FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — With a playoff berth clinched, several Patriots players say they still want to play in the regular-season finale Sunday at Houston.

Coach Bill Belichick hasn’t disclosed what he’ll do, but guard Logan Mankins said if Belichick rests his starters and New England loses, ending the playoff chances of other teams, those teams put themselves in that position.

“We put ourselves in this position by winning games throughout the year and if (other teams) didn’t want to have to count on us to win games, they shouldn’t have lost,” Mankins said. “I think we were in the same position last year, needing another team to lose, and that was no one’s fault but our own. Anytime you have to count on other teams to win for you, you’re in a bad situation.”

That’s exactly what happened to the Patriots last season when they went 11-5 but needed help to make the playoffs. They didn’t get it and were home for the postseason for the first time since 2002.

But now they’re 10-5 after clinching the AFC East for the sixth time in seven years.

Seven teams, including Houston (8-7), are battling for the two AFC wild-card playoff spots.

The Patriots could rest their starters to allow nicks to heal and avoid other injuries. Or they could go all out, knowing a win would give them the No. 3 seed. Then, if Indianapolis and San Diego – the top two AFC seeds – lose in the conference semifinals and the Patriots win, they would host the AFC championship game.

Pittsburgh linebacker LaMarr Woodley said Wednesday that he thought the Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals, both already in the playoffs, would “lay down” in their final regular-season games to prevent the Steelers, who need to win and get help, from making the playoffs.

The Patriots were not aware of Woodley’s comments at their Wednesday practice, but two of New England’s four players selected for the Pro Bowl said they expect the team to try its best.

“Anytime you go out there as a professional, you want to play to the best of your ability,” wide receiver Wes Welker said. “Every given week, this is what we live for. We want to go out there and play every Sunday. We look forward to going out there and playing, whatever the case may be.”

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who said he expects to return “sooner rather than later” after missing the last two games with a foot injury, said the Patriots want to win the game.

“We want to win,” he said. “I’m pretty sure my teammates feel the same way. That’s how we’re approaching this game. We’re going to go out there, prepare, practice hard, don’t keep any bad habits and hopefully put it together on Sunday. Whatever happens after that, happens.”

Mankins and quarterback Tom Brady also were picked for the Pro Bowl.

Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, who leads New England with 9 1/2 sacks, said he would have no trouble getting worked up to play Sunday.

“I don’t think it’s that hard because any time the lights come on and you’re in uniform, you’re going to want to play,” he said. “You want to play your best. You don’t want to embarrass yourself. We have a challenge that we have to address and we’re trying to improve and get better going into the postseason, so this is a big building block.”

Running back Fred Taylor, who returned last Sunday after missing 10 games with an ankle injury, was more direct.

“Personally, I hate losing,” he said. “I want to win everything, I guess that’s the most I can say about that.”

When asked how he’ll use his players on Sunday, Belichick said he’d do what’s best for the team.

Brady, who has been nursing rib and right finger injuries, did not practice Wednesday. He missed practices the past two weeks but still played. Wide receiver Randy Moss’s absence from practice was non-injury related, a designation given frequently to him this year when he has not practiced on Wednesdays.

Copy the Story Link