The important of Preseason games

[LikeUntoGod]

For years now we have been debating the need or/and importance of Preseason games.

Some see them as a waste of time and money and a meaningless game where a important player can be hurt.

I see them as the best way to make sure that the first "real" games are not sloppy. They are the best way to mesh rookies and new free agents and even new coaches into the team. This goes double when you have all new coaches and a new offense and defense. And lastly something that since the death of NFL Europe has gotten more important. And that is having a idea of what those fringe players can do. The undrafted free agents and 6th-7th round draft picks.

I looked into this last year and I found that the owners and coaches want to go from 53 to at least 55 and to enlarge the practice squad. Oddly enough the people in the way are the Players Union. They feel like the fewer players on a team the more money each one will make. And when a GM is trying to decide on releasing a older player for a untested young player who has promise he will tend to go with the older player. And the older player will make more money. Even to get to the practice squad a player has to clear waviers which means a young player can be picked up by someone else.

I think most Dolphin fans would agree that we really need every preseason game we can get this year. With rookies and new free agents everywhere learning a new offense and defense not having these four games could cost us 2-3 games during the start of the season.
 
Now granted last year's preseason was wasted by Cam Cameron. He only played two rookies, he did not play a number of veterans and we looked and played like crap. Look how he did not use Beck at all until mid season.

This year's use of preseason is just one of the 352 reasons that our new GM/Coaches are better. Henne is getting ready to start if called open playing most of the minutes.  Look at our OL where we are starting 2 rookies, a 2nd year player and a free agent and how they have improved from the first game. Look at our defensive players who have to adjust to a 3-4 with a couple of important new rookies and a number of free agents moving into starting roles.

I hope that most Dolphin fans can agree that this preseason is needed and is important.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

^^^
QFT

[fyo]

I think the whole "preseason sucks" argument is bogus. If preseason really had no value, teams would simply not play ANY of their starters... AT ALL. With an 80-man strong roster for the first 3 games, it would be easy to just not field the starters. The fact that teams DO play their best players is a pretty conclusive argument that they really believe the benefits outweigh the injury risks.

[MaineDolFan]

We're .500 during pre season.  Not sure that will happen during the regular season, of course it's important!

[Jim Gray]

I don't have a problem with preseason games.....I have a problem with 4 preseason games.   Do we really need 4?  If the answer is "yes", then why do teams hold out the starters in the 4th game.  I agree the Dolphins need 4 games this season, maybe more; but that's not usually the case. 

It seems to me that a preseason that represents 25% of the regular season is too much.  Can we cut it back to 3 games?  I wouldn't mind it being 2 games.  After the first couple of practice games, I'm ready for some football that counts.

[Brian Fein]

I think the reason they hold out the "Starters" is because they're trying to evaluate roster depth rather than winning the game.  If there were only three games, they'd hold the starters out of the third game.  Its because they have to make some decisions on some guys to cut to 53-man roster and they want to have the maximum time to evaluate the players on the bubble.

Believe it or not, preseason football isn't for the fans.

[Jim Gray]

Believe it or not, preseason football isn't for the fans.

Oh, I believe it.

[Dave Gray]

I think the reason they hold out the "Starters" is because they're trying to evaluate roster depth rather than winning the game.  If there were only three games, they'd hold the starters out of the third game. 

I don't think this is true, save for maybe 1 or 2 special teams players on the cusp.

I think that you keep the starters out, so that they're fresh for next week.  I think that 1 scrimmage, 2 pre-season games, and 1 off-week would be fine.

[Brian Fein]

fine - for you.

I bet if you ask the coaches, they would hate your little plan.  They do a lot more in preseason than decide who to cut. 

[Jim Gray]

I just don't believe the coaches need 4 games for this.

Aren't they just deciding on who will be 50 - 53 on the roster?  I'm not saying these positions aren't important; but couldn't this be decided through camps, scrimmages with other teams and a couple of preseason games?

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I think the reason they hold out the "Starters" is because they're trying to evaluate roster depth rather than winning the game.  If there were only three games, they'd hold the starters out of the third game.  Its because they have to make some decisions on some guys to cut to 53-man roster and they want to have the maximum time to evaluate the players on the bubble.

Believe it or not, preseason football isn't for the fans.

I can believe that as well.... considering they charge the same price for tickets as the regular season. 

[Dave Gray]

It really doesn't matter what the coaches want, anyway.  As long as all teams have the same amount of games, it doesn't matter if it's 10 or zero.

1/5 of the games played in a season don't count.  That sucks.

[Dphins4me]

  Pre-season games are hang overs from yesteryear when players had off season jobs, because they did not get paid that much & the NFL was a 7 month or so job.  Players needed this time to get into shape.

Today the NFL is a year round job.   Player stay in shape year round for the most part.

 Colleges do not need pre-season games, so why would the guys that do it for a living need it?

[Brian Fein]

1/5 of the games played in a season don't count.  That sucks.

Maybe that's your problem, I don't consider preseason part of the season.  They're televised practices.  They're part of training camp.

[fyo]

Maybe that's your problem, I don't consider preseason part of the season.  They're televised practices.  They're part of training camp.

Exactly.

It's not like getting RID of preseason games gives us MORE games that count. The percentage may be higher, if you subscribe to Dave's math, but the number of real games will be exactly the same (so who gives a crap what the percentage is?).