NEWSLETTER
If you are curious as to why Chicago Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy insists on resting his starters and key role players throughout the four-game exhibition season, allow Thursday’s preseason headlines to serve as a reminder.
Field conditions for the Packers-Raiders game in Winnipeg were an issue. So much so, Green Bay sat 33 players (including stars Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams) after initially preparing to play they regulars. And even though Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur said “a combination of a lot of things” went into his decision to sit who he deemed to be his team’s most important players, his quarterback took a more direct route:
Aaron Rodgers said on the Packers TV broadcast that not playing tonight has "nothing to do with (his sore) back, it's more the field conditions that we had tonight." https://t.co/8Mm9IvGnMO
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 23, 2019
Seriously, this was problematic:
Here's the statement from the Oakland Raiders about why the field was suddenly cut down to 80 yards tonight in Winnipeg. pic.twitter.com/XVgprk23yY
— Mike McIntyre (@mikemcintyrewpg) August 23, 2019
Taking America’s most popular game to Canada was a good idea in theory, but not so much in practice.
Field conditions weren’t the Packers’ only problems. Injuries to edge defender Rashan Gary (we touched on this earlier) land wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (ankle sprain that will keep him out 4-6 weeks) marred Thursday’s game, as two young players who the Packers lean on left the game early.
And those weren’t the only key injuries that happened during Thursday’s preseason action around the league:
The Panthers say Cam Newton has a foot injury and will not return. Here’s a look at what happened. pic.twitter.com/bwWHN2mUru
— Matt Harris (@Matt____Harris) August 23, 2019
Source says that, after x-rays, Panthers QB Cam Newton was diagnosed with a sprain in his left foot. Team will know more tomorrow.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 23, 2019
Cam Newton left tonight's preseason game against the Patriots in a walking boot. pic.twitter.com/a8vMSRAefx
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 23, 2019
Sure, the Panthers are “cautiously optimistic” that quarterback Cam Newton will be ready for Week 1 after suffering a foot injury that had him leaving the stadium in a walking boot. But while that’s good news, it’s hard to escape the idea that injuries in exhibition games that don’t count in the standings aren’t avoidable (because they are).
The big news to come from Thursday’s preseason action essentially reinforces Nagy’s idea of sitting starters. It wasn’t a popular idea last year and Nagy was dragged because of his bold move. But fortune favors the bold, and soon, more coaches will align with Nagy because they will eventually realize the reward isn’t worth the risk. From there, who knows what will happen with the NFL preseason … but it feels like change could be coming soon if trends continue.
