Yes, this is absolutely one way of looking at it. Using hindsight with what we know now, this would be the smart move assuming FH gets to play the last two regular season games. This also supports what I just said...that this is not about getting kids a game to play.
I will also say however, that FH is going to get a bye week after homecoming. They will likely draw Hancock in the first round of the playoffs who will opt out for good reason. I feel pretty certain Clear Spring will opt out as well. Southern says they will not if they have the players. So now FH has a bye week, Homecoming, and then another bye week. Is all this rest good for rhythm? That would make for a good debate.
As for COVID, quarantines usually happen off the field. Despite the fact the game at Southern got FH into quarantine we have found that 9 times out of 10 the contract tracing usually goes back to practice, in school or at home, not in an actual game. The good news (and don't quote me on this), it's my understanding the majority of FH players will be fully vaccinated by Homecoming/Playoffs so they won't have to quarantine now. The Hollidaysburg situation was a massive wake up call to unvaxed players who had to sit.
The top FH concern with only playing 8 games...if Smithsburg or Alco (or any team that was on the schedule) cannot play due to COVID, then FH takes an automatic loss. Getting the Smithsburg game in tonight is huge. Because 8 is the lowest point total divisor. If they play 7 games or less, the points are added up and then divided by 8. If FH would have cancelled the game at Hollidaysburg with only 8 games, then Hollidaysburg would have been counted a loss. The same will happen with Havre de Grace. Their game got cancelled last week due to COVID. They had 8 games. That cancellation was a loss and could throw them out of top seeding unless they pick up an extra last minute opponent on their open date of Oct. 29. Crazy times.