Prime time games are also those rare times when the entire nation can tune in and collective say "the Jets are still an NFL team?"
Practice, getting up to speed in 1 fitness 2 style of play. I always find it odd that these games are so looked down upon but in football (soccer) pre-season friendlies are used to get the players ready for the new season, even if the games can be a little half arsed at times, they still mean more than the NFL games.
So play one scrimmage game, not three. I'm not advocating for the complete removal of preseason because I know the value of scrimmaging another team and popping the pads against another team, even at the high school level it's valuable. For what it's worth, the defending Super Bowl champions didn't play a single starter last preseason.
i dont suppose to have any solution. i like watching football where the dudes play real tackle football. scrimmage preseason or whenever else
What was your question again? I answered as I saw fit to do, I wasn't looking to make any particular comparisons fair or unfair. If it is injuries you're worried about don't even pretend to have a pre-season, just rock up week one and get them instead.
Very true. I think due to violent nature of. NFL games, coaches prefer not to lose any key player to injury and play it safe. But then players don’t get ready for real action until week 3 week 4. First few games of the season are the new practice games
The intra-squad scrimmage practices might be the functional replacement for what used to be accomplished in pre-season games. A more controlled, focused, targeted and safer environment. With the benefit of added intensity as well as some measure of team progress .
Was it last year or the year before when the offensive line had not played a down together until opening day? That's no recipe for success.