If the Packers rest starters in Week 18, they can at least get weird

If, as expected, the Packers sit their starters on Sunday, they should use the de facto exhibition as an opportunity to experiment with certain players.

On paper, the Green Bay Packers will have nothing at stake this weekend. They secured a playoff berth this past Thursday with the Detroit Lions’ loss but squandered the chance to improve their seeding in Week 18. With a road game against whichever NFC team finishes with the No. 2 seed, Green Bay can rest starters if the coaching staff so chooses.

At least officially, the Packers have not yet declared their intentions.

“I would say we’ve had some early discussions in regards to what we’re going to do, and I’ll be able to update you guys later in the week,” head coach Matt LaFleur said on Sunday. “Despite what has been reported, nothing’s been decided.”

Perhaps the Packers will play their healthy starters in extremely limited snaps, à la this year’s preseason finale. But even if LaFleur and his staff opt for that approach, the majority of the game would feature backups and inexperienced players, reducing the contest to a de facto exhibition.

The Packers won’t treat Sunday exactly like the preseason, but they do have some incentive to experiment. If they do ultimately rest their starters, they should at least get a little weird with how they handle the game.