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“To actually go out for two or three games and give it all you’ve got knowing you can rest for a couple of weeks, it was most definitely awesome. I know I’ve benefited from it and I know Anthony did, as well. We’re still standing up.”

That last point is the most important.

Photo by Kevin King / Kevin King/Winnipeg Sun

The running back position can be physically gruelling. It’s not just rushing the ball into an oncoming wall of humanity, with the potential for thousands of pounds of flesh, muscle and bone falling on top of you after a brief sprint. It’s blocking. It’s providing additional protection against large human beings running toward you at full speed with one mission: Get to the quarterback.

With one game remaining until the post-season, the Lions are in good shape to go into the playoffs with two healthy players capable of being the feature running back.

The Lions play the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday at B.C. Place Stadium, with the chance to secure a home playoff game in the West semifinal.

Buono has a decision to make.

Johnson has rushed for 100 yards or more in each of the last two games and three of his last five starts. It can be argued he’s hitting his peak at the perfect time, so why disrupt this groove by taking him out of game action for a week?

The counterargument is that sitting Johnson versus the Roughriders would give him an addition week of rest and allow Allen to receive some game reps — never a bad idea ahead of playoffs — after sitting the last three weeks.