NEWSLETTER
If you were expecting Bears and Colts starters to go at it (even for a little bit) during Preseason Week 3, it’s time to re-adjust your expectations.
Check it out:
Frank Reich opens his presser today by saying he has had a change of heart and they will not play most of the starters in this game. Wow.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) August 21, 2019
Matt Nagy indicates the Bears will not play their starters in Saturday's third exhibition. He said those players have been "true professionals" approaching practice with a game-like demeanor knowing the team's preseason approach.
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) August 21, 2019
Bears Head Coach Matt Nagy and his Colts counterpart Frank Reich suggested their starters will not play in Saturday’s exhibition contest. For Nagy, it’s more of the same ol’ stuff for a coach who installed this plan of attack last summer in his first year as a head coach. But for Reich, this is a change of heart and is steering his team toward focusing on being healthy for its Week 1 matchup.
Whether the coaches are doing this with the intention to eventually bring down preseason as we know it or just because of the obvious advantages that come with resting starters and preparing them for games that matter, it’s important to note that this aggressive resting of key players is starting to catch on throughout the league.
The NFL is a copycat league, so perhaps teams are latching on to Nagy’s plan after watching his team take off last season and not suffer through a barrage of injuries. Maybe other coaches dislike the preseason as much as Nagy does. In the end, the league, its teams, and the coaches will have to confront the conundrums that come with exhibition season. Because at some point, fans are going to tire of paying full freight for a product that doesn’t warrant it. But until that time comes, it’s hard to imagine more coaches not following suit.
