Dawg Talkers Message Boards: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Training Camp/Preseason

Since I have nothing better to do with my life (some summer...can't wait to get back to Athens). I figured I'd take a my shot at writing one of these "teaching" posts and see how it works.

1) Preseason record means absolute squat.
This one is common knowledge but every year optimism gets the best of us. Somehow we think our 3rd string QB and practice squad receiver scoring a winning TD at the end of a preseason game is something to build on. Sure, it feels good to win and no one likes to lose, but let's pay attention to the starters first and foremost.

2) The preseason darkhorse standout means absolutely nothing.
The chances of this being wrong are there, but the chances are very, VERY slim. I call this the CJ Jones/Brandon Rideau rule. Every year some of us pimp a guy for making plays in the preseason and in training camp, then once the season comes we never hear from them again. Chances are they won't even make the final roster. Don't be excited unless this player starts climbing the depth chart rapidly.

3) Don't panic about first round picks holding out until the first preseason game.
BUT, Romeo's history with rookies suggests otherwise. Every year there's panic/borderline castration with our first round picks holding out of training camp. Missing a few days will not put them too far behind. This happens every year to all sorts of teams and it doesn't put the players THAT far behind. It's mostly media/team driven propaganda to put pressure on the player. Don't panic unless the player isn't in uniform for the first preseason game. Then...start panicking because he IS missing valuable time by then. Ideally the latest a player will hold out would be a week after camp starts, so they have a week to go over team practice, then have a week to prepare for the first preseason game.

4) Know the quality of the opponent.
Beating up on the Lions doesn't mean much. Football is 80% mental, 40% physical. No matter how improved some teams appear to be, it takes awhile for them to gel and believe in themselves. Likewise, the opposite happens, the Bengals had all sorts of momentum from the previous season that carried over into the preseason where they just assaulted teams and carried into the season until teams stopped being scared of them.

5) There is no magic fix for line play or stopping the run.
Stop thinking "Once we add in our wrinkles or once we gel we'll be much improved." It hasn't happened in the years I've started looking at the details of the game. If you're flat out getting beat, it's going to be a long year no matter how much you scheme. (see: Eagles and Bears preseason games last year)

6) Stop thinking we're "holding more back than other teams."

"We're holding back on D, we're staying vanilla, you'll see us improve greatly. Campo's D is gonna be amazing for us." EVERY team holds things back, but just because we look bad in our base packages doesn't mean we'll look good in our exotic packages, you have to walk before you can run. This is very similar to #5 but different.

7) Listen to reporters when they say we look good or look like junk.
"Pete Prisco's such a moron, how can he NOT see that there's no covering the Four Deuces?"
Let's not be in denial if on the training camp tours, reporters are saying we're looking good or struggling. Yes, things will look more crisp eventually, but that happens in ALL training camps.

Feel free to add to this list, I know there's more but I'm getting bored with it.

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I officially need a new sig pic.