News: The NFL is reportedly considering a shortened preseason

pancakeman

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why not? whatever thinking goes into the decision to rest starters on the final exhibition game could apply if there are 2 or 3 or 4 games.
Teams may be less hesitant to play starters if the season opener is 14 days away rather than just 7.
 

MonsterD

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Anyone know if along with eliminating 2 preseason games they will eliminate the probowl too? That would make the extra season game seem more reasonable.
 

quickccc

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.....
A good number would be 0, if they're going to have fans present. Why take the chance when it doesn't count and isn't real under these circumstances?

The only games that should be played should count. Coaches do not need pretend games to make roster decisions, they do that under controlled situations at camp and practice. What is any coach going to learn from putting his 2nd and 3rd stringers up against the other team's backups? Do McC and Philbin want to know how the players vying for the OL look against other teams backups or even their starters that do not go all out in pretend games or do they want to know how those OL look against their own DL under controlled circumstances?

The NFL does not need preseason anymore than college does and they're dealing with mostly new teams every season.

As the article implied, and what many knew, the preseason are great ,,and the best periods for evaluating
all the rookies and 2nd year players who need the live game experience and coaches need the evaluation
scenery and tape to process the who's in/who's out for the tail end 55 roster.

Remember that the NFL was already discussing plans to shortened the NFL preseason even before this
Pandemic crisis began.
But the bigger problem with the NFL preseason seems to be ..money. Or the greed of money.

The small fan base who are going to the preseason games, are subject to paying ridiculous prices to NOT be able to see the starters/stars in full games, ..just as you have a smaller group of fans that will Not tune in
to see stranger name rookies and no-name fringe players who likely won't even make final roster.

Low attendance, low TV Ratings. That should be expected for preseason.
What gets me is teams should not have to play ANY starters in the last two
preseason per their plan - and let those rookies, backups and fringe players play out the games. give visiting fans discount for preseason games -the NFL does not make their money there anyway.
And you don't have to take a toll on any starters or significant players, and this won't affect the final games and playoff games.

:(
 

Reid1boys

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A good number would be 0, if they're going to have fans present. Why take the chance when it doesn't count and isn't real under these circumstances?

The only games that should be played should count. Coaches do not need pretend games to make roster decisions, they do that under controlled situations at camp and practice. What is any coach going to learn from putting his 2nd and 3rd stringers up against the other team's backups? Do McC and Philbin want to know how the players vying for the OL look against other teams backups or even their starters that do not go all out in pretend games or do they want to know how those OL look against their own DL under controlled circumstances?

The NFL does not need preseason anymore than college does and they're dealing with mostly new teams every season.

couldnt disagree with you more. Im pretty sure it was Mark Schlereth that said if it wasnt for preseason he wouldnt have had a career. I could be wrong on the person, but I think it was him. He isnt the only one. Lots of players make teams from what they did in the preseason games. Practice...... You talkin bout practice? Practice only tells you so much.
 

Bullflop

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The league and the various teams will determine what suits them and their teams for themselves. I wish them well.

I'll just be looking forward to watching as many game as are available to see. Quite honestly, it's out of our control.
 

_sturt_

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Glad to see this football thread has persisted under a football forum, unlike the one where a football writer spoke with a famous scientist about the season a few weeks back. Kudos to the decision-makers for the evolved thinking on that front. I for one appreciate it.
 

gjkoeppen

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does it say how short? the last game is usually a dud and could be done away with, but the others are needed to look at guys, and play the starters
at least 2 quarters.

The last game is very important for the players "on the bubble" to have one last chance to impress and make the team, Every year there is a player who was on the bubble who played well and made the team. With only 2 preseason games that means giving the starters a half to get acclimated that leaves only 1.5 games to evaluate all non starters under live action game situations. Most years the 1st couple of regular season games are kinda sloppy so if they cut 2 preseason games we could be looking at the first 1/4 of the season to be sloppy ball games.
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cern

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Here's an idea, cancel the preseason and expand the rosters, game day rosters and practice squads. Bring preseason back in 2021 but keep the expanded rosters in place to absorb some of the expanding cap and stop the more pay to the same number of players and employ more players, spread the wealth.

They could set up a Cap Exemption for players selected so to cover them for this season. Set it up where they can't hide 1st or 2nd stringers as Cap Exemptions.

This would also give teams a cache of players to pull from should the need arise with positive diagnoses.

Also fewer "bubble players" to make decisions on in the 4Q of the last preseason game, where fortunes are made or lost.
A most interesting proposal. Otherwise, just cutting some games will be bad for coaches and bubble players.
 

DandyDon52

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The last game is very important for the players "on the bubble" to have one last chance to impress and make the team, Every year there is a player who was on the bubble who played well and made the team. With only 2 preseason games that means giving the starters a half to get acclimated that leaves only 1.5 games to evaluate all non starters under live action game situations. Most years the 1st couple of regular season games are kinda sloppy so if they cut 2 preseason games we could be looking at the first 1/4 of the season to be sloppy ball games.
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Well your right, but for various reason they are looking to cut some of the games.
the 1st game usually tends to be 1 set of downs for the starters , and then rest of game is a joke.
It depends too on what the players are saying, maybe they dont want those games either.
I would be ok with 4 games with the bkups , rookies, and wannabes, if they would play like it mattered.
 

gjkoeppen

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Well your right, but for various reason they are looking to cut some of the games.
the 1st game usually tends to be 1 set of downs for the starters , and then rest of game is a joke.
It depends too on what the players are saying, maybe they dont want those games either.
I would be ok with 4 games with the bkups , rookies, and wannabes, if they would play like it mattered.

You see you may think those games are a joke, but the non starting players and the coaches don't. They think those games are important because those are live action game situations for players to impress and coaches to evaluate. This is one situation where the intention of doing it isn't to please the fans but to evaluate to build the team. That's why there is only a per diem pay for preseason games and not the salary veterans earn during the season because there are often less fans in the stands for preseason games. This year there may be none.
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Buzzbait

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I don’t know
I think those games are very important to get guys in real game situations
Even more so today since you have so few real practices with hitting

Agree. I've never had any problem with the pre-season games, plus it gives us a chance to see young players we wouldn't see otherwise.
 

TwoCentPlain

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A good number would be 0, if they're going to have fans present. Why take the chance when it doesn't count and isn't real under these circumstances?

The only games that should be played should count. Coaches do not need pretend games to make roster decisions, they do that under controlled situations at camp and practice. What is any coach going to learn from putting his 2nd and 3rd stringers up against the other team's backups? Do McC and Philbin want to know how the players vying for the OL look against other teams backups or even their starters that do not go all out in pretend games or do they want to know how those OL look against their own DL under controlled circumstances?

The NFL does not need preseason anymore than college does and they're dealing with mostly new teams every season.

College has ‘preseason’ games and ‘byes.’ How many teams schedule cupcakes early? Not all but many. That is a preseason game. They just do not call it that. Same with byes. Need a breather, Alabama will call in a Kent State.

I agree with what you wrote about not needing a preseason game to make roster decisions. So does the NFL. Preseason games exist only to make more money for the owners.
 

gjkoeppen

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A good number would be 0, if they're going to have fans present. Why take the chance when it doesn't count and isn't real under these circumstances?

The only games that should be played should count. Coaches do not need pretend games to make roster decisions, they do that under controlled situations at camp and practice. What is any coach going to learn from putting his 2nd and 3rd stringers up against the other team's backups? Do McC and Philbin want to know how the players vying for the OL look against other teams backups or even their starters that do not go all out in pretend games or do they want to know how those OL look against their own DL under controlled circumstances?

The NFL does not need preseason anymore than college does and they're dealing with mostly new teams every season.

I never heard an actual NFL coach that has said preseason games are not needed but on the other side when that question has come up in interviews they all say that actual live action games conditions is the best way to evaluate players. All you did is say because you don't like preseason games that the coaches don't want or need them and unfortunately for you, you feelings on that are not facts.

College doesn't have preseason games. They schedule non-conference games for the first couple of weeks and those games count against their record and come into play on getting bowl games unlike the NFL where preseason records don't count for anything except evaluating players..The past few years those non-conference games that get scheduled a few years in advance haven't turn out to be the push over many thought they were going to be. Again just your dislike for preseason games making you think something is a fact when it isn't.
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Buzzbait

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If your heart and health is that weak you shouldn't be watching something that causes such high emotions and stress anyway.
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Well if a guy can withstand the emotions and stress of the CZone, he can survive anything. :laugh:
 

Flamma

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I don’t know
I think those games are very important to get guys in real game situations
Even more so today since you have so few real practices with hitting

So true. You see how ill prepared teams seem to be early on in the season now with 4 games. Most teams don't even resemble what they were on opening day by mid season. But I don't think the shortened preseason will have much impact on the starters. Just all of the others they're trying to evaluate.
 
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