New Orleans Saints comment of the day: Here's why preseason games are important
 

In response to Mike Triplett'e report on Jonathan Casillas starting and Scott Shanle moving to strongside linebacker, nola.com regular woodruff54 wrote:
"For those of you who say that preseason games are not important, this is why the games are important. Not because of the score, but the individual performance. Because of that game:
1. Galette - Before, was a long shot to the make the team; after, you can pencil him in.
2. Casillas - Before, trying to make the team; after, starting lineup.
3. Pirleaux, Torrence, Evans - Before, even money to make team; after, longshots.
4. Beavers - Before, long, long shot; after, even money.
5. Ramsey - Before, the buzzards were circling; after, odds on to be the 2nd QB.
6. Arrington - Before, longshot; after, 50/50.
7. Gay - Before, likely to make team; After, pencil him in as nickel back, not necessarily because of his play, but because Robinson is not ready to play nickel.
But probably the most important thing that we learned in this game is that we are not as good a team without Sharper. Our secondary is just not the same without him. I don't care how much potential Jenkins has, he is no Sharper and if Sharper is not able to play this year, our defense will not be as good as it was last year. I don't care if he is limping around out there like he was in the playoffs, we need him back there playing centerfield."

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Not everybody learned from this game. Most people paying attention already knew this.

Pointing out that we as fans and the media get to see how well guys are playing is not justification for having to pay for four games that don't count.

5. Ramsey - Before, the buzzards were circling; after, odds on to be the 2nd QB.

Ok but they still have three more Presason game to play.

Preseason is critical to evaluate the players and find out what they can bring to the table. I agree with Saint LB that four games are just too much for preseason. The question is........are two games enough to effectively evaluate all the players on the roster? How many games are too many? If we are going to lengthen the season then we need to limit the number of preseason games.

One game, does not a season make...

In regards to preseason games; let's not kid ourselves here, YES coaches need the games to evaluate talent and prep for the shortest season in pro sports, but its also about revenue for the league, players and owners.

If we're gonna keep the four games then maybe we need to expand the roster by a handful of players.

Since the league is going to 18 regular season games soon, expanding the roster makes sense due to the increased propensity for injuries. It'll shorten football careers also.

Nothing has been decided about going to an 18 game schedule yet, I am absolutely against it. 16 is enough. All too often as it is, the last 2 or 3 games don't matter as play off positions are already locked up, do we want 4 or 5 meaningless games at the end of the season? Also its a real grind for the players, and it could shorten even more what are already short careers in the NFL. I"m fine with cutting preseason games but not with adding them to the reg. season.

6. Arrington - Before, longshot; after, 50/50.

I only have a problem with this one. I think SP saw Arrington not block the Pats CB in the enzone that tackled Chase on the roll out. That probably would have been a TD if Arrington had blocked.

The flip side...

If they had 2 more games, maybe every now and then one of those teams who previously would have been eliminated could now go on a run with 4 or 5 games left rather than 2 or 3 and win 4 or 5 in a row and have a story-book ending to a season that otherwise would have been over.

If we had to play two more games last season, there is a good chance that our season would have been over. Instead we rested those two weeks, got our guys healthy, and eventually won a Superbowl.

an 18 game season would be murder on the starters.

you would effectively be watching benches by the end of the season.

careers would be shortened.

you would have a lot of teams just playing out the string at the end, and other teams knocking their heads to make the playoffs, who would have no realistic chance due to the punishment of 2 extra games.

a longer season requiring more bodies, favors the richer teams.

a longer season also makes each game a little more meaningless, like baseball.

For the love of Pete, just leave football like it is.

we used to have six preseason games, and football was just fine. when I was a kid we were happy to see preseason games, and we liked them. So be glad it is the way it is and eat your vegetables and be happy about it. I hate Change.

Football should be exactly like it was in 1975.

Still not comfortable with Ramesy, think his play the other night was the execption and just a product of him going up against guys that will never play in the regular season

So then only 3 teams would have a shot to win it all, no thanks. I hate the idea of an 18 game season as well cause we would see starters hurt before the playoffs and that really cheapens the game in the end.... if the NFL wasn't the greatest game in America there would be no talk of this, in the end the owners don't care about the players, they see it as a way to make even more money

Beavers 50/50 is shot.
Ramsey's buzzards are still circling and are not yet ready to search elsewhere for a good meal.
A gimpy Sharper wouldn't be much good either. If he's not ready to play, his moral support should come from the sideline and the locker room. Young still needs help back there.
We've got three weeks to work it out.

Oh...the poor babies. Tell that to a guy that makes a living digging ditches 6 days a week, 12 hours a day, 52 weeks a year...or a brick-layer, or something. To me, what you just said is a joke when you consider how much they pay these guys to play a game...a game that you could get paralyzed for life or worse for about 12 years that you play for free before you ever get to the NFL.

Furthermore...I contend that the starters already play in preseason what amounts to probably close to 2 games worth of action out of 4 games, so in reality they are already doing it...just the first 2 games, in which they could get hurt in...don't count.

LOL Mike, I love the old curmudgeon view...

Think two extra games are that grueling? Just ask the teams who make the playoffs year after year. I'm sure they would survive.

Yes, some teams would rest starters, but that already happens now Skymike. It's up to the league to plan out schedules (to the best of their ability) to make the end of the season matter - the same way they've improved the past couple of seasons - with division games between projected leaders.

And a longer season would mean more games, but there would also be more scenarios for playoffs.

What if the league added another bye week?

I don't get your argument regarding richer teams. Isn't there a salary cap?

Bottom line: It's all about MONEY. More games means more revenue. No one is shaking their head at more revenue - especially the biggest sports league in the world... If they add games then it's up to the organization to manage the rosters and up to the players to play the games.

I've hung drywall, hauled hay, built barbed wire fences, worked in a US Steel shipyard in a Liberty, TX summer heat, chunked watermelons, and worked in a helicopter where I could have been parylized or killed everyday, and I still dont care what NFL Players make. Thats their pay scale, here's mine.

Besides talent we dont have, they suffer injuries that would send you and me away crying-- and are expected to stay on the field, and they run practices that would make us puke our guts out. Not only can we not do what they do, we probably wouldnt have the guts, or the desire, even for that almighty money you speak of.

The human body can do what it can do, even with constant work & conditioning, and to a point, it gives up or breaks. I dont want to see Battle of the M*A*S*H units at the close of every season, and I think my guys take enough of a beating every year.

You realize, if you do this, they are going to point all this out, and want MORE money. You dont get something for nothing.

I still say it favors richer teams, because they could spend "signing bonus"es to bench players, and they would need to. Don't take my word for it, ask your guts. This would only help fat cats. not us.

Why chance it? It already works.
Now you kids get out of my yard! and stop laughing at my socks.