Do established starters need the preseason?

[zulater]

At this point does anyone really want to see Ben play 3 quarters in the so called dress rehearsal game? (normally considered the 3rd preseason game, but with the HOF game thrown it it's the 4th preseason game this year for the Steelers and Vikings) Cam Heyward, Heath Miller,Antonio Brown, LeVeon Bell same question? Throw in the starting o-line and d-line while you're at it.

I don't know? :noidea: But a couple years ago I would say these questions are reactionary and silly. But now I just don't see where established vets are doing anything other than trying to duck injuries out there. By and large they don't want to be there imo. Nothing to little to be gained a season potentially to be lost. Risk - reward ratio way out of balance here.

Now for your guys like Cortez Allen, Sharmarko Thomas, Jarvis Jones, Mike Adams etc...I see where you could argue the need this sort of measuring stick. And if you don't play your better guys the other teams will soon follow suite and then the guys you're trying to find out something about wont have a genuine NFL player opposite them to gauge themselves against. Or so would be one of the arguments.

Anyway I like the idea of inter team scrimmages better than pre season games. Bottom line the risk - reward just doesn't add up anymore if you ask me.

[zulater]

http://pit.247sports.com/Bolt/Former-Cowboys-QB-Troy-Aikman-not-a-fan-of-NFL-preseason-38922551


Former Cowboys QB Troy Aikman not a fan of NFL preseason

[86WARD]

I think they need it to an extent. I do think that 2 preseason games for the veterans would be plenty...Games 2-3. Games 1,4 are pointless for veterans. So if the starters played 1 quarter in game 2 and a half in game 3, I think at this point that would be enough. Just my opinion...

[steelreserve]

I've heard plenty of them say it helps to at least get SOME real live game action in before the actual season starts. Do they need to play significantly in all 4 games? No, and the important players don't. I think they've got it about right - the first game is for the real broad-stroke assessments, the last game is for deciding the real battles at the end of the roster, the ones in between are for tuneups and for us to argue over how bad Landry Jones sucks.

Yes, guys get injured in preseason games. Probably three times as many get injured in preseason drills on the practice field. It's just random shitty luck that happens when you're playing a sport like this.

[Craic]

I've heard plenty of them say it helps to at least get SOME real live game action in before the actual season starts. Do they need to play significantly in all 4 games? No, and the important players don't. I think they've got it about right - the first game is for the real broad-stroke assessments, the last game is for deciding the real battles at the end of the roster, the ones in between are for tuneups and for us to argue over how bad Landry Jones sucks.

Yes, guys get injured in preseason games. Probably three times as many get injured in preseason drills on the practice field. It's just random shitty luck that happens when you're playing a sport like this.

This.

Although, I'd be all for cutting out a preseason game and instead, adding a seventeenth regular season game. Of course, that's because I'm all for moving back to a balanced schedule where each team plays one AFC division, one NFC division, and then against their own division three times, two of which at the very end of the season.

[TeeTee]

No.

[Godfather]

Yes. Preseason games are risky, but so is going straight into live action without any kind of warmup. Better to ease them into it by having them play partial games in the preseason and working up to a full game in Week 1.

[clemdawg]

I wrote a blog saying there should be a NFL spring league. They could use the practice team players and draft pics to get them ready for the regular season. Just a thought.

Sent from my SPH-L710T using Tapatalk

[B&GFever]

the people who complain about players being hurt in the preseason most times are the same people who complain when players are not ready to play / are not sharp thus missing tackles , poor coverage or a dropped pass and even lack of timing between QB and receiver ...

it is football , people get hurt the more out of shape the more likely the injury ( often times not always ) .

they have been using the same basic system for years , if they had something better they would have started using it by now

there is just no good way around injuries that is not already being done . ( with exception to the new helmet technology )

[zulater]

the people who complain about players being hurt in the preseason most times are the same people who complain when players are not ready to play / are not sharp thus missing tackles , poor coverage or a dropped pass and even lack of timing between QB and receiver ...

it is football , people get hurt the more out of shape the more likely the injury ( often times not always ) .

they have been using the same basic system for years , if they had something better they would have started using it by now

there is just no good way around injuries that is not already being done . ( with exception to the new helmet technology )


I would rather they go back to more padded practices and two a days. I think those did more to get players up to playing standards than going through the motions in pretend games. Established veterans play these games to get them over with. And most players will tell you that you're most vulnerable when you're not all out.

Colleges go right to the season. The only reason pre season games exist is because it's 4 additional gates for NFL owners. And the players wont agree to a longer regular season.

[B&GFever]

I would rather they go back to more padded practices and two a days. I think those did more to get players up to playing standards than going through the motions in pretend games. Established veterans play these games to get them over with. And most players will tell you that you're most vulnerable when you're not all out.

Colleges go right to the season. The only reason pre season games exist is because it's 4 additional gates for NFL owners. And the players wont agree to a longer regular season.

I respectfully disagree , player contracts have no verbiage in them as to season length they sign per season , season length determined by league ownership I do believe

[86WARD]

I would rather they go back to more padded practices and two a days. I think those did more to get players up to playing standards than going through the motions in pretend games. Established veterans play these games to get them over with. And most players will tell you that you're most vulnerable when you're not all out.

Colleges go right to the season. The only reason pre season games exist is because it's 4 additional gates for NFL owners. And the players wont agree to a longer regular season.

I agree...with most of this.

[86WARD]

I respectfully disagree , player contracts have no verbiage in them as to season length they sign per season , season length determined by league ownership I do believe

The CBA does address number of games and it also states that if there is a decision that the season be expanded, then compensation would have to be made.

[B&GFever]

this tweet kind of says a lot in terms to how valuable pre season is
https://twitter.com/VinnyVidiVici98/status/637772860753375234

[hawaiiansteeler]

the starters on our defense and special teams apparently do...

[stillers4me]

And the hits keep on coming across the league...

637807382492413952

[zulater]

the starters on our defense and special teams apparently do...

So what do you say if they all come out and play fine week one? And again I'm applying this only to established vets.

[hawaiiansteeler]

So what do you say if they all come out and play fine week one? And again I'm applying this only to established vets.

I would say that I will be surprised...

[Steeldude]

this tweet kind of says a lot in terms to how valuable pre season is
https://twitter.com/VinnyVidiVici98/status/637772860753375234

This

[zulater]

I would say that I will be surprised...

I would say how they play in the opener and beyond wont be influenced by how they played in the preseason save injuries incurred.

[hawaiiansteeler]

I would say how they play in the opener and beyond wont be influenced by how they played in the preseason save injuries incurred.

perhaps not so much individually but maybe more so collectively as a unit, especially on the defensive side of the ball where we are introducing a new system...

[zulater]

perhaps not so much individually but maybe more so collectively as a unit, especially on the defensive side of the ball where we are introducing a new system...

They aren't playing any system on defense that I can detect at the moment. :lol:

[hawaiiansteeler]

They aren't playing any system on defense that I can detect at the moment. :lol:

this defense looks more confused than Antonio Cromartie on Father's Day...

[zulater]

this defense looks more confused than Antonio Cromartie on Father's Day...

Good one! :chuckle:

[tube517]

this defense looks more confused than Antonio Cromartie on Father's Day...

Wow, he's got Sean Kemp beat by a mile!!!! :lol:

[Count Steeler]

They aren't playing any system on defense that I can detect at the moment. :lol:

They are doing a good job of not putting anything worthwhile on tape.

[86WARD]

this defense looks more confused than Antonio Cromartie on Father's Day...

ZING!!!