BubbleWrapped Preseason Games, Scrimmages, & Candy

[T-RO]

The reality of football leading up to the season opener is this:

NFL Teams don't want to play starters in preseason games anymore. Even in the "Dress rehearsal" preseason game two weeks before the season. L.A.'s Coach Staley has said he won't be playing any key starters in any preseason games - not even a down. And he's not alone.

The Chargers have lost all-pro starters on multiple occasions in recent years...before playing a single down They are understandably fed up with it (as are their fans). And they're not alone.

Now more than ever with with a 17 game season (think: Napolean's march to Moscow) teams are opting to bubble-wrap players relative to preseason games. They instead are using controlled scrimmages to prepare their players. In such controlled settings you don't have tackling and QBs are precluded from contact.

Criticize the Cowboy coaches if you will, but they aren't an outlier. This is the trend across the league.

Old-schoolers may criticize, and impatient fans everywhere lament:
We want our candy and we want it now.

 

[DandyDon52]

The reality of football leading up to the season opener is this:

NFL Teams don't want to play starters in preseason games anymore. Even in the "Dress rehearsal" preseason game two weeks before the season. L.A.'s Coach Staley has said he won't be playing any key starters in any preseason games - not even a down. And he's not alone.

The Chargers have lost all-pro starters on multiple occasions in recent years...before playing a single down They are understandably fed up with it (as are their fans). And they're not alone.

Now more than ever with with a 17 game season (think: Napolean's march to Moscow) teams are opting to bubble-wrap players relative to preseason games. They instead are using controlled scrimmages to prepare their players. In such controlled settings you don't have tackling and QBs are precluded from contact.

Criticize the Cowboy coaches if you will, but they aren't an outlier. This is the trend across the league.

Old-schoolers may criticize, and impatient fans everywhere lament:
We want our candy and we want it now.

yeah and I am ok with it, and I am old school.
What they could do that might be more fun to watch, is have the game that used to be for starters to play few series,
just make that game a flag football game with no hitting or tackling. Starters would play whole 1st half.
That would eliminate most injury possibility's, except for linemen and ham strings.

I think that might be fun to watch.

 

[Jake]

The reality of football leading up to the season opener is this...

...Joe Looney retired when you weren't looking, and after mocking the person who knew this you pretended it never happened and let your thread fade to page two.

The internet never forgets, "T-RO".

 

[TequilaCowboy]

The reality of football leading up to the season opener is this:

NFL Teams don't want to play starters in preseason games anymore. Even in the "Dress rehearsal" preseason game two weeks before the season. L.A.'s Coach Staley has said he won't be playing any key starters in any preseason games - not even a down. And he's not alone.

The Chargers have lost all-pro starters on multiple occasions in recent years...before playing a single down They are understandably fed up with it (as are their fans). And they're not alone.

Now more than ever with with a 17 game season (think: Napolean's march to Moscow) teams are opting to bubble-wrap players relative to preseason games. They instead are using controlled scrimmages to prepare their players. In such controlled settings you don't have tackling and QBs are precluded from contact.

Criticize the Cowboy coaches if you will, but they aren't an outlier. This is the trend across the league.

Old-schoolers may criticize, and impatient fans everywhere lament:
We want our candy and we want it now.

I don't mind that trend if those starters are healthy and only need limited reps to get ready. The conundrum is what do you do with players coming off of major injury and have been on the shelf almost a year. Dak for example who has two injuries. You can protect him during the PS, but then come the season opener and he has to go all out 100% against an opponent who sees a bullseye on his chest. I am no doctor or anything, but the chances of reinjury are increased dramatically. All i can say, is Dallas better have a good backup plan. And it ain't the three stooges we have as backups, but i fear it will be Gilbert.

 

[T-RO]

...Joe Looney retired when you weren't looking, and after mocking the person who knew this you pretended it never happened and let your thread fade to page two.

The internet never forgets, "T-RO".

My whole thread was about Looney's possible un-retirement, but thanks for bringing that to our attention.

The internet never forgets, but I sure do, old fart that I am. I am busy with other things and fail to track my own threads sometimes. You seem really angry w/me though I don't know the reasons.

If I was a turd--I have my moments--and offended you in some thread five days, or fifty days ago...I sincerely apologize. Sure hope you will forgive and forget.

 

[T-RO]

yeah and I am ok with it, and I am old school.
What they could do that might be more fun to watch, is have the game that used to be for starters to play few series,
just make that game a flag football game with no hitting or tackling. Starters would play whole 1st half.
That would eliminate most injury possibility's, except for linemen and ham strings.

I think that might be fun to watch.

Like your out-of-the box thinking. We old-school guys can learn new tricks!

I think they ought to have 1 preseason game max, maybe broadcast some scrimmages. But the NFL juggernaut business folks just won't see eye to eye--I get it.

 

[T-RO]

I don't mind that trend if those starters are healthy and only need limited reps to get ready. The conundrum is what do you do with players coming off of major injury and have been on the shelf almost a year. Dak for example who has two injuries. You can protect him during the PS, but then come the season opener and he has to go all out 100% against an opponent who sees a bullseye on his chest. I am no doctor or anything, but the chances of reinjury are increased dramatically. All i can say, is Dallas better have a good backup plan. And it ain't the three stooges we have as backups, but i fear it will be Gilbert.

I hear you! I suspect the chance of seeing Gilbert on the field only get pushed higher trying to push Dak back before that lat muscle has fully healed. His foot/ankle is fine. Maybe he won't be as sharp at Tampa Bay, but frankly that would be a very tough 'W' for the team anyway.

Give it another week or ten days. Maybe a cortisone shot and then he'll have a few full practices.

 

[DandyDon52]

I don't mind that trend if those starters are healthy and only need limited reps to get ready. The conundrum is what do you do with players coming off of major injury and have been on the shelf almost a year. Dak for example who has two injuries. You can protect him during the PS, but then come the season opener and he has to go all out 100% against an opponent who sees a bullseye on his chest. I am no doctor or anything, but the chances of reinjury are increased dramatically. All i can say, is Dallas better have a good backup plan. And it ain't the three stooges we have as backups, but i fear it will be Gilbert.

Gilbert is ready to go ! bring it on !

 

[T-RO]

Teams who's starting QBs have (or will) sit through during so-called "dress rehearsal" game:

Cowboys
Ravens
Titans
Falcons
Lions
Bills
Eagles
Bengals
Packers
Chargers
Browns


Teams w/rookie QBs understandably played them. And the older or oldschool coaches tended to play theirs: Belichick, Reid, Tomlin, Zimmer

Preseason games weren't real games in years past. Increasingly they non events. The dress rehearsal concept is dying fast.

 

[starfan1]

New uniform for Dak when he decides he wants to play again...

Ok that was funny I got to admit

 

[T-RO]

Falcons attitude about preseason:
Don't play starters. Just keep the clock running to end the game fast. They threw only 12 passes despite losing big.

 

[bigE79]

I don't mind that trend if those starters are healthy and only need limited reps to get ready. The conundrum is what do you do with players coming off of major injury and have been on the shelf almost a year. Dak for example who has two injuries. You can protect him during the PS, but then come the season opener and he has to go all out 100% against an opponent who sees a bullseye on his chest. I am no doctor or anything, but the chances of reinjury are increased dramatically. All i can say, is Dallas better have a good backup plan. And it ain't the three stooges we have as backups, but i fear it will be Gilbert.

All it takes I one good hit on that leg and his season is done...he's lucky he's playing in this time period and not the 70s,he'd never make it through 1 game against teams like the raiders or the Rams with deacon.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

@T-RO Falcons probably lost their backup McKarron for the year with a non-contact injury last night in their preseason game. All the bubble wrap in the world is not going to help sometimes. Can’t escape bad luck.

 

[Bobhaze]

The reality of football leading up to the season opener is this:

NFL Teams don't want to play starters in preseason games anymore. Even in the "Dress rehearsal" preseason game two weeks before the season. L.A.'s Coach Staley has said he won't be playing any key starters in any preseason games - not even a down. And he's not alone.

The Chargers have lost all-pro starters on multiple occasions in recent years...before playing a single down They are understandably fed up with it (as are their fans). And they're not alone.

Now more than ever with with a 17 game season (think: Napolean's march to Moscow) teams are opting to bubble-wrap players relative to preseason games. They instead are using controlled scrimmages to prepare their players. In such controlled settings you don't have tackling and QBs are precluded from contact.

Criticize the Cowboy coaches if you will, but they aren't an outlier. This is the trend across the league.

Old-schoolers may criticize, and impatient fans everywhere lament:
We want our candy and we want it now.

Preseason games are no longer needed. The owners want them as a money maker, some fans love them because it’s kinda like real football. But in reality, the coaches use practice and controlled scrimmages more than ps games to determine roster spots more than ps games. Most time in ps games is being played by players that may not ever play a down of real NFL football.

College football doesn’t have preseason games and you never hear their coaches say they need them. Veteran players despise them because they don’t want to risk their career over a completely meaningless exhibition game. I’m old enough to remember when we had 6 ps games. In the old days, they were used to help players get in shape. The great HOFer Bob Lily once said that in his day, all the vets who played in ps would usually go about 1/2 to 3/4 speed to conserve energy for the regular games that mattered.

I realize we’re stuck with ps games for the foreseeable future. At least the league has moved down to 3. In a 17 game season, the last thing these players need are these meaningless ps games.

For every Cowboys fan who may be happy or worried with what you’ve seen in ps….either way, we really haven’t seen what this team really is yet. Relax. It’s a very long season.

 

[Batman1980]

Preseason games are no longer needed. The owners want them as a money maker, some fans love them because it’s kinda like real football. But in reality, the coaches use practice and controlled scrimmages more than ps games to determine roster spots more than ps games. Most time in ps games is being played by players that may not ever play a down of real NFL football.

College football doesn’t have preseason games and you never hear their coaches say they need them. Veteran players despise them because they don’t want to risk their career over a completely meaningless exhibition game. I’m old enough to remember when we had 6 ps games. In the old days, they were used to help players get in shape. The great HOFer Bob Lily once said that in his day, all the vets who played in ps would usually go about 1/2 to 3/4 speed to conserve energy for the regular games that mattered.

I realize we’re stuck with ps games for the foreseeable future. At least the league has moved down to 3. In a 17 game season, the last thing these players need are these meaningless ps games.

For every Cowboys fan who may be happy or worried with what you’ve seen in ps….either way, we really haven’t seen what this team really is yet. Relax. It’s a very long season.

Pre-season games are televised practices where you can hit the other team. That's it.

 

[Rockport]

Gilbert is ready to go ! bring it on !

 

[T-RO]

@T-RO Falcons probably lost their backup McKarron for the year with a non-contact injury last night in their preseason game. All the bubble wrap in the world is not going to help sometimes. Can’t escape bad luck.

McCarron won't be able to play with that ACL. But then he couldn't play anyway. Can't bubble wrap all the scrubs.

 

[T-RO]

Preseason games are no longer needed. The owners want them as a money maker, some fans love them because it’s kinda like real football. But in reality, the coaches use practice and controlled scrimmages more than ps games to determine roster spots more than ps games. Most time in ps games is being played by players that may not ever play a down of real NFL football.

College football doesn’t have preseason games and you never hear their coaches say they need them. Veteran players despise them because they don’t want to risk their career over a completely meaningless exhibition game. I’m old enough to remember when we had 6 ps games. In the old days, they were used to help players get in shape. The great HOFer Bob Lily once said that in his day, all the vets who played in ps would usually go about 1/2 to 3/4 speed to conserve energy for the regular games that mattered.

I realize we’re stuck with ps games for the foreseeable future. At least the league has moved down to 3. In a 17 game season, the last thing these players need are these meaningless ps games.

For every Cowboys fan who may be happy or worried with what you’ve seen in ps….either way, we really haven’t seen what this team really is yet. Relax. It’s a very long season.

Agree on every point:

• Practices and scrimmages > preseason games for prep and evaluation
• It's only a money thing why NFL has a preseason
• It's "kinda" like real football for some fans