What Did the 2013 NFL Preseason Teach Us?
Most football fans have a love-hate relationship with the NFL's four-game preseason schedule.
While it's awesome to watch professional football in August, it's also frustrating to see third and fourth string guys getting a bulk of the playing time. All in all, most NFL fans are excited when the preseason comes to an end. Thankfully, the five-week warm-up is over and the 2013 NFL regular season is now upon us!
Yet, before we trek into the depths of games that actually matter, let's take a quick stroll down memory lane and relive some of the best moments from this preseason.
For starters, the injury bug bit hard and often this summer. In fact, you could likely build an NFL All-Pro team solely using players that were placed on injured reserve this offseason! Torn ACLs were more common than sacks this preseason and the wide receiver position seemed to get hit the hardest with Jeremy Macllin, Danario Alexander and Joe Morgan all suffering injuries that will keep them out for the entirety of the 2013 campaign.
Luckily, teams like the New Orleans Saints were able to avert our attention away from the injury bug and put it toward a team that looks rejuvenated to say the least. Here are five unique things that the 2013 NFL preseason taught us!
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No. 5 Takeaway: Injuries Suck
Rarely have injuries played such a big part in preseason football. Leave it to the New York Jets to shoot themselves in the foot -- not literally (this time) -- and be crippled with injury before the season even begins. Playing Mark Sanchez in the fourth quarter of a preseason game might just have put an end to Rex Ryan's time in the Big Apple.
No. 4 Takeaway: Carolina Panthers' Offense Is Still Clueless
Judging by the Carolina Panthers' preseason efforts, Cam Newton's crew is going to struggle once again in 2013. When No. 2 was on the field for the Panthers, Carolina's offense sputtered and scored just one time in 14 tries. I'm no mathematician, but the Panthers definitely didn't want Newton going into the regular season with his first-team offense punting eight times out of 14.
No. 3 Takeaway: New England Patriots Are Lost
These New England Patriots just look funny. The usual-scary combination of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez is obviously nowhere to be found and Tom Brady's bunch looks like a collegiate team. Most fans will remember the Pats' 2013 preseason efforts for their Week 3 loss to the Detroit Lions, who were lucky to win five games last season. Buckle down, New England, because this could get ugly.drubbing.
No. 2 Takeway: Robert Griffin III Is Invincible
It's getting to be a yearly occurrence in the NFL for a top star to shred his ACL and then come back in miraculous fashion. This year's hero? Robert Grffiin III, who impressed everyone this preseason and didn't even play a single snap! Let's hope that RG3 has used these eight months of rehab just as wise as Adrian Peterson did in 2012.
No. 1 Takeaway: New Orleans Saints Look Rejuvenated
This time last year, everyone in the NFL was talking about what kind of impact "bountygate" would have on the league. However, the New Orleans Saints enter the 2013 season free of such suspensions and head coach Sean Payton looks more focused than ever. Let's not forget that Payton and Drew Brees won a Super Bowl not too long ago. New Orleans used this preseason to push themselves in the right direction and show us all that this teams is a rejuvenated one to say the least.
