It’s time for the NFL to once again shorten its preseason.
Two weeks of meaningless games will be officially in the books once the Green Bay Packers wrap up their matchup with the Denver Broncos and the clock hits zero on Sunday’s showdown between the New Orleans Saints and the San Francisco 49ers.
And what a boring week it’s been.
Aaron Rodgers hasn’t taken the field for the New York Jets and likely won’t until the regular season. Josh Allen didn’t suit up in the Buffalo Bills’ 9-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, and top draft picks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Drake Maye had the luxury of logging at least ten pass attempts.
Oh, and the No. 4 overall pick, Marvin Harrison Jr., didn’t even play.
That’s the game, right? Just give your best players a taste of action and that’s it. Take it slow to avoid injuries. It’s only preseason, after all.
But here’s the issue: there’s no way to completely ease up on the field. One play can shatter a team’s entire season, and perhaps even its future.
Just ask the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota selected quarterback JJ McCarthy out of Michigan with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, but the 21-year-old’s season is already over after he tore his right meniscus in a 24-23 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on August 10.
Fortunately, this week has seen no such injuries, and we hope everyone is safe following Sunday’s games.
This isn’t a new issue. For years, players have endured season-ending injuries during the preseason. After seeing how sparingly some of the league’s top talent has played these past two weeks, do we really need three preseason games annually?
We’re not advocating for the preseason’s cancellation. Entering the regular season unprepared would likely lead to more injuries, so some live game action over the summer is necessary.
However, one preseason game should suffice. Or, if the league insists on more games, how about two or three games with 10-minute quarters? Perhaps just allot each team five series per game and let whatever happens, happen.
These games don’t matter. Throw the rules out the window.
If the objective is simply to develop players while others shake off the rust, it’s unnecessary for these guys to be on the field for 60 minutes.
Even so, there will be those who champion the preseason. It’s our first taste of football after about a five-month break; the stars are still shining, and the ticket prices are more affordable for a casual late summer night out.
Sports bettors also appreciate the additional three weeks of football action.
But what’s the headline this week? Jacksonville Jaguars backup quarterback Mac Jones threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Risking elite players like Patrick Mahomes in games that don’t matter just so second- and third-string reserves can have their moments is unfair. And maybe it’s not solely the league’s responsibility to revamp preseason rules. Perhaps it’s up to the coaches to rest their top players until the games begin to count.
Luckily, we only have one more week to go. Hopefully it will pass quickly.
