The Purpose Of The Preseason

[mgteich]

The purpose of the preseason is NOT to show the fans how much we should expect from our veterans in the regular season. There is no reason for any returning veteran to play other than to protect the franchise or to help the coaches evaluate folks within a reasonable offense or defense. I wouldn't even expect to see much playing time from Taylor. Belichick knows what he has.

Some non-youngsters do need to be evaluated: Galloway, Lewis, Alex Smith, Walter, Burgess, Ninkovitch, Lenon, Springs, McGowan, Tank Williams, Ciurciu, Jones.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

It's a great topic...

Brady has said (without drawing a conclusion) that he wonders if his injury would have happened if he'd played in the pre season last year, so it seems that there's some perceived value in pre season play for veterans as well...Ben Roethlisberger said something similar at halftime of his pre season game last week...he actually said that without it "players sometimes get injured on opening day"...

I don't want to turn this into a Big Ben debate (we have enough of them), but when the two QB's who've appeared in six of the last eight or so SB's raise the issue, I think we at least have to take it seriously...

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

The purpose of the preseason is NOT to show the fans how much we should expect from our veterans in the regular season. There is no reason for any returning veteran to play other than to protect the franchise or to help the coaches evaluate folks within a reasonable offense or defense. I wouldn't even expect to see much playing time from Taylor. Belichick knows what he has.

Some non-youngsters do need to be evaluated: Galloway, Lewis, Alex Smith, Walter, Burgess, Ninkovitch, Lenon, Springs, McGowan, Tank Williams, Ciurciu, Jones.

so you don't think any of our returning veterans are fighting for jobs right now?

you don't think maroney is being evaluated for a possible trade?

or perhaps they're being evaluated to see if the pats need to pull a trade to shore up a spot light ted washington.

i think some elite vets don't need to be evaluated but to say all our vets are safe is too all inclusive.

 

[JD10367]

I think the preseason works pretty good the way they usually do it. First game, starters play a few series or the 1st quarter; second game, they play the first quarter and some of the second; third game, they play until halftime, and maybe one more series in the third; fourth game, they play around the same as in the first game.

Some coaches get a little creative. Belichick played with the 4-3. Haley sent in the backup WRs with Cassel, then put better guys in with the backup QBs. Some coaches like to see their 2s against another team's 1s.

The purpose of the preseason is to try some new things, and mix-and-match some personnel to see how things work. It's also to shake the rust off the old guys and make sure they remember what to do--and, in some cases, for a few of the old guys, to see if they still CAN do it. It's also to see what some FA pickups have to offer and, of course, to test out the rookies.

It is what it is.

 

[patchick]

One thing I don't think the preseason is for: scheming, game planning and playcalling for victory. I know that sounds obvious, but I've seen posts praising O'Brien's playcalling against Philly....

 

[mayoclinic]

One thing I don't think the preseason is for: scheming, game planning and playcalling for victory. I know that sounds obvious, but I've seen posts praising O'Brien's playcalling against Philly....

I agree with your statement given the emphasis on "for victory". Obviously, there's tremendous value to experimenting with schemes and plays in order to evaluate personnel and in preparation for the regular season.

 

[patchick]

I agree with your statement given the emphasis on "for victory". Obviously, there's tremendous value to experimenting with schemes and plays in order to evaluate personnel and in preparation for the regular season.

Oh, absolutely. And on defense in particular there are a lot of players, new and old, getting used to new roles and techniques this year. But as for comments on how O'Brien "mixed it up nicely" against Philly...

 

[Deus Irae]

you don't think maroney is being evaluated for a possible trade?

No

or perhaps they're being evaluated to see if the pats need to pull a trade to shore up a spot light ted washington.

Not unless they think Burgess can't get it done

i think some elite vets don't need to be evaluated but to say all our vets are safe is too all inclusive.

Given that Taylor was the example, I'd say that it's likely Mgteich was referring to the sort of 'grizzled' veteran with skills and abilities that are already fully known by the coaching staff.

 

[Gwedd]

Oh, absolutely. And on defense in particular there are a lot of players, new and old, getting used to new roles and techniques this year. But as for comments on how O'Brien "mixed it up nicely" against Philly...

In the Navy, we used to call it a "shakedown cruise". Take the ship out for a week or two prior to a deployment, and see how everything and everyone runs. Go through the emergency drills, test all the weapons and sensors. Let the crew see how they and the ship work together.

Pre-season is exactly the same. Except we didn't have excess crew to get rid of...

 

[RayClay]

They're certainly using it to test new defensive schemes and personnel possibilities (Myron, TBC Burgess pass rush).

 

[jmt57]

The purpose of the preseason is NOT to show the fans how much we should expect from our veterans in the regular season. There is no reason for any returning veteran to play other than to protect the franchise or to help the coaches evaluate folks within a reasonable offense or defense. I wouldn't even expect to see much playing time from Taylor. Belichick knows what he has.

Some non-youngsters do need to be evaluated: Galloway, Lewis, Alex Smith, Walter, Burgess, Ninkovitch, Lenon, Springs, McGowan, Tank Williams, Ciurciu, Jones.

While I agree up to a point with the general theory, I think the examples used are not the best. Taylor is new to the Pats (just like Galloway, Springs, etc.) and is also coming off a so-so year. Granted that can be attributed to the decimation of the Jacksonville o-line by the end of the first game of the '08 season, but I don't think you can compare him to somebody who has been with the Pats for several years simply because he's an NFL veteran. If that was the case, then you could also sit Galloway, Springs, Bodden, Burgess - as well as Wilfork, Seymour, Light, etc.

In addition I don't think I would lump Ninkovich and Galloway together as "non-youngsters" considering Ninkovich is practically young enough to be Galloway's son.

Any new player, regardless of age, still needs to show that he has grasped the playbook and also needs time to develop chemistry on the field with his teammates. Randy Moss in '07 was the exception, not the rule. While Fred Taylor may not need as much playing time as other players, he still needs to get on the field during preseason with his new team.

 

[spacecrime]

There is no reason for any returning veteran to play other than to protect the franchise or to help the coaches evaluate folks within a reasonable offense or defense. I wouldn't even expect to see much playing time from Taylor. Belichick knows what he has.

Taylor has never played for BB. Morris, Maroney, Faulk and BJGE all have. BB certainly knows what he has in them more than what he has in Taylor.

Why wouldn't BB have Taylor play so he and the Oline can get used to working with each other at game speed vice during practice?

 

[spacecrime]

Oh, absolutely. And on defense in particular there are a lot of players, new and old, getting used to new roles and techniques this year. But as for comments on how O'Brien "mixed it up nicely" against Philly...

How does mixing up playcalling give anything away? It is simply using the same plays but in a different order. Will teams from now on key on draws of second down?

I watched the KC game and saw:
First down - RUN
Second down - RUN
Third down - PASS
(often followed by 4th down - PUNT as everyone knew a pass was coming)

I cannot see how mixing that up would have given anything away to the Texans, and might have made it easier to evaluate a running game without 9 men in the box or a passing game continually facing a blitz or dime backs.

Preseason in preseason for coordinators, too, especially new coordinators.

I fully agree with not using stunts, especially on defense. Not only does it give away special plays, but it is hard to evaluate: did the player do exceptionally well or did the stunt work? But on offense, things should be mixed up. Each game should have a different set of plays and different order setting up plays.

 

[spacecrime]

Except we didn't have excess crew to get rid of...

Well, there were always one or guys you wouldn't mind seeing stuffed in the Trash Disposal Unit by the second day out

 

[mgteich]

To consider Maroney a non-youngster is simply wrong. He's a kid.

so you don't think any of our returning veterans are fighting for jobs right now?

you don't think maroney is being evaluated for a possible trade?

or perhaps they're being evaluated to see if the pats need to pull a trade to shore up a spot light ted washington.

i think some elite vets don't need to be evaluated but to say all our vets are safe is too all inclusive.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Taylor has never played for BB. Morris, Maroney, Faulk and BJGE all have. BB certainly knows what he has in them more than what he has in Taylor.

Why wouldn't BB have Taylor play so he and the Oline can get used to working with each other at game speed vice during practice?

this is a great topic. i wonder if we asked BB to allocate 100 points to the purpose of the preseason, how he would allocate them among:

A. Giving veterans who are locks to make the roster a chance to shake the rust off and get their game legs under them.

B. Evaluating borderline veterans and close-call rookies as to whether they will make the final 53.

C. Giving players who haven't played together in the past a chance to play together.

D. Testing new formations or schemes on Offense, Defense and Special Teams.

E. Fine tuning communications between and among Coaches and Players for things like getting the right players on the field and play calling.

My guess would be he'd do it as follows:

A 20
B 40
C 20
D 15
E 5

What do you think?

(PS: I know there are no 100% "locks" in a BB camp, but come on, like Brady isn't a lock?)

 

[Gwedd]

Well, there were always one or guys you wouldn't mind seeing stuffed in the Trash Disposal Unit by the second day out

Yes indeed.. And a few more as deployment wore on.