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Preseason Football


FishFreak
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Every year we check out the preseason to see what's going on but preseason football doesn't really reveal much. Sometimes teams go undefeated in preseason and stink during the regular season. Sometimes they are winless in preseason and go on to haev a good season. With vanilla offenses and defenses with 1st, 2nd and 3rd stringers playing you can't really conclude anything. Don't get me wrong, every now and then you see how stud rookie RB's perform (like Peterson this year), but overall nothing really happens. In fact, I mostly pay attention to preseason to monitor injuries. Do you guys feel the same or am I missing something? I really wish there were just 2 preseason games and boom right to the regular season.

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It means that real football is right around the corner. I think the preseaon is good for watching those sleeper guys that could make an impact for fantasy teams. Like watching the Packer's WR situation with Jennings and J Jones. And other possible scenerios shake out. But I do hate the pointless injuries to big time players that occur from time to time.

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I think the preseaon is good for watching those sleeper guys that could make an impact for fantasy teams.

That's about it.

 

No matter how good or bad your team is in pre-season, it doesn't matter; though it IS better to be good than bad, the good can be an illusion. Green Bay looked great this week, but a good chunk of that was that Seattle held out 3 of their best offensive players, and more importantly, Mike McCarthy actually semi-game-planned for the Hawks, which doesn't often happen.

 

As for individual players - someone once said it doesn't matter if, say, Peyton Manning goes 0-58 with 30 ints in pre-season, he's still going to be the Colts starting QB and he'll be fine. But a Brady Quinn (or any 1st year starter/young player) having that performance would certainly raise some red flags.

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As for individual players - someone once said it doesn't matter if, say, Peyton Manning goes 0-58 with 30 ints in pre-season, he's still going to be the Colts starting QB and he'll be fine. But a Brady Quinn (or any 1st year starter/young player) having that performance would certainly raise some red flags.

 

That's pretty much the way I view the preaseason. I don't worry a whole lot about proven players in proven situations. Like Irish, I'm looking at the rookies, sleepers, and players (proven or otherwise) that are in new situations. In that respect, I find the preseason to be a very valuable tool. More often than not, the vibes that you pick up during the preseason usually carry over into the regular season. Like any rule of thumb, there will be exceptions, but for the most part, it's served me well.

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"Anyone that says preseason doesn't matter knows nothing about football."

Bill Parcells

 

This article is a couple years old but is interesting.... you might want to reconsider your position on whether or not the preseason has any bearing on the regular season...

 

Preseason Games Count !

 

Winning preseason games is important. Just look at the numbers. As a barometer of regular-season success, preseason records are a remarkably accurate gauge.

 

The past 10 Super Bowl champions had a combined 30-12 (.714) preseason record in the year they won the Super Bowl. Nine of those 10 teams posted .500 or better preseason records. Last summer, the eventual Super Bowl teams -- New England and Carolina -- were unbeaten (8-0) in the preseason.

 

In the free agency/salary-cap era, developing veteran cohesiveness and team depth in preseason is more important than ever.

 

"There are certain things you can do in preseason to establish the foundation of your football team," said Houston Texans head coach Dom Capers. "We place great value on the development of our team through the use of preseason games."

 

Preseason records of the past 10 Super Bowl champions:

 

Year Team Preseason record

2003 New England 4-0

2002 Tampa Bay 3-1

2001 New England 3-1

2000 Baltimore 4-0

1999 St. Louis 2-2

1998 Denver 3-1

1997 Denver 3-2

1996 Green Bay 3-1

1995 Dallas 2-3

1994 San Francisco 3-1

TOTAL: 30-12 (.714)

 

 

Preseason success has translated to Super Bowl victories throughout NFL history. Of the 38 Super Bowl champions, 30 (78.9 percent) posted a preseason winning percentage of .500 or higher. Overall, the 38 Super Bowl winners have a combined 115-65-2 (.637) preseason record.

 

Since 1995, the final four playoff teams (AFC and NFC Championship Game participants) have combined for a preseason record of 95-53 (.642).

 

"My approach to the preseason is we try to win every game we play," says new New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, whose Jacksonville team played in two of those championship games. "It's much easier to teach and to learn when you've been in a winning situation."

 

Over the past 10 seasons, 81 of the 120 teams (67.5 percent) that made the playoffs were .500 or better during the preseason. Division winners combined for a 153-119 (.563) preseason record in that span, while all playoff teams posted a 282-224 (.557) preseason record.

 

"Preseason success gives the players and coaches something to build on," says Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells. "It's something positive to think about."

 

NFL head coaches stress the value of the preseason

Herman Edwards, New York Jets: In 1977 as a free agent, Edwards parlayed a start in his first preseason game into a 10-year NFL career. "We want to win every preseason game. If they're keeping score, then it's our jobs as professionals to win the game. I put a lot of value into preseason games. It's an opportunity to prepare for the regular season, work on new plays and evaluate our draft picks and free agents."

 

Dennis Erickson, San Francisco 49ers: "The preseason has three important values for us. First, it allows us to put in the basis of what we are going to do offensively and defensively. Second, it gives our first unit a tuneup for the regular season and allows us to evaluate some of our younger players. Finally, with a new defensive coordinator this year, the preseason will give us a chance to implement our new style of play."

 

Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans: "The preseason is an integral part of preparation for the regular season. It is imperative that players experience all aspects of the game. This includes pregame warmups, competing in games, adjusting to the speed of the game and learning how to win."

John Fox, Carolina Panthers: "Everybody goes into these games trying to win them. It certainly beats the alternative."

 

Jim Mora, Atlanta Falcons: "The preseason is extremely important for a couple of reasons. Obviously, it is important for players who are fighting for positions and for a team with a new coaching staff that is learning a new system. It is important for another reason, too. The preseason gives both coaches and players a feel for the way things will be in the regular season. It is our first chance to go against another opponent and see how they react to our schemes. The most important part is that preseason sets the tempo for the regular season. If you really watch the games and study the way the teams play, you can see that the tempo and the way that a team will conduct itself starts with how the team plays in the preseason."

 

Mike Shanahan, Denver Broncos: "As a coaching staff, preseason games are an important part of our evaluation process. Not only do they give our veteran players a good opportunity to work together in a game situation, but they give us a great chance to take a look at our rookies and younger players, to see how they respond in a game setting. Any time you can see how a guy responds and how he handles himself in that situation, it helps your evaluation that much more. I think the fans get excited about seeing these new players for the first time. You're seeing guys competing and playing their hearts out to try to earn a spot on the roster."

 

Mike Sherman, Green Bay Packers: "Preseason games serve two purposes for me. First, there is no substitute for game experience. Even your most seasoned veteran needs to acclimate himself to the tempo, speed and fatigue a game presents. Secondly, it offers me an opportunity to evaluate our younger players in game situations where it matters the most."

 

Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears: "I believe the preseason is important to our football team for two key reasons. First, playing preseason games is the best way to get ready for opening day. Veterans and rookies both need the preseason schedule to prepare mentally and physically for the speed and intensity of the regular season. We keep the intensity level high in practice, but you can never truly simulate game conditions. Second, these games are critical in the evaluation process of our players, especially the draft picks. We need to see how players raise their level of play in the competitive atmosphere of a game."

 

Dick Vermeil, Kansas City Chiefs: "This is a physical, fundamental, technical game. The more reps you give your players, the more time it gives you to teach them to do it better. The more you get to work with young kids, the more they get to do some real good things."

 

---------------------------

 

Teams that win in August also win in January. Thirty of the thirty-eight Super Bowl champions won half their games or more in the preseason that year. The preseason record for the champions stands at 115-65-2, a good barometer of success. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells once stated, "People who think preseason football is meaningless don't know anything about football." Parcells is right. Only twice in the last ten years has a team won the Super Bowl without having a winning preseason record. The Cowboys won in 1995 after going 2-3 in the preseason and the Rams went 2-2 in 1999 before winning the Super Bowl.

 

Since 1995, the four conference finalists each year have gone a combined 95-53 during the preseason.

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Regular season games are about winning and losing. All that matters is the win.

 

Preseason games are about evaluating talent and preparing for the regular season. It is all about the individual players trying to make the team and giving the "sure to be there" guys enough playing time to get them in shape for the season. I like watching preseason games because all I am watching is to see who is making plays. It is the one time where you are looking at the exact same thing as the coaching staff is because this is the only "game experience" they have to judge players by.

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Preseason records of the past 10 Super Bowl champions:

 

Year Team Preseason record

2003 New England 4-0

2002 Tampa Bay 3-1

2001 New England 3-1

2000 Baltimore 4-0

1999 St. Louis 2-2

1998 Denver 3-1

1997 Denver 3-2

1996 Green Bay 3-1

1995 Dallas 2-3

1994 San Francisco 3-1

TOTAL: 30-12 (.714)

Interesting read RussMan, thanks.

 

Since it is the easiest my alcohol-enhanced :D brain can do right now, If we update the list to the last ten, add:

2006 IND 1-3

2005 PIT 3-1

2004 NE 1-3

 

Removing 1994, 1995, 1996 means the last ten SB champs have a total 27-14 record (.659).

 

Overall, the 41 Super Bowl champs have a 120-72-2 preseason record (.623).

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I agree, it's about watching for the rookies and potentail breakout players. N.O. fans, rajncajn for one, told us about Colston early on last year. Sure, there are also some false alarms on some players, but after watching A Peterson the other night, I became convinced of his ability to be a stud in the NFL... and was of course promptly critisized for saying so. The preseason is also more for the dynasty player as opposed to the redraft format, but once upon a time I drafted a rookie named Portis in my local redraft based on preseason games, and that worked out pretty well. For IDP owners, it's even more important to watch.

 

As far as how well a team may fare in the regular season, it's meaningless. For individual players, talent and the ability to play in the NFL will often show up at this time of year.

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Sometimes teams go undefeated in preseason and stink during the regular season. Sometimes they are winless in preseason and go on to haev a good season.

 

This thread reminds me of that NFL commercial they had last year when they flash back to the preseason and the guy playing mini-golf who says into his cell phone "Of course I didn't draft Drew Brees. . what do I look like, AN IDIOT??". Then they show the guy cooking on the grill in his backyard and he says "I don't care if it's only the preseason, the Raiders are 4-0!!"

 

Classic.

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Regular season games are about winning and losing. All that matters is the win.

 

Preseason games are about evaluating talent and preparing for the regular season. It is all about the individual players trying to make the team and giving the "sure to be there" guys enough playing time to get them in shape for the season. I like watching preseason games because all I am watching is to see who is making plays. It is the one time where you are looking at the exact same thing as the coaching staff is because this is the only "game experience" they have to judge players by.

Exactly. Of course the scores in themselves don't really matter, but IMO the individual performances (esp by the "lesser" players) do, generally speaking.

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Every year we check out the preseason to see what's going on but preseason football doesn't really reveal much. Sometimes teams go undefeated in preseason and stink during the regular season. Sometimes they are winless in preseason and go on to haev a good season. With vanilla offenses and defenses with 1st, 2nd and 3rd stringers playing you can't really conclude anything. Don't get me wrong, every now and then you see how stud rookie RB's perform (like Peterson this year), but overall nothing really happens. In fact, I mostly pay attention to preseason to monitor injuries. Do you guys feel the same or am I missing something? I really wish there were just 2 preseason games and boom right to the regular season.

 

The only thing of significance that happens in pre-season is that players I drafted get hurt

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Hey Grits,

 

It's funny you chimed in. Around this time last year, I remember seeing Culpepper looking pretty good against the Panthers with nice mobility and accuracy with his passes. Then the real regular season started and he clearly wasn't healthy and the Fish had to endure another painful season. On the flip side, I am keeping track of Calvin Johnson in Detroit because I think this guy could be a rare WR rookie beast.

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Gotta take all things into consideration. A 2nd string RB can look awesome if the holes are big enough (against a 2nd string D), and a BU QB can look awesome throwing to the lower WR’s that they’ve been practicing with agaionst weak corners. Leinart going 7-7 is a positive sign, while the Edge getting stuffed is a bad sign. Maybe a one-week thing, but if the decision is teetering on two choices, that may sway you.

 

If Cecil Sapp gets the start next week, he’ll show what he can do against the first string D. Sink or swim for the most part, if he has a great game, the Henry owner (might be you) might trade you something just to have insurance (if you have him), or may try and pick him up off waivers. Once the outcome is known and it’s positive, the waiver wire bidding will start. It would be a good bet to pick him up if you can before the game, and if he doesn’t pan out then drop him, but you should do it before the game. He’s been in Denver for a while (5 years?), and Shanny doesn’t keep what he can’t use :D .

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It can show chemistry and timing but is mostly for the coaches to watch players on the bubble.

 

For me I wanted to see James Jones in a game to see if he was more than a practice star. Could he perform against real competition?

 

He did very well.

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