One thing I learned last year...

Preseason matters. Too often we write off preseason games thinking they are just warm ups, but for the last three seasons they have been almost exact reflections of the team's performance for the regular season. Ill be watching very closely this year.

One thing I learned last year...

Preseason matters. Too often we write off preseason games thinking they are just warm ups, but for the last three seasons they have been almost exact reflections of the team's performance for the regular season. Ill be watching very closely this year.

One thing I learned last year...

Preseason matters. Too often we write off preseason games thinking they are just warm ups, but for the last three seasons they have been almost exact reflections of the team's performance for the regular season. Ill be watching very closely this year.

I don't put much stock in it except for effort. We were 3-1 in both 2014 and 2013. Both seasons had distinctly different results.

Now I will say this- not being able to get lined up in preseason is an issue, so from those things you're right

The Patriots are effectively 2-2 every year in preseason

It's not the final score of the preseason games that really matters. What matters is the execution of the 1s when they play in each game. Typically:

Preseason Game 1: The 1st quarter
Preseason Game 2: The 1st quarter into the 2nd quarter
Preseason Game 3: The first half and possibly the first series of the 3rd quarter. This is the critical game because it's really the only preseason game that is game planned and the starters get significant minutes.
Preseason Game 4: A complete washout. No one who makes the squad is going to play significant minutes.

Everything after that, including the final score, really isn't relevant. When you have the 3s and 4s out there in the 4th quarter or the 4th game, very little of what happens out there translates into the regular season.

So this preseason watch the defense carefully when the 1s and a mix of the 1s and 2s are our there. That's going to be the actual defensive rotation when the season starts. See if they line up correctly, communicate out on the field, hit the right gaps, and not lose receivers or contain. See if they can get off the field on 3rd down, hold the opposition to field goals, and take the ball away.

This will give you a much better indication of how it'll be once they get to live fire in September.

Let's not forget that in 2013 in the preseason, the 1s on defense were bringing it. And it translated directly into that top 5 regular season defense.



Because the final score and the final preseason standings really don't matter. It's the execution of the likely 53 when they are out on the field that matters.
Guys who will be sitting in the stands with you as fans come September are not crucial in evaluating the strength of a team in the preseason.

SFIAH