No Preseason, No Problem?

The NFL is scheduled to open training camps on July 28th. The regular season is scheduled for September 13th for most teams.

That includes the Washington Redskins as they are set to host the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField, which is expected to be largely if not totally empty.

The question now becomes - what happens with the preseason.

We have potentially conflicting reports on the actual viability of playing games.

After Mike Florio and ProFootballTalk's report on Wednesday that the NFL had decided to reduce the preseason to two games instead of four and that teams would only play the middle two games of their original schedule, we now have this from Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

From @NFLTotalAccess: NFL teams would like to play two preseason games to get a read on their rosters and get ready for Week 1, though the NFLPA hasn't signed off on that and is wondering if it's wise to start mixing teams for games that don't count in the standings. pic.twitter.com/bHAFsAde8v
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 1, 2020

Apparently, the NFL can impose a two-game preseason whether the NFLPA agrees or not but the question for owners is this - is there really any benefit to playing 'meaningless' games if they can't charge anyone $13 for a watered down warm beer or $50 for a parking spot that nobody in their right mind should buy.

Garafolo's mention of "32 little bubbles" seems like the easiest thing to do from a health and safety standpoint, right?

Yes of course. That's because it's going to be nearly impossible as it is to hold training camp and keep everyone or most players and staff safe just inside of those 'little bubbles."

The problem from a football perspective is this:

1. With no offseason program, a later than expected report date to not allow for extra acclimation and two preseason games (maybe none?), the product will absolutely suffer.

Let's face it - September football is often sloppy and uneven. That might be kind. Defenses can't tackle in practice. Quarterbacks have to adjust to getting hit again and new coaching staffs are trying to figure out what exactly they have.

That's with four games. What do you think will happen if there's no games or two games?

2. How do you evaluate your football team in every area without the situations that actual games present?

I've been at a thousand NFL practices and they all practice time, down and distance and other situational football.

There's a difference when you can practice these drills in shorts and shells as opposed to when someone is trying to take your soul.

3. The problem for the Redskins this year is compounded even more. New head coach, new staff, new system and terminology and a bunch of new players.

This isn't a huge issue for the Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs but it sure as hell is for the Redskins and other teams like the Giants and Cowboys who made major staff changes.

So in essence - every team will not be on the same page as each other in terms of talent, depth and overall roster construction but also some teams (the Redskins) will be at a further disadvantage than say teams that had a coaching staff change last year (Green Bay, etc).

Here's the bottom line - fans hate preseason football because they don't know many of the players that play extensively, the game results don't count and because if you choose to go to games - there's no such thing as "preseason pricing."

Most members of the media hate preseason games because of some of the same reasons but largely because the 'meaningless' games are played in the evening which means a 2 or 3 AM type of departure from the stadium unless you're fortunate enough to work for an outlet that sends eight reporters to a game.

The NFL as a whole, the owners and the players all have their own reasons for not liking preseason games and eventually they are going to be permanently reduced if not eliminated.

The problem that nobody wants to admit is this: You can't practice the same way you have to play in games AND then there's this - when we go to a 17-game season and three preseason games or two or none, you might as well chalk up the first month of the regular season as an extended preseason.

There are already teams (and they would never admit this) that take the first quarter of the season to get into football game shape under the current format.

The belief of many in the NFL is that the Patriots have mastered this plan of attack.

That might be the whole league if we eventually cut out the August slate.

It's a necessary evil to play games that don't count to play games that do.

Trust me, you'll see a major difference this year if we even get to have a this year.

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Chris Russell is the Publisher of RedskinsReport.com & Sports Illustrated's Washington Redskins channel. He can be heard on 106.7 The FAN in the Washington D.C. area and world-wide on Radio.com. Chris also hosts the "Locked on Redskins" Podcast and can be read via subscription to Warpath Magazine. You can e-mail Chris at russellmania09@Gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @Russellmania621.