Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11), defended by Detroit Lions cornerback Chris Houston (23) falls into the end zone after a 16-yard reception for a touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit.FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Atlanta Falcons coach Mike Smith rewarded his players with three days off after they earned the NFC’s top seed.
As Smith sees it, the Falcons need as much rest as possible before they host a divisional round game in three weeks.
“It is a grind through four preseason games and 16 regular season games,” Smith said on Sunday. “If you’re fortunate enough to play in that second season, you want to be as fresh as you can be.”
When Atlanta (13-2) returns to practice on Wednesday, Smith will begin to determine how much the starters will play when Tampa Bay (6-9) visits the Georgia Dome next Sunday.
Some decisions might not be made until late in the week, but it seems unlikely that quarterback Matt Ryan and other valuable starters will take every snap against the Buccaneers.