Preseason Matters—Just Not for the Reasons We Pretend It Does

There are two kinds of NFL fans: those who skip the preseason games and check the recaps because the games don’t actually count; and others who watch every snap believing the early games are glimpses into the team’s likelihood of success that season. 

So, does the preseason matter? And, if so, how much?

The Score: When the Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Winning is the entire point of games during the regular season. In the preseason, winning makes fans feel good and gives them hope, yet if the team suffers a loss, fans can always console themselves with a chorus of, “It’s only preseason. It doesn’t count.”

But coaches aren’t focusing on creating elaborate defensive schemes to exploit the opponent during preseason games. They’re evaluating their own players. They may call a particular play because they want to see whether a young guard can handle a certain blocking assignment, whether a receiver can adjust his route against a specific coverage, or whether a quarterback recognizes pressure before it reaches him.

Sometimes, a coach will put a player in a difficult situation on purpose. He needs information more than he needs seven points.

That makes preseason football a terrible predictor of regular-season success. A team can lose because its coaches were testing players and concepts rather than trying to outmaneuver the opponent.

The final score tells us who won the game. It doesn’t tell us which coach learned more about his players.

A Job Interview at Full Speed

Established starters usually play only a handful of snaps—or none at all. When they do play, the goal is usually simple: get comfortable, find a rhythm, and return to the sideline with every important body part still attached.

Instead, this is where rookies and players further down the depth chart are given a chance to show what they can do. For players fighting for a roster spot, preseason is not meaningless. In fact, it may be the most meaningful football they ever play because it may determine their future.

Did the running back recognize the blitz and protect his quarterback? Did the receiver run the correct route even though the pass went elsewhere? Did the defensive back understand his assignment? Did the linebacker communicate before the snap? Did someone hustle downfield after the play appeared to be over?

Fans are watching a football game, while coaches are basically conducting a job interview at full speed while very large men attempt to knock the applicants unconscious. That’s why preseason can feel deceptive.

Depth Isn’t Exciting—Until You Need It

Fans naturally focus on the stars. They sell the jerseys, appear in the commercials, and determine whether we spend Sunday evening celebrating or staring bitterly at the television long after the postgame show has ended.

But no NFL season goes exactly according to plan.

Players get hurt. Others wear down. Someone who began the year buried on the depth chart is suddenly protecting the quarterback, covering the opponent’s fastest receiver, or attempting a field goal with the game on the line.

In August, coaches are trying to determine who can step into those roles without causing the entire operation to collapse.

Can the backup center handle protection calls? Can a rookie cornerback survive against NFL-caliber receivers? Can the second-string quarterback run the offense if the starter misses time? Does the team have enough defensive-line depth to rotate players without creating an obvious weakness?

Preseason doesn’t tell us exactly what a team will become. It can tell us whether that team has enough depth to survive the season if starters are lost to injury.

It Matters for Rookies, Too

One of the most frequently discussed adjustments from college football to the NFL is the speed of the professional game.

You either learn to keep up quickly, or you get benched for someone who can.

Preseason gives rookies a chance to adjust before the games—and the consequences—begin to count.

They learn how quickly decisions must be made, how much more precise their technique needs to be, and how little time they have to recover from a mistake. Coaches get to see how they respond when something goes wrong.

That response may be more revealing than the mistake itself.

Does the player panic? Does one bad play become three? Can he absorb coaching on the sideline and correct the problem during the next series?

Talent and potential get a player drafted. The ability to learn, adapt, and recover helps keep him on the field.

The Things Worth Watching

None of this means that watching preseason games is a waste of time. It simply means we need to pay attention to aspects of the game that aren’t reflected on the scoreboard.

Preseason can also reveal whether a rookie looks comfortable, whether a position group has legitimate depth, or whether a player returning from injury is moving confidently again.

What it can’t tell us is how an offense will look when the regular season begins: when the starters are playing, the full game plan is in place, and winning matters.

Preseason football gives us clues—not conclusions.

So, Does Preseason Matter?

Yes.

It matters for roster decisions. It matters for rookies learning the professional game. It matters for coaches evaluating depth, communication, discipline, and development. And it matters for players whose NFL futures may depend on a handful of snaps most fans barely notice.

Preseason is not a crystal ball. It’s an audition, an exploration of depth and talent.

If you choose to watch the preseason games, enjoy the big plays. Get excited about the rookies. Fall hopelessly in love with an undrafted receiver who catches two passes in the fourth quarter.

Just don’t plan the Super Bowl parade—or fire the entire coaching staff—based on what happens in a game designed to answer questions we may not even realize coaches are asking.

Preseason matters.

The trick is understanding why it matters.

Until next time...Stay fierce. Stay fabulous. And stay faithful!