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Eatman: Preseason Used To Evaluate Situations, Too
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
August 10 2010
ARLINGTON, Texas - It's one of the most famous press conference speeches in the NFL history. You remember former Jets coach Herm Edwards yelling at the media with his memorable quote.
"You play to win the game. You play to win the game ... hello?"
Great quote. I never was sure what prompted the answer - because it didn't really matter. But I do know this - that quote wasn't delivered about a preseason game.
And we all know that. You don't need me to reiterate the importance, or lack thereof of these five exhibition games.
Sure, you'd like to win the game if it's tied and your field goal kicker is lining up for a game-winning kick in the final seconds. Or your third-team quarterback is driving the offense down the field in the final minutes ... sure, go win the game.
But the most important part of these games is to stay healthy. And since that is virtually out of everyone's control, the next best thing is to evaluate.
And it's not just evaluating players but situations as well. And sometimes, a coach has to call a game a little bit differently in the preseason to create those situations.
I think we tend to get caught up in these preseason games and refer to them as dress rehearsals. Like what we see in five games is just a preview of what's ahead for the season.
So when the Cowboys struggle in the red zone (like they did last year) in that opening offensive drive Sunday night in Canton, then obviously the problem still exists and the Cowboys will have to deal with this issue all year. Not exactly.
Like David Buehler badly hooking a 49-yard field goals means he won't be dependable on long attempts. Like Stephen Bowen will have a Pro Bowl season. Or that the second-team offensive line needs a ton of work (OK, maybe that one is accurate).
But you get the point, this really isn't a preview. It's just practice - under the lights and in front of thousands of people.
Now, I do get that's it football season again. And if there is a game, you're going to watch and we're all going to second-guess this and that. It's just how it is.
But try to remember the differences. It's not the fact backups play a lot more and earlier in the game. It's also the way the game is called. Do you really think Jason Garrett would've called three passing plays from the 2-yard line in a regular season game?
Honestly, I don't. I think the Chargers game from last year should tell us all that he believes Marion Barber and this offensive line can punch it over the goal line, even in that case when they couldn't score. Running the ball should and will be the first priority.
"I think if we would've run the ball three times we would've scored," head coach Wade Phillips said in reference to Sunday night's opening drive.
If you think about it, the ball was really at the 2 1/2-yard line. That's really a two-point play and maybe that's what they were trying to work on. Also, the Bengals schemed a little more than most teams do in preseason openers. That's Mike Zimmer, though. He did that here in Dallas. He's about as competitive as any assistant coach there is and he's certainly not going to stand there and let Barber or Felix run into the end zone without a fight. And there's nothing wrong with that.
And believe me, this isn't a piece to downplay the red-zone issues. They were evident last year and even if the Cowboys scored 10 straight times in the red zone during preseason, it's not fixed until you get to the season.
But we're not there yet. This is the time to work on other things. This is the time to work on the jump-ball and back-shoulder fades and so far that's what they've done
So if you see odd calls throughout the game - like a draw on a third-and-10 from the opponents' 35-yard line, it's not that Jason Garrett believes Marion Barber is going to get 11 yards. It's a way to create a situation for a long field goal for David Buehler.
And that's something we might see a little more as the preseason continues. Wade Phillips might get four games into this and realize the team hasn't ever worked on a certain situation or need or blitz or whatever.
I think Bill Parcells did that as good as anyone. He didn't get caught up in the wins or losses for preseason. He just wanted to get the team ready. Not saying Wade Phillips or any other coach has a different approach. It just seemed more evident with Parcells.
Like the time in 2006 we thought the preseason was about to end with that dreadful preseason finale against the Vikings at Texas Stadium. And if you know anything about Texas Stadium in the preseason, it was always miserably hot.
But the Cowboys scored a late touchdown and no, Bill didn't go for two. He wanted to see his team in overtime. And he certainly got to see it, as neither team scored and the game ended in a tie. As if the preseason didn't end early enough anyway.
After the game, Parcells said he wanted to see how some of the younger guys reacted to the pressure of every play possibly deciding the game's outcome.
In fact, word has it that the longtime Vikings head coach, Bud Grant, would pick a preseason game to work on onside kicks. One game he tried it four times in a row in the second half.
I think that's a good idea. Who cares about showing your hand to other teams? Why not work on things so when they happen in the regular season, your team is ready.
Either way, there are several ways to handle the preseason games, especially when there are five of them.
Just remember that not everything is done for that particular play, series or game, but rather the bigger picture.
Eatman: Preseason Used To Evaluate Situations, Too
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
August 10 2010
ARLINGTON, Texas - It's one of the most famous press conference speeches in the NFL history. You remember former Jets coach Herm Edwards yelling at the media with his memorable quote.
"You play to win the game. You play to win the game ... hello?"
Great quote. I never was sure what prompted the answer - because it didn't really matter. But I do know this - that quote wasn't delivered about a preseason game.
And we all know that. You don't need me to reiterate the importance, or lack thereof of these five exhibition games.
Sure, you'd like to win the game if it's tied and your field goal kicker is lining up for a game-winning kick in the final seconds. Or your third-team quarterback is driving the offense down the field in the final minutes ... sure, go win the game.
But the most important part of these games is to stay healthy. And since that is virtually out of everyone's control, the next best thing is to evaluate.
And it's not just evaluating players but situations as well. And sometimes, a coach has to call a game a little bit differently in the preseason to create those situations.
I think we tend to get caught up in these preseason games and refer to them as dress rehearsals. Like what we see in five games is just a preview of what's ahead for the season.
So when the Cowboys struggle in the red zone (like they did last year) in that opening offensive drive Sunday night in Canton, then obviously the problem still exists and the Cowboys will have to deal with this issue all year. Not exactly.
Like David Buehler badly hooking a 49-yard field goals means he won't be dependable on long attempts. Like Stephen Bowen will have a Pro Bowl season. Or that the second-team offensive line needs a ton of work (OK, maybe that one is accurate).
But you get the point, this really isn't a preview. It's just practice - under the lights and in front of thousands of people.
Now, I do get that's it football season again. And if there is a game, you're going to watch and we're all going to second-guess this and that. It's just how it is.
But try to remember the differences. It's not the fact backups play a lot more and earlier in the game. It's also the way the game is called. Do you really think Jason Garrett would've called three passing plays from the 2-yard line in a regular season game?
Honestly, I don't. I think the Chargers game from last year should tell us all that he believes Marion Barber and this offensive line can punch it over the goal line, even in that case when they couldn't score. Running the ball should and will be the first priority.
"I think if we would've run the ball three times we would've scored," head coach Wade Phillips said in reference to Sunday night's opening drive.
If you think about it, the ball was really at the 2 1/2-yard line. That's really a two-point play and maybe that's what they were trying to work on. Also, the Bengals schemed a little more than most teams do in preseason openers. That's Mike Zimmer, though. He did that here in Dallas. He's about as competitive as any assistant coach there is and he's certainly not going to stand there and let Barber or Felix run into the end zone without a fight. And there's nothing wrong with that.
And believe me, this isn't a piece to downplay the red-zone issues. They were evident last year and even if the Cowboys scored 10 straight times in the red zone during preseason, it's not fixed until you get to the season.
But we're not there yet. This is the time to work on other things. This is the time to work on the jump-ball and back-shoulder fades and so far that's what they've done
So if you see odd calls throughout the game - like a draw on a third-and-10 from the opponents' 35-yard line, it's not that Jason Garrett believes Marion Barber is going to get 11 yards. It's a way to create a situation for a long field goal for David Buehler.
And that's something we might see a little more as the preseason continues. Wade Phillips might get four games into this and realize the team hasn't ever worked on a certain situation or need or blitz or whatever.
I think Bill Parcells did that as good as anyone. He didn't get caught up in the wins or losses for preseason. He just wanted to get the team ready. Not saying Wade Phillips or any other coach has a different approach. It just seemed more evident with Parcells.
Like the time in 2006 we thought the preseason was about to end with that dreadful preseason finale against the Vikings at Texas Stadium. And if you know anything about Texas Stadium in the preseason, it was always miserably hot.
But the Cowboys scored a late touchdown and no, Bill didn't go for two. He wanted to see his team in overtime. And he certainly got to see it, as neither team scored and the game ended in a tie. As if the preseason didn't end early enough anyway.
After the game, Parcells said he wanted to see how some of the younger guys reacted to the pressure of every play possibly deciding the game's outcome.
In fact, word has it that the longtime Vikings head coach, Bud Grant, would pick a preseason game to work on onside kicks. One game he tried it four times in a row in the second half.
I think that's a good idea. Who cares about showing your hand to other teams? Why not work on things so when they happen in the regular season, your team is ready.
Either way, there are several ways to handle the preseason games, especially when there are five of them.
Just remember that not everything is done for that particular play, series or game, but rather the bigger picture.