entry into the NFL in 1983. Posted in the backfield of the Los Angeles Rams, his back straight, glasses pushed under his yellow and blue helmet, this agile halfback had passed the 1984 season stunned opposing defenses, to the point of establishing his record with an average of 131.6 yards per game. This mark still stands, despite all those who have tried to approach it over time; Adrian Peterson came close in 2012 with 2,097 yards.

Now it’s Saquon Barkley who is close.

Last Sunday, against the Cowboys already planning their vacation, the Eagles halfback ran for 167 yards, thus crossing the 2,000 yards mark on the ground, the ninth player to reach this magical plateau in American football. With his total of 2,005 yards this season, he finds himself only 100 yards from Dickerson’s record: another 101 yards, and he shatters it.

Spoiler: that’s not likely to happen.

The Eagles have already secured their place in the playoffs, and they will have nothing to gain on Sunday against the New York Giants. Coach Nick Sirianni said this week that Barkley would “probably” rest this game to conserve energy for the playoffs.

It’s a shame, but good. The Eagles have won just one Super Bowl in 58 years, and the ring is quite a bit more important than the record, as prestigious as it is.

Obviously, when the Eagles get blown out in the first round, you can count on this column to display its legendary bad faith and claim that they should have played Barkley anyway.

The coaching ball has already begun, and now the New York Jets reportedly have their eye on Rex Ryan and Ron Rivera in hopes of getting back on track, if of course such a thing is possible. Since the Jets’ only Super Bowl was before the conquest of the Moon, will the second one arrive before the conquest of Mars? The question deserves to be asked.

At the 49ers, owner Jed York has already confirmed the return of Kyle Shanahan, and at the Cowboys, owner Jerry Jones has suggested that the future of Mike McCarthy is not yet decided, which means that Jones will wait until see who else is available before deciding anything about McCarthy.

Is there a busier mailbox than this one in the entire province, and maybe even the entire country? Of course not.

This week, Michel Bourque opens the ball with this oh-so-relevant question: “I was watching the Vikings game on Sunday with the man with the red mustache [Sam] Darnold, and I wondered if a redheaded quarterback had ever led his team to a Super Bowl victory? »

Well, Michel, our exhaustive research showed no, which would make Darnold a pioneer, nothing less. But can the Vikings go all the way? Serge Deblois sees another club in his soup, near Baltimore: “Lamar Jackson is at the peak of his career […] With Derrick Henry charging into the mix, I don’t see how the Ravens could escape him. »

But we must not forget the reigning champions, according to Yves Lahaie: “Dear Richard, I remind you of the wise words of the Grand Vizier Iznogoud: in life, what is important is what counts! Take note when the Chiefs raise their 3^e big cut straight away…”

So here we are in the last week of play before the real business begins, and we can probably say that the tension is at its peak.

It’s not very complicated, the match of the week will take place Sunday evening between the Vikings and the Lions, with first place in the National Conference at stake, while the Bucs and the Falcons will try to grab last place available in this conference.

On the other hand, in the American Conference, three teams will try to obtain last place, namely the Broncos, the Dolphins and the Bengals. The road is particularly difficult for the latter, who will need to beat the Steelers this Saturday night, but who will also need defeats from the Broncos and Dolphins to sneak into the playoff picture.

Above all, remember that resolutions are made to be abandoned.