(05-27-2024, 10:08 AM)snowwolf776 Wrote: pre-season games might not mean much of anythng,but theres one thing we can tell  by a pre-season game. how much talet a team has on thier depth charts.

Correct. Depth, and, to some extent, how far along the starters are as a unit. I always look for the following from the limited amount of playing time the starters receive:

1. Discipline - Are they avoiding penalties, are they staying on schedule, are they getting in and out of the huddle timely, are they wrapping up properly on defense, sealing the edge on offense and are both sides nailing their assignments or blowing them. 

2. Fluidity - There's always going to be a series or two where you're left scratching your head or disappointed the execution felt flat. However, you want to see consistency, you want to see them moving the chains on offense and getting off the field on defense more often than not.

3. Turnovers - This is something I think gets overlooked and understated, and sometimes just casually glossed over from the fanbase in general. Not from my perspective though. If Lawrence makes a head scratching throw and it results in an INT? That's concerning. If Bigsby coughs it up? That's even more concerning. 

These were things we all saw in the preseason and it carried over into the regular season off and on. That simply cannot happen this season. This team cost itself a few games last year strictly due to losing the turnover battle.

4. Special Teams - Harder on this group than the other squads, because it's one job for the most part if you're a Kicker or Punter. You either execute it well, or, you don't. There is no in between for me on this as a fan. I'll especially be looking at it more this preseason with the new rules in place. This is where the coaching staff earns it's salt. 

This squad could be the reason we overcome a turnover battle in one game, or, they could be the reason why our season falls short again. We have to be able to make 90% or more of our kicks, we have to not get beat by a full back for a touchdown and we have to flip the field a few times this year.

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