The New England Patriots are 12-2 and clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs for the sixth straight season after their 33-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 15.
They also have been plagued by injuries to many of their top skill players, and three starters—Dont'a Hightower, Danny Amendola and Patrick Chung—left the game against the Titans and did not return.
Per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick told reporters he is considering resting players in the final two weeks of the regular season:
We’ll just have to do the best that we can to balance all those things out.