Starters vs Backups in Preseason

[MajesticRey]

Why does it always seem like other teams that face us in preseason always send their starters out for a series or two, but we always send out our draft picks/backups?

Just seems like it’s not a good way to get a feel for how a specific player will fare in an actual game.

For example, if we are trying to figure out who our RB2 is - why not send starting OL out for two series and compare? Because putting the backup OL vs starting Jags front 7 tells us nothing other than our OL depth is trash.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Why does it always seem like other teams that face us in preseason always send their starters out for a series or two, but we always send out our draft picks/backups?

Just seems like it’s not a good way to get a feel for how a specific player will fare in an actual game.

For example, if we are trying to figure out who our RB2 is - why not send starting OL out for two series and compare? Because putting the backup OL vs starting Jags front 7 tells us nothing other than our OL depth is trash.

we the fans, may judge it by final score or stats, but coaches watch individual play, assignments for each player for evaluation. they may know the specific OL man may fail and the play may fail, but how did the LT do? how did the RT do, did they hold their block, move their feet, etc. did the WR run the right route, get separation, etc. there is a lot of evaluation that can be done and in some ways one can say, you can better assess the player. assessing a back up going against a lesser talent may not show what he is capable given is the back up plays, it won't be against a back up.

starters play, mostly to just get in sync. they are not really being evaluated.

 

[baltcowboy]

The Cowboys have a veteran group of offensive and defensive players. Do they really need to come out for a series or two against vanilla defenses. If you watch the practice film the first team offense and defense has been going at it pretty well during camp. This team will be ready for a good Giants team.

 

[boysfanindc]

We always ask this and then some starter gets hurt in a meaninglessness pre season game and then we say what the hell was he thinking playing that guy.

I think they go into pre season games knowing what they want to see from guys they have doubts about to gain more info about the player.

 

[gimmesix]

Why does it always seem like other teams that face us in preseason always send their starters out for a series or two, but we always send out our draft picks/backups?

Just seems like it’s not a good way to get a feel for how a specific player will fare in an actual game.

For example, if we are trying to figure out who our RB2 is - why not send starting OL out for two series and compare? Because putting the backup OL vs starting Jags front 7 tells us nothing other than our OL depth is trash.

I actually like the idea of playing backups against other teams' starters. Other than a player like Mazi, we really don't need to see what our starters can do. We need to see who among the backups can play on an NFL-starting level. I understand your point about the OL. It does make it tough to evaluate positions like running back, it's not too hard to tell if the RB had no chance or if he should have done more with a carry. Seeing him outrace a third-string linebacker around the corner isn't as valuable as seeing him do it against a starting linebacker.

I would start my second string in every preseason game against as many starting lineups as the other teams want to play. Then, to warm up for the season, I would play my first team at the start of the third quarter when they should dominate if they are executing the way they are supposed to. I would probably only do that in one or two games for one or two series, though.

 

[KJJ]

Why does it always seem like other teams that face us in preseason always send their starters out for a series or two, but we always send out our draft picks/backups?

Just seems like it’s not a good way to get a feel for how a specific player will fare in an actual game.

For example, if we are trying to figure out who our RB2 is - why not send starting OL out for two series and compare? Because putting the backup OL vs starting Jags front 7 tells us nothing other than our OL depth is trash.

It only seems like other teams that face us send their starters out for a series or two. Most teams play very few if any of their starters in the first preseason game. With a 17 game regular season, the risk of injury to starters is just too great to risk them in preseason. If you have a couple of players battling for a starting job you have to play them in preseason. You need live game reps to make a decision. Every team has a philosophy on how they handle preseason. Doug Pedersen believes in playing his starters in preseason starting with game one. You can’t allow how another team handles preseason to dictate what you do. I’m not going to risk my starters in the first preseason game, because another team is willing to take that risk. There’s a benefit of having your backups go up against starting players. I do believe your starters need at least a couple of series in preseason, but a lot of teams are becoming more fearful each year of losing a starting player in a meaningless game. With the amount of money players are making and a limited roster, it can really put you behind the eight ball if a starter is lost in preseason for the season or a significant amount of time.

 

[Denim Chicken]

 

[big dog cowboy]

My thoughts exactly. I wish the starters played one series last week.

 

[BulletBob]

Why does it always seem like other teams that face us in preseason always send their starters out for a series or two, but we always send out our draft picks/backups?

'Cause WE 'DEM (hot) BOYZ!

j/k

I'm glad that moniker is dead and buried. Forget I even mentioned it.

 

[blueblood70]

Why does it always seem like other teams that face us in preseason always send their starters out for a series or two, but we always send out our draft picks/backups?

Just seems like it’s not a good way to get a feel for how a specific player will fare in an actual game.

For example, if we are trying to figure out who our RB2 is - why not send starting OL out for two series and compare? Because putting the backup OL vs starting Jags front 7 tells us nothing other than our OL depth is trash.

First of all it makes no sense to risk injury and like balt said below, literally we know what we have in most of our players as far as starters go but you make no sense in a way that you're saying that it's not good to see our running back too against their starters I mean in a way it helps you're not gonna see Tony Pollard in so if they run out there starting defensive line and we run out Rico down or deuce Vaughn which both played pretty well against their ones and twos that actually helps us.. That literally is a better way to evaluate your talent but I'm pretty sure they know what they got in practice but in these preseason games if these teams continue to run out their starters that we run out our backups against their starters and our backups still do pretty well then we can imagine them with the starters in front of him on the offensive line but it's absolutely not worth the risk that someone gets stepped on or rolled up on the back of their legs just to see whether running back two can do...

 

[noshame]

I think it would be a great idea to at least play a series. I've said this before, With all these crazy rules in today's practice you just don't get a good look at your offense as a whole.

 

[blueblood70]

and yet you name 2 examples and one of these days someone like Patrick mahomes is gonna get rolled up on is gonna have a season ending injury and they're gonna wish they didn't put him in in a meaningless game I don't think you need that many reps when you have a 17 game season thinking that 1/2 of football is somehow gonna get ready for 17 games or are you worried about game one? I think they get plenty of reps in practice and then scrimmages that they don't need to be in the preseason games that is a personal preference by the coaches and the players themselves that say they're OK with it but you say almost always dude some of these dudes barely played 15 snaps and if you think that that somehow got them ready for the regular season I think people are being delusional in here if they wanted to do it that's fine if the coaches think it's not is worth the risk that's also fine..

I mean I don't see how a player can be out say five or six games like Prescott was last year didn't really play in the preseason got hurt in the first game and come out and lit it up after a broken thumb to boot not just time off,​

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I mean if that doesn't tell you something then I don't know what else we can help you understand that that stuff in the preseason is not really necessary anymore... when there were five games of course on the third game some of vets knocked some rust off because the preseason was very long and in 14-16 game season sure why not..3 game PS and 17 game season..im not risking it..​

a 2nd example for dak and this offense would be 2021 the way they came out against the buccaneers and had what 500 yards of offense against the eventual SB champs..no rust

 

[CowboyRoy]

Why does it always seem like other teams that face us in preseason always send their starters out for a series or two, but we always send out our draft picks/backups?

Just seems like it’s not a good way to get a feel for how a specific player will fare in an actual game.

For example, if we are trying to figure out who our RB2 is - why not send starting OL out for two series and compare? Because putting the backup OL vs starting Jags front 7 tells us nothing other than our OL depth is trash.

One word................"injury"

 

[CowboyRoy]

I think it would be a great idea to at least play a series. I've said this before, With all these crazy rules in today's practice you just don't get a good look at your offense as a whole.

What is ONE series going to do? Besides make people like you feel better or worse about where they are?

 

[McKDaddy]

We always ask this and then some starter gets hurt in a meaninglessness pre season game and then we say what the hell was he thinking playing that guy.

You are correct. There is no right answer because a major injury trumps anything you could gain. But, losing games early in the season because your starters weren't really ready has a cost too.

One thing I know for sure, practice against yourselves only goes so far. If injuries weren't an issue, every team would play starters some in the preseason.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

We'll definitely find out in the opener if it was a good or bad idea. Doesn't matter what anyone says on here. Potential injury is not an excuse for not playing a few series.....can happen in TC or even the opener too. Personally, i feel they should just do away with PS games. Just evaluate your players yourself. But the money is what the NFL is more interested in,................

"surprise, surprise, surprise".......Gomer Pyle.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Why does it always seem like other teams that face us in preseason always send their starters out for a series or two, but we always send out our draft picks/backups?

Just seems like it’s not a good way to get a feel for how a specific player will fare in an actual game.

For example, if we are trying to figure out who our RB2 is - why not send starting OL out for two series and compare? Because putting the backup OL vs starting Jags front 7 tells us nothing other than our OL depth is trash.

I don't get why teams splay their starters. Did the Jags really feel good about their starting unit getting a turnover against our backups? I don't understand it honestly.

To me preseason is about evaluating talent. Specifically backups for the most part.

 

[Cowboys5217]

Why does it always seem like other teams that face us in preseason always send their starters out for a series or two, but we always send out our draft picks/backups?

Just seems like it’s not a good way to get a feel for how a specific player will fare in an actual game.

For example, if we are trying to figure out who our RB2 is - why not send starting OL out for two series and compare? Because putting the backup OL vs starting Jags front 7 tells us nothing other than our OL depth is trash.

My bigger concern historically is why more often than not the other team's scrubs outplay ours. Are we that poor at choosing the bottom of the roster talent and who we invite to camp? The law of averages says that it should work out to 50/50 but it sure does not seem to play out that way with the Cowboys in the preseason.

I'm not worried about actually winning the preseason games, just noticing long term trends that appear to reveal a management and scouting for depth chronic issue.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Because they are stupid.

 

[noshame]

What is ONE series going to do? Besides make people like you feel better or worse about where they are?

Check with NFL coaches. They've been doing it for years.