CFZ Why Practice is more important than pre-season games

[T-RO]

True.

However, where Bob and I disagree(Doesn't happen often) is that preseason games have purpose. It is to evaluate the young guys.

Sure, but it's of limited value, IMO. They've got lots of practices where evaluation occurs and often multiple scrimmages against other teams.

At the very least they should reduce it to two preseason games.

 

[T-RO]

There are 90 players on NFL rosters this time of year. 37 will be gone soon. I suspect that the coaches already know 30-34 names who won't make the cuts.

 

[buybuydandavis]

I’ve always found it interesting that neither college nor high school football requires pre-season games to prepare for their regular season start. In fact, on college and HS campuses right now all across our country, teams are preparing for their first regular season game the old fashioned way- in regular practices. Some HS’s will have one controlled scrimmage. But College football starts in 3 weeks without a single ps game.

Let me make clear, I don’t have a problem with our fans who love PS games. I get it- it’s football and we’ve all waited a half a year to see some kind of pigskin play. if you enjoy PS games, keep enjoying them because the owners fight tooth and nail to keep them for cash purposes. They aren’t going anywhere.

But I have evolved to the point where I would never play a single starter even one down in a meaningless pre-season game. Here are my reasons:

• Practices, not PS games are where teams really prepare for the games that matter.New offensive and defensive wrinkles and systems are not perfected in a PS game. It’s in practice.
  • PS games have no game planning, the absolute most vanilla of offensive plays and defensive alignments are called. Nothing big from the playbook is rolled out in PS games.
  • Opponents in PS games also usually only use their most vanilla play calls and don’t care who wins.
• PS games should be used to decide roster spots.
• PS games can showcase the potential of rookies or backups and how they handle competitive situations.
• PS games can decide kicker, punter, backup QB and many other (mostly backup) positions.
• Practice is where teams prepare for the real regular season games each week. That’s where the coaches game plan, learn about players strengths and weaknesses, etc.
• In today’s NFL with the veterans who are on big contracts in the cap era, it makes zero sense to risk a huge portion of your cap space in a meaningless pre-season game.

As I said at the beginning- IMO if college and HS football don’t need pre-season games to get ready for the regular season, NFL starters can get ready for the games that matter in practice too.

I would never risk a big portion of cap space in a meaningless game. I know that’s not a popular opinion with fans, but it makes the most sense the way the game is structured these days.

PS games get players ready for regular season speed and hitting.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I’ve always found it interesting that neither college nor high school football requires pre-season games to prepare for their regular season start. In fact, on college and HS campuses right now all across our country, teams are preparing for their first regular season game the old fashioned way- in regular practices. Some HS’s will have one controlled scrimmage. But College football starts in 3 weeks without a single ps game.

Let me make clear, I don’t have a problem with our fans who love PS games. I get it- it’s football and we’ve all waited a half a year to see some kind of pigskin play. if you enjoy PS games, keep enjoying them because the owners fight tooth and nail to keep them for cash purposes. They aren’t going anywhere.

But I have evolved to the point where I would never play a single starter even one down in a meaningless pre-season game. Here are my reasons:

• Practices, not PS games are where teams really prepare for the games that matter.New offensive and defensive wrinkles and systems are not perfected in a PS game. It’s in practice.
  • PS games have no game planning, the absolute most vanilla of offensive plays and defensive alignments are called. Nothing big from the playbook is rolled out in PS games.
  • Opponents in PS games also usually only use their most vanilla play calls and don’t care who wins.
• PS games should be used to decide roster spots.
• PS games can showcase the potential of rookies or backups and how they handle competitive situations.
• PS games can decide kicker, punter, backup QB and many other (mostly backup) positions.
• Practice is where teams prepare for the real regular season games each week. That’s where the coaches game plan, learn about players strengths and weaknesses, etc.
• In today’s NFL with the veterans who are on big contracts in the cap era, it makes zero sense to risk a huge portion of your cap space in a meaningless pre-season game.

As I said at the beginning- IMO if college and HS football don’t need pre-season games to get ready for the regular season, NFL starters can get ready for the games that matter in practice too.

I would never risk a big portion of cap space in a meaningless game. I know that’s not a popular opinion with fans, but it makes the most sense the way the game is structured these days.

That is why the starters never play for more than at most a couple of series to warm up. The teams only risk their "big name vets" if they want to. I think you are building a strawman here. Teams don't play their starters and major rotation players much if at all. The NFL uses PS for roster evaluation not getting ready for the season.

For player evaluation and given the CBA, preseason games are the best way to evaluate your roster.

It is the only way you can honestly evaluate your players against competition particularly on defense as you cannot even tackle in NFL practices anymore. Offensive players particularly skill position players are unable to demonstrate their ability to elude or maintain balance through said contact.

For example, we have no idea if Deuce Vaughn is worthy of a roster spot. We have no idea how any defender can tackle.

 

[DandyDon52]

Donovan Wilson wasn't a lock to make the team based on 2019 training camp. He made the team in preseason. And he's one of many players. This is really a ridiculous stance.

add turpin,and others who shined in PS that led to them getting chances to start.

I still think starters, some of them if not all should play at least 1 quarter for 2 ps games.
Tell them to play carefully, like someone else said they can not play ps, and get hurt game 1,2,3 etc.
That is usually bad luck or stupidity.

Now parsons I would not play as he is kinda dumb and would go all out, more likely to get hurt,or hurt someone on other team.
practice doesent have game speed or pressure.

Todays teams have turned the first 4 games into PS games that count.

 

[Diehardblues]

Not true. It's for evaluation purposes. They make money because they're crooked and so charge regular season prices.

And no, you cannot see someone's attitude, temperament, and performance better in camp. Game time is where that comes out.

But in practice they go up against the starters.

I understand there is some evaluation in exhibition games but going up against other bench , practice squad or non NFL players doesn’t tell you as much as in practice .

 

[Diehardblues]

It’s obvious many fans here haven’t been to a Training Camp. That’s where potential players go up against legit NFL players.

 

[Diehardblues]

add turpin,and others who shined in PS that led to them getting chances to start.

I still think starters, some of them if not all should play at least 1 quarter for 2 ps games.
Tell them to play carefully, like someone else said they can not play ps, and get hurt game 1,2,3 etc.
That is usually bad luck or stupidity.

Now parsons I would not play as he is kinda dumb and would go all out, more likely to get hurt,or hurt someone on other team.
practice doesent have game speed or pressure.

Todays teams have turned the first 4 games into PS games that count.

Well , when you play 17 games and only potentially need 8 or 9 wins to make playoffs with 7 slots it does take some sense of urgency away from regular season .

When preseason games were first started there was only 12 regular season games . We had 6 exhibition games . And the starters played at least a series or two in practically every one of them . Some much more.

But now in Cap era when injuries can decimate a team with such weak depth on the benches and so many regular season games it has changed the outlook and lessened the importance of preseason games .

 

[Diehardblues]

The premise of this thread is to compare high school and college to the NFL?

Virtually anybody makes a high school team. And if you dont, well theres always golf.

Players choose what college team they want to go to.

Neither of them have the option of going out and picking up players.

In the NFL, you can. Its a job. Pre season games are a way to get yourself on tape. Build a resume. Show what you can do in game situations.

Yes, it helps the current team evaluate a player. But it also helps players get evaluated by other teams.

Wow. Huge fact check here.

NCAA players are recruited . Most Div 1 teams are allowed 85 full scholarships . Div 2 about half . Div 3 doesn’t allow but do have academic scholarships which help support athlete's. My family supports one.

And I’m not sure what level of High School you attended , sounds like Class 1A or 2A in a rural area but here in Texas with larger schools in most districts up to 6A it is serious football. Not everyone makes the team. Again such ridiculous , incorrect and ignorant statements .

 

[Diehardblues]

No they're not. Preseason games are for player evaluation.

I stand corrected . There is some player evaluation. But it’s not what it once was when NFL starters actually played.

And you’re right, the owners gauge fans with ticket prices . It’s a total ripoff for season ticket holders.

In order to fully evaluate talent you must see them go up against NFL caliber starters . And unfortunately now this can only be done in practices and scrimmages .

I’d suggest that now these exhibitions actually provide talent to emerge beyond their impressions in Camp and potentially for other teams to view them once waived.

 

[Whirlwin]

Not true. It's for evaluation purposes. They make money because they're crooked and so charge regular season prices.

And no, you cannot see someone's attitude, temperament, and performance better in camp. Game time is where that comes out.

I actually have the word evaluation in the second sentence. How did you miss it?

 

[Whirlwin]

Not true. It's for evaluation purposes. They make money because they're crooked and so charge regular season prices.

And no, you cannot see someone's attitude, temperament, and performance better in camp. Game time is where that comes out.

Also, disagree, game time is self control.

 

[Whirlwin]

Not true. It's for evaluation purposes. They make money because they're crooked and so charge regular season prices.

And no, you cannot see someone's attitude, temperament, and performance better in camp. Game time is where that comes out.

They don’t charge regular season prices. At least not in New England. Preseason games of $55.

 

[stilltheguru]

Preseason is for young players/fringe players to show what they can do on an NFL field with lights on and to see who can emerge and shine. That's meaningless?

 

[Diehardblues]

They don’t charge regular season prices. At least not in New England. Preseason games of $55.

But for season tickets holders they are an equal part of the package with all games the same price including preseason. Total rip-off!!

 

[Established1971]

Still bitter after 51years about Staubach getting hurt in 72 preseason, He finished 2nd in MVP in 1971 despite not being a starter until week 7 (?) or so. 2nd half 71 Boys were a juggernaut and I feel the 72 Dolphins would not have been undefeated if Staubach played a full 1972. Oh well, Ill get over it someday, or not. 6 preseason and 14 regular season games then, plus Dallas played the college all star game so 7 and 14 really. That was just crazy. What was the thinking at the time?

 

[Ranching]

They have non district games in high school which are in a sense preseason games because they do not have any impact on playoff seeding. It’s not called preseason but it’s very similar to what we call preseason in the NFL. Most high schools also have a controlled scrimmage the week before non district play begins. @Ranching can verify what I’m saying.

You are correct....

I feel that NFL preseason games are very important. You have about 50 players that will get cut, lose their dream and the big money. All of a sudden you go from a hero to a zero. Some never recover. These games give them an opportunity to show what they can do. It's not that hard to understand....I don't get why some don't get.it.

 

[Aven8]

PS games are for rookies and the youngsters to shine. I like watching PS because, even in this media driven world, we really don’t see any of these players outside of a tweet or two.

 

[stilltheguru]

You are correct....

I feel that NFL preseason games are very important. You have about 50 players that will get cut, lose their dream and the big money. All of a sudden you go from a hero to a zero. Some never recover. These games give them an opportunity to show what they can do. It's not that hard to understand....I don't get why some don't get.it.

yea it's kind of.........strange

 

[SteveTheCowboy]

I’ve always found it interesting that neither college nor high school football requires pre-season games to prepare for their regular season start. In fact, on college and HS campuses right now all across our country, teams are preparing for their first regular season game the old fashioned way- in regular practices. Some HS’s will have one controlled scrimmage. But College football starts in 3 weeks without a single ps game.

Let me make clear, I don’t have a problem with our fans who love PS games. I get it- it’s football and we’ve all waited a half a year to see some kind of pigskin play. if you enjoy PS games, keep enjoying them because the owners fight tooth and nail to keep them for cash purposes. They aren’t going anywhere.

But I have evolved to the point where I would never play a single starter even one down in a meaningless pre-season game. Here are my reasons:

• Practices, not PS games are where teams really prepare for the games that matter.New offensive and defensive wrinkles and systems are not perfected in a PS game. It’s in practice.
  • PS games have no game planning, the absolute most vanilla of offensive plays and defensive alignments are called. Nothing big from the playbook is rolled out in PS games.
  • Opponents in PS games also usually only use their most vanilla play calls and don’t care who wins.
• PS games should be used to decide roster spots.
• PS games can showcase the potential of rookies or backups and how they handle competitive situations.
• PS games can decide kicker, punter, backup QB and many other (mostly backup) positions.
• Practice is where teams prepare for the real regular season games each week. That’s where the coaches game plan, learn about players strengths and weaknesses, etc.
• In today’s NFL with the veterans who are on big contracts in the cap era, it makes zero sense to risk a huge portion of your cap space in a meaningless pre-season game.

As I said at the beginning- IMO if college and HS football don’t need pre-season games to get ready for the regular season, NFL starters can get ready for the games that matter in practice too.

I would never risk a big portion of cap space in a meaningless game. I know that’s not a popular opinion with fans, but it makes the most sense the way the game is structured these days.

So the real question is...what prepares a player to be ready for a long NFL season? Granted, these are world class athletes....and always in "good" shape. But certainly things are different during "real" games, right?

So we just substitue the first 2-3 games of the regular season as the warm up?


I'm curious...if we have had more...or less injuries since this trend started. And the scale of the injury. Seems to me...just thinking out loud....a player might be MORE at risk....going right in full time instead of some limited duty in the pre season.