After the game tonight --- are pre-season games really necessary?

[Kirby Jackson]

They never were necessary. They are/were a cash grab. There are no preseason games in college football. In fact a few elite programs play what amounts to an elimination game week 1. 
 

The top NFL players barely play as it is. Preseason only benefits the back of the roster. If you want a compromise play 1 preseason game and 18 regular season games. 

[bobobonators]

In a perfect world for me:

 

1. Remove all restrictions off practice/OTA’s. Allow the coaches to have as long of practices as they want. NFL has all these practice rules in place to “protect” the players but then insists on having 4 meaningless games that dont protect the players. 

2. Eliminate preseason

 

Keep the 16 game/17 week season intact - everyone wins except team owners. Fans and players win. 

[dubs]

9 hours ago, PUNT750 said:

Keep the Practice Squads as they are in 2020.  Great flexibility for all teams. 

Teams will have 2 scrimmage games against NFL opponents.

Play an 18 game schedule with NO Bye's.

Quite charging season ticket holders for nonsense Pre-Season Games.

it’s really simple, IMO. 
 

if season ticket holders are forced to pay for any preseason games, then preseason should just be substituted for regular season. 
 

would you rather pay for a meaningless game that coaches don’t prepare for in the same way, players don’t play the whole game, if someone gets hurt it was in a game with no meaning, and is often filled with guys who won’t even make the team

 

OR

 

a sloppier early season real game

 

 

[Rochesterfan]

25 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

They never were necessary. They are/were a cash grab. There are no preseason games in college football. In fact a few elite programs play what amounts to an elimination game week 1. 
 

The top NFL players barely play as it is. Preseason only benefits the back of the roster. If you want a compromise play 1 preseason game and 18 regular season games. 

 

I agree with this 100%.  Probably not needed and has always been a money grab.
 

The only positive to having a preseason is that prevents teams from doing what they did this training camp and trying to hide everything and keep the media from talking.  It was obvious that the Texas were totally unprepared for CEH.  I would imagine even 1 preseason game using the starters and it would have made the NFL and the Texans a bit more prepared.
 

This training camp was terrible for information and if they get rid of preseason and handle more things in the future in Orchard Park - I can see that becoming the norm.

 

 

[NoSaint]

10 hours ago, PUNT750 said:

Keep the Practice Squads as they are in 2020.  Great flexibility for all teams. 

Teams will have 2 scrimmage games against NFL opponents.

Play an 18 game schedule with NO Bye's.

Quite charging season ticket holders for nonsense Pre-Season Games.

as long as you are ready for season ticket costs to go up by 2 tickets amount, roughly.

[djp14150]

They need 2 weeks of games to look st thrir toster drpth.

 

top 35 players and 5 draft picks are already on thst 53 msm  before camp even starts.

 

the preasradin games are to look at depth.

 

you can see things in real games you won’t see in practice.  Some example are with hard hitters who let up in practice not trying to hurt players or players who either are more aggressive in playing or choke up in games like eith WR or CB doing things they wouldn’t do in games or not doing things they wouldn’t do.

 

 

[Lurker]

They were...forty years ago.   

 

The Bills used to hold camp at Niagara University when I went there in the early 1980s.   They actually spent much of that time getting in shape, which seems quaint today when players work out 24/7.   But back then, many guys actually didn't do that and some even held off-season jobs.

 

The evolution of how players maintain their conditioning, nutrition etc. reduces that need.   However, as others have said, the owners never miss a trick to monetize their asset and preseason games are free money for them...  

[MJS]

Preseason does help teams get ready, but I think the primary purpose is for evaluating your roster. I think a lot of players didn't get a chance to show what they can do and got cut because of it.

 

So I would want at least a couple of preseason games just so you give those undrafted guys or journeymen guys the opportunity to perform and earn a roster spot.

[Alphadawg7]

10 hours ago, PUNT750 said:

Keep the Practice Squads as they are in 2020.  Great flexibility for all teams. 

Teams will have 2 scrimmage games against NFL opponents.

Play an 18 game schedule with NO Bye's.

Quite charging season ticket holders for nonsense Pre-Season Games.

Why don’t you ask all the young players who were cut because they didn’t have a real opportunity to show what they can do with no preseason and barely any camp contact.

 

The preseason is a lot more about finding your depth players, developing them.  It’s not all about getting Patrick Mahomes ready.  While highly drafted rookies are almost always safe, it’s the mid round and lower guys down to UDFA that it becomes a bigger uphill battle if they don’t get the opportunity to play in live game situations to make the coaches give more consideration to keeping them over another player.

 

Then there are other new players from highly touted rookies to free agent or trade acquisitions.  Some positions need a lot more reps to blend in and find cohesive timing.  A RB for example is a pretty easy plug and play spot.  But a WR and a QB need as many reps as possible to develop timing.  OL players have to be able to gel with the lineman around them is another example.
 

Finally, new coaching staff needs the reps and time to help install an entirely new system and playbooks.

 

So sorry, looking at the best team in football and reigning champs last night with their core roster still intact is NOT an universal application to every other team on whether they needed preseason games.  
 

I think we should cut down to 3 or 2 preseason games.  4 is not necessary, but they need at least two, if not 3.  

Edited September 11, 2020 by Alphadawg7

[Don Otreply]

According to our HC and our other coaches, preseason games are very important, so there you have it.  Those that rail against preseason games are talking out their arses. 😁 don’t take being wrong personally peace out  ✌️ 😁

 

Go Bills!!!

[loveorhatembillsfan4life]

9 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I agree.  Texans looked slow and not ready to go,  

I agree a bit of sloppiness but I kind of think this is the Texans team.

 

I bet they become an average offense without Hopkins which I think was a huge mistake letting him go. Watson will keep them in games alone but beyond Fuller who drops a bunch of balls I don’t see anyone who is a game breaker.  David Johnson looks like he can be solid. I think there will be much pressure on their d to keep them in games. 
 

We did it right by adding a playmaker to our wr core not subtracting playmakers.

 

Obrien is going to be the fall of them again and they will probably reward him with some new title. I see a borderline playoff team in my opinion.

 

 

 

[mykidsdad]

From a purely selfish standpoint, I missed the pre-season. With nothing to watch until kick off it made the off season unbearably long. I'm one of those people that likes watching practice, so anything on tv, even fake games, is better than no games.

[Mrbojanglezs]

preseason games are good for low draft picks and undrafted free agents to try to make a team I think two games is enough

[Lurker]

46 minutes ago, MJS said:

Preseason does help teams get ready, but I think the primary purpose is for evaluating your roster. I think a lot of players didn't get a chance to show what they can do and got cut because of it.

 

I used to agree with that.   But on the other hand, how many bottom half roster guys have been "All SJF" or "All Fredonia" or "All TSW" who actually amounted to a hill of beans?   

 

The preseason gives as many false positives as it does negatives, IMO.     If a player can play, for the most part it will become obvious in practice with maybe 1-2 roster-quality guys per year not getting enough reps to make their case.

 

I'm trying to think of fringe players who were ultimately kept and developed who's choice was based on preseason game performance.    Drawing a blank at the moment...

[Malazan]

 

3 minutes ago, Lurker said:

The preseason gives as many false positives as it does negatives, IMO.     If a player can play, for the most part it will become obvious in practice with maybe 1-2 roster-quality guys per year not getting enough reps to make their case.

 

I'm not sure the fans getting all hot and bothered about some UDFA because of pre-season matters. 

 

I'm gonna go with the guys who make the evaluations and they say pre-season games help them so I'll go with some pre-season games should remain. 

[Marv Levy]

My opinion, Keep 2 preseason games & 1 scrimmage. That's plenty to figure out your roster. Stay at a 16 game season. Keep 1 bye per team. Increase the practice squad to the limit they have for this season and beyond.

 

Lastly, NBC: please dump "I know everything mr. motormouth" Chris Collinsworth!!

 

GO BILLS!!

[Nextmanup]

2 minutes ago, Marv Levy said:

My opinion, Keep 2 preseason games & 1 scrimmage. That's plenty to figure out your roster. Stay at a 16 game season. Keep 1 bye per team. Increase the practice squad to the limit they have for this season and beyond.

 

Lastly, NBC: please dump "I know everything mr. motormouth" Chris Collinsworth!!

 

GO BILLS!!

I would reduce it to 1.  1 fake game run-through to finalize your roster with live competition against a different team, and that's that.

 

Deal with it.  It would be the same for everyone.  Better coaching staffs might be able to capitalize off the single game more than lesser staffs, but that's how it should be anyway.

 

It's ENTIRELY about money.  The league needs to find a way to get rid of the pre-season while getting the revenue back in other ways, and they are working on that.

 

Eliminate pre-season, add 1-2 games to the real season, and then bring in extra teams into the playoff picture.

 

Bingo--lost money returned.

 

 

[bobobonators]

1 hour ago, Don Otreply said:

According to our HC and our other coaches, preseason games are very important, so there you have it.  Those that rail against preseason games are talking out their arses. 😁 don’t take being wrong personally peace out  ✌️ 😁

 

Go Bills!!!

as a coach it would be completely understandable for them to say that - youre never prepared enough. If it was up to a coach they would have 6 preseason games to get ready. 
 

Let coaches run real, legit practices and OTA’s without the barrage of rules that are currently in place. More scrimmages to prepare that arent watered down. Longer practice sessions. Eliminate preseason. 
 

The only difference between a legitimate scrimmage and a preseason game is that the latter has butts in the stadium which equates to $$$ for the league, owners, networks and has nothing to do with evaluation. 

[ColoradoBills]

I'm with the 2 preseason games group.

A home and road dress rehearsal is probably good for the rookies/UDFAs who will make the team and gives a game environment for

final decisions of the bubble guys.  I would also bet that a lot of vets use them to knock some rust off both physically and mentally.

 

Also a great way for young kids to get a chance for the gameday experience.  A preseason game was my first back at the old rockpile.

One home game seems like a good compromise.  Jeez, us oldtimers remember 6!

 

2 games would be enough to get me ready for the season!

[theRalph]

There are two reasons for preseason games, of course: 1. Warm up for 1s and 2s. 2. Evaluation of talent. Two PS games may be the answer but maybe not.

 

We've always wanted to see players protected from injury in meaningless games and that's been the rallying cry for doing away with the preseason. From an entertainment standpoint though, I found it intriguing to watch two teams that hadn't played a game for 8 months and hadn't seen any film from this season.

 

Furthermore, since we always see teams evolve throughout the season, why not see the evolution that occurs in each game situation from the start in REAL games, without teams having the benefit of throwaway games.

 

The only thing I miss about preseason this year is that feeling that always starts around July 25. Then the build-up to the opener. So different this season. It seems strange that regular season games are already here.