The answer to why most Teams hold out their starters during pre-season.
keets
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The answer to why most Teams hold out their starters during pre-season: J.K. Dobbins.
Most Teams play their starters on a limited basis during the pre-season, mainly because they already know what to expect from them and to avoid injury. God ol' John Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens couldn't go that route, though, not with the pre-season win record on the line. So Harbaugh chose to play Dobbins and he might have suffered a season ending injury in a meaningless game. Oh yeah, wait a minute, the Ravens needed the win to set the pre-season record and they did.
The only hitch: with the jack-wad Harbaugh coaching and QB Jackson throwing the Ravens seem to stumble in the playoffs. So they need all the help they can get and J.K. Dobbins can supply that, a solid RB for the defenses to focus on and take the heat off the QB. Looks like another interesting season for Ravens fans who should just about be done with Harbaugh. After another dissappointing season at U of M this brother duo may end up on the unemployment roster together.
Al H.
Comments
Congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens for accomplishing absolutely nothing.
I cringe every preseason play for every player on every team.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Other than for selling tickets (money?) I don't see any reason that the NFL has a preseason. The practice sessions at the Rams training camp are more enjoyable, entertaining, and instructive than either of their two preseason games (if you can even call them that) this year. The pregame warm ups were better than the games(?).........seriously.
tonight I'll be watching the Browns. although I'm anxious to see the first Teamers play a few series' together I'll be glad when it's over.
Hydrant I think your point about the money is spot on. And to take that point further I believe it applies to all of the major sports leagues. Only in professional sports do they have these preseason games. You don't see them at the college or any other lower levels. They should eliminate these. As the poster points out it just risks getting a key player injured and possibly putting a team behind the 8 ball before the season even starts.
I think they are still important for rookie QB's and guys battling for roster spots. Practices and scrimmages can't replicate in stadium game situations and the bright lights . Lots of details. The refs need the reps as well. No doubt Pre season is far from perfect. I'm glad there is only 3 now.
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
I think the teams could find out 90% of the above with 2 preseason games.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
I would be down with that
Guys have season ending injuries in practice. Game speed can't be replicated either in practice. Refs need the game speed practice as well.
m
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
About the only thing that drives me nuts when Tom Brady is on my favorite team is that he will never sit down. When the game is salted away, he’s still out there risking getting hurt and not allowing the back-up to get any reps. It’s like he’s afraid he’ll lose his job if the back-up sees the light of day. That’s why I don’t want to much of him in the pre-season.
Someone did tell me last week that the preseason games are important to get the referees into shape and ready for the season. Good point.
I agree with Mark. I dont think established starters need preseason, and in fact, years ago starting players did play a lot more preseason football than they do now, but rookies and guys on the bubble do need the game experience and reps for coaches to make final cuts. We used to see 4-5 preseason games, so 3 games are about right imo. Injuries can happen at any time, too.
Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
In nearly every offseason, there's a laundry list of new things the officials have to adjust to - new rules, new emphases, and so on. Better they butcher that stuff in a preseason game than the regular season.
I really hate the preseason.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
the pre-season is a very, very necessary evil. so much takes place in an actual game that can't be replicated in practice and as others have noted the Ref's, etc. also need the live action. Teams always have a choice, they can play/not play anyone they choose so the injury fear is sort of a "I call BS" issue. that's sort of the point of the OP, that Dobbins didn't need to be in there and that the Ravens needed to be unconcerned about some stupid pre-season record.
it's sort of reminiscent of the "Bull Durham" scene when Crash hits number 247: "Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
and waste its sweetness on the desert air." last night the Browns started a few "starters" but the rest sat, not seeing action during the pre-season. other Teams have chosen to play starters in each game. that's their choice and I suppose they have a logical reason for it.
I will say this, 17 games will soon be 18 and that is too many. the NFL should be playing less games, not more. the game isn't designed to be a marathon like every other Sport, it is too violent and already nearly impossible for a player to make it to the end without a significant injury. I would propose the following: one pre-season game at the beginning of training camp, maybe two weeks in, another the weekend prior to opening day and just before final cuts. follow that with a 16 game regular season. this would give time to assess new players at full speed and all other aspects also have some real time. if a Team Coached by someone like, say, John Harbaugh, wants to be stupid and risk the key players, they can. this format lessens that risk.
there's another player that didn't need to be on the field during pre-season, Joe Burrow. they stick him out there for three plays, one was a pass. nothing he did couldn't have been done in practice and no reasonable Coach should have put him out there.
I actually fear for this young man's physical health. the Bengals will ruin him if they're given the chance.