The Dallas Cowboys clinched homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs from their couches Thursday night. Now, the question is which of their players will get off it come Monday?

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said in a teleconference with Detroit reporters Thursday that his team's spot in the playoff race won't affect the way he substitutes players this weekend.

"We’re really just focused on us and playing the best game we can play," Garrett said. "We’re locked in on that. We just had a good practice and that’s really where our focus is. We absolutely plan to continue to practice and play everybody and focus on winning the ball game on Monday."

The Lions (9-5) can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Cowboys (12-2) on Monday night. If the Green Bay Packers tie or lose to the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, the Lions can clinch the NFC North title - their first division title in 23 years - with a victory.

The Cowboys wrapped up the best record in the NFC by virtue of the Philadelphia Eagles' 24-19 upset of the New York Giants on Thursday.

Garrett gave no indication in his conference call Thursday that he'll rest any of the Cowboys' key starters this weekend, and doing so might not make much sense given the Cowboys won't play their first playoff game until Jan. 14 or 15.

Still, Dallas listed 12 players on its injury report Thursday and had six players sit out practice entirely, including starters Tyron Smith, Tyrone Crawford and Morris Claiborne.

Throw in the human element and the fact that the Cowboys rely so heavily on running back Ezekiel Elliott, and it might behoove Dallas to give some of its stars extra rest.

Lions coach Jim Caldwell said Thursday he won't sit any of his starters if the Lions have a playoff spot clinched before Monday's game, and he said this week that the Cowboys' playoff fate "really doesn't change" anything when it comes to his team's weekly preparation.

"I’ve been on both ends of that," Caldwell said. "It doesn’t change.”

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

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