I know that injuries can happen at any time, but does anyone else wonder if maybe they ought to rethink the number of preseason games given the number of injuries we're seeing. Or does it just seem like we're seeing more. Or would we see an increase in the early regular season if they didn't play preseason games. Or does anyone really care?
BALTIMORE -- A hard-hitting preseason game between the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens produced far more injuries than touchdowns.
New York won 13-12 Sunday night, but both teams lost key players during a physical affair.
Two members of the Giants' starting defense left in the second quarter. Safety Will Demps, who started all 16 games last season, dislocated an elbow and cornerback Sam Madison pulled a hamstring.
New York also lost two offensive players. Wide receiver Michael Jennings had three catches for 31 yards before rupturing his Achilles tendon, and Steve Smith, who caught a touchdown pass, left with a concussion.
Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle and receiver Mark Clayton sprained ankles.
DENVER -- The Denver Broncos lost starting defensive end Ebenezer Ekuban for the season to a torn Achilles tendon, which he suffered in Saturday's preseason loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
ATLANTA -- A quarterback depth chart already perilously thin because of the ongoing absence of Michael Vick became even more threadbare Sunday, as the Atlanta Falcons lost second-year veteran D.J. Shockley for the season to a left knee injury.
I'm for shortening preseason games to 2 or 3 at most, but basically all they're used for these days(until the final one) is to weed out the 3rd and 4th string guys.
I say lower the amount of preseason games for each team from 4 to 3 (I think it really should be 2, but you gotta start somewhere). There is no way the owners go for losing revenue from 16 preseason games , so counteract it with 4 extra playoff games (make it 8 instead of 6 teams in each conference, no bye weeks) and share the money from those games.
I'm assuming the gate from a playoff game, along with the television, is worth 4 preseason games.
I have no way of proving those figures... but it sure sounds like I know what I'm talking about right?
Sutter'sBeard wrote:I hate preseason football. All it does is give sports talk radio idiot callers fodder to [expletive].
It also gives them an opportunity mid-season to say, "Hey, Third String Quarterback X looked pretty awesome in the pre-season. Let's give him a shot!" By that time, they have forgotten that he was passing against guys who got cut even from the practice squads.
