World’s Best Preview: A referendum on importance of preseason

When the Green Bay Packers play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the early lead in the NFC North will be up for grabs. Moreover, it could serve as a referendum on the importance – or lack of importance – of preseason football.

The Packers played their front-line players sparingly in the preseason. The No. 1 offensive line played 15 snaps, which was 15 more snaps than quarterback Aaron Rodgers, 15 more snaps than running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, and eight more snaps than receiver Davante Adams.

“If we go out and we struggle, it has nothing to do with playing meaningless reps in the preseason,” Rodgers said before the Chicago game. “I really believe that. You’re not facing a ton of gamelike situations in the preseason. If we go out and light it up, it’s not because we rested in the preseason. Our performance will be based on our preparation this week, our experience and the way we execute on the field, and same for them. If they go out and play great, their offense or their defense, play great on one side of the ball or play bad on one side of the ball, it’s about execution in an intense environment, first game of the year. We’ll be ready to play.”

Offensively, the Packers did not appear ready to play, at least on the road against an elite defense like Chicago’s. Rodgers and Co. managed only two scoring drives against the Bears. Rodgers’ accuracy was inconsistent and the running game was feeble. Time and time again, the Packers were facing third-and-long – the average third-down play for the Packers required 9.5 yards. Would the offense been sharper had Rodgers had thrown 25 passes in the preseason – as was the case for Sunday's counterpart, Minnesota's Kirk Cousins? That question is impossible to answer.

While Rodgers steadfastly believes the best preparation for the regular season comes from facing his own defense on the practice field, there’s also the false security that comes with standing in the pocket but knowing you’re not going to get hit. Facing Chicago’s vaunted defense, which recorded sacks on each of the first two series, Rodgers rarely looked totally at ease in his first time operating coach Matt LaFleur’s offense in a fully live setting.

“You’ve got to remind yourself a little bit that there’s no red jersey on so you might take a couple of shots,” Rodgers said on Wednesday. “But the key is when you don’t get hit for so long is ball security. It was a good reminder for me on my run – Ha Ha (Clinton-Dix) came back and knocked that ball out – just to be a little smarter carrying the football a little higher and tighter. Luckily got that one back. But no, it’s different. I feel like once you get the first one out of the way, you’re into that rhythm and it feels normal again. I felt good on the field and probably feel a little better this week, too.”

By contrast, the Vikings’ offense looked much more polished in their 28-12 rout of the Atlanta Falcons. Perhaps the preseason was part of that winning formula. Cousins and the No. 1 unit played 53 snaps in the first three preseason games, including 25 in the third preseason game - the once-upon-a-time "dress rehearsal" for the regular season.

The Packers and Vikings are first-year zone schemes in the running game. While Green Bay’s running backs combined for 39 yards on 18 carries, the Vikings’ tandem of Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison combined for 160 yards on 30 carries. Was it because the Vikings used the preseason games to get ready for the regular season? Again, that’s a question that’s impossible to answer with certainty. Maybe those backs would have run for 160 yards had they spent the preseason on a beach in Maui.

Regardless, with such dominance on the ground, Cousins threw only 10 passes, completing eight of them.

Defensively, the Packers and Vikings turned in superb performances in their Week 1 victories. For Green Bay, it faced a Chicago offense that also put no value on the preseason. Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky played three snaps in the preseason – all handoffs in the first game. Minnesota, on the other hand, crushed an Atlanta offense led by former MVP quarterback Matt Ryan, who threw 28 passes in the preseason. Most of the Vikings’ front-line defenders played 59 preseason snaps.

It’s hard to criticize coaches who choose not to play their key players in the preseason. For Green Bay, its 2015 season essentially ended during the second preseason game at Pittsburgh, when Jordy Nelson suffered a torn ACL.

However, it’s almost impossible to argue – unless, of course, you’re Rodgers – that preseason snaps aren’t valuable when getting ready for the regular season. It’s the damned if you do, damned if you don’t decision confronting each coach every August. What’s more important? Getting to September playing quality football? Or getting to September at something close to full health?

“I don’t know. Each guy is different,” Zimmer said when asked about his philosophy during a conference call on Wednesday. “I’m sure some of our guys could probably not play in the preseason and play really well. For me, it’s just something we do and it’s how we do it. My feeling is you can’t play scared in the preseason. You have to go out and have to hit a little bit and tackle a little bit, especially if you’re not tackling in practice. So even the runners, they need to get tackled sometimes, to me. That’s my philosophy. It doesn’t mean I’m right.”

Which philosophy is right? By about 3 p.m. Sunday, the scoreboard might provide at least some clarity.

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