I know it's only preseason, but LOOK at these stats!

The most encouraging thing about this pre-season's success isn't that we're having it, it's how we're having it. We're not doing it by winging all over the field and running trick plays ala Spurrier. We're winning at both lines of scrimmage, playing mostly error-free ball, and pounding the rock at will.

Yeah. It's still the pre-season, but I think looking good that way is more meaningful than it might otherwise be.

I'll confess I really, really, really want to believe that :)
 
Against all odds and past experience, I'll believe. It's what I do. If they suck in Preseason, I'll pass it off as meaningless. If they tear it up, I'll see it as a sign of things to come. I like it much better this way. Glory days ahead. :)
 
Boone said:
The most encouraging thing about this pre-season's success isn't that we're having it, it's how we're having it. We're not doing it by winging all over the field and running trick plays ala Spurrier. We're winning at both lines of scrimmage, playing mostly error-free ball, and pounding the rock at will.

Yeah. It's still the pre-season, but I think looking good that way is more meaningful than it might otherwise be.

I'll confess I really, really, really want to believe that :)
Click to expand...


I wouldn't say pounding it....but it is worth believing in!
 
OP edited...

We're 3rd in the NFL against the rush giving up 138 yds total, 69 yds per game.

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categoryst...sonType=PRE&tabSeq=2&qualified=true&Submit=Go

I don't think it's fair to compare this preseason with the likes of Spurrier. He was doing everything in the book to win. You can critize our defensive stats since we haven't played against a starting QB yet. Our offense is what it is.

Another note, when's the last time we've been this deep in the skill positions? 3RBs, 2 TE's, 4 or 5 Wr's a legit KR and PR guy and a real pass rushing duo?

I can really care less about the scores and stats. The thing that impresses me the most is that we're physically competing with these teams. If we continue to do the same against the Ravens consider me sold on a playoff spot unless we get injury bitten.
 
There are things one picks up over the years and IMO,truths about preseason play.

Some say that preseason means nothing or that you have to look at individual performance to glean anything out of it and that in order to do that, you need the actual coaches tape to see it.

As Colonel Potter of the 4077th used to say: "Horse Hockey!"

IMO, these things hold true:

If you don't see a pass rush in preseason, you're not going to see one in the regular season. There is no magic scheme or wand that turns a player like a Renaldo Wynn into a double digit sack artist.

If your pass protection is lousy in preseason, it's not going to get much better in the regular season. Stephon Heyer is Tackle for Heyer,no matter what scheme he's in. The same is true in the run game.

If your kicker and punter absolutely suck in preseason and you stick with them for the opener...you get what you paid for. This will not change unless you physically change it.

And an oldie but goodie that still rings true:

If your coach says he has two QB's, then he really doesn't have a QB.

And in general, If you don't look like you know what you're doing on the field, then you're in big trouble come September.

This is why that small flicker,that is my Redskins pilot light, is burning a little more steady right now: We actually look competent on the football field in this preseason.

It's been a long time since I've been able to say that and not have it followed by a sarcastic giggle.

As a franchise and fanbase,we've wandered in the Wilderness a long time. Maybe we've finally found a compass. :)
 
Rymanofthenorth said:
Pre season is nothing like a live game, Om is right to call them glorified scrimmages, some teams tend to open the play book to gain momentum, but the truly great teams use them to evaluate backups.
Click to expand...

Considering what the lockout did as far as mini-camps, OTA's, two-a-days...etc,, added to the massive and frantic free agency, I would think that everybody is doing some intense evaluating this preseason-far more than the usual.
 
servumtuum said:
Considering what the lockout did as far as mini-camps, OTA's, two-a-days...etc,, added to the massive and frantic free agency, I would think that everybody is doing some intense evaluating this preseason-far more than the usual.
Click to expand...

And just to add...with all the new players we brought in we're father behind the 8 ball than most teams, especially the 2 teams we've already played.
 
The Colts and Steelers are also established teams full of players well familiar with their respective systems. They are probably looking for and at different things that we are right now. Because of this I'd say our pre-season games mean even less than they usually do.

That said, I do agree with Om that no matter the circumstance, I'd rather us look good in the pre-season than bad. Also, it seems to my untrained eye that Shanahan's system, the running game in particular, seems to be clicking in a way that it didn't at all last year, pre-season or otherwise. The rollout/play-action looks much smoother ... the players seem to get how it's supposed to work, and it appears to be opening up the running game (and subsequently the passing game) nicely. (Maybe this is why McNabb is gone. I dunno.)

The stats really really mean nothing. But the team seems comfortable with certain things, and I didn't think we'd be this far along at this point, following such a short offseason with such high roster turnover. Hopefully that will translate into something this season, even if it's just flashes of promise.

We shouldn't expect to be top three in anything this year based on a few pre-season games. But yes, we can be pleased that we aren't spiking ourselves.

That's as positive as I can get right now. Take it or leave it. :)
 
Good post, Diesel,

I agree with a lot of it. We've seen our o line stand up like swiss cheese in many preseasons before. This one, they're winning a lot of one on one battles, albeit Trent had a somewhat rougher night. The receivers, minus one, aren't dropping a lot of balls and the timing seems to be good. The team is executing well. They're tackling well.

It feels good. Now, I don't know what it really means, but considering so many pros were telling us we were the absolute worst team in the league before preseason started... I am confident that assessment is wrong.
 
While cautiously optimistic like others in this thread I would caution against using the Colts game as a barometer of any sorts. They are notorious for being absolutely abysmal in Pre-season. They take the evaluation to a whole new level compared to most teams.

It is good to see the team playing well and individuals having good showings. As others have said it's not necessarily indicative of what we'll see down the line but it sure beats the alternative we've grown used to. For once my expectations haven't gone down as camp has moved from week to week, I've actually grown optimistic as camp goes on. That alone is a huge accomplishment.
 
I loved Diesel's post. I also see Elephant & Om's point of view. Its also important to keep in mind that the Colts, while generally pretty dominant in the regular season, are something like 0-17,000 in the preseason in the past few seasons. They just don't care about winning those games. I think Caldwell (and Dungy before him) use the preseason as a means to evaluate players only; they could care less about the W.

EDIT: Dang, Counter Trey beat me by a nose!
 
Serv, I think thats valid and Lanky is right about the colts, I also think that part of it is that the colts have never been a particularly deep team so they know they can count on certain guys who rarely play in preseason while they use the games to look at guys who mostly wont even make the team. the patriots do ok in preseason becuase they are usually pretty deep and tend to emphasize team play rather than individual. I always wondered what Manning could do with a serious Oline.
 
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