09-12-2023, 07:58 AM
(09-11-2023, 08:41 PM)Nepa Wrote: Yes, there was a risk of injury. The field conditions were poor.
But this was also an opportunity for the second and third stringers, who normally might not play, to get actual game experience. Browning and Iosivas come to mind. They were playing in the preseason games, even though there was an even greater risk of injury there, going up against backups trying to make the team. And in college, coaches use games that are already decided to get some game experience for their backup QBs and running backs and WRs.
I was quite surprised that the Bengals didn't try to get some actual game experience for our backup players. And it was odd doing a "victory formation" at the end of that game.
Regarding concern about getting injured, I remember the Giants going all out against the Patriots in the last regular season game of 2015. People were shocked because the game meant nothing standing wise to the Giants. There was no reason to play their starters. They were just risking injury. Their playoff position was already set. But they went all out that game. Although the Giants lost that game, they ended up SuperBowl champs that year. They did the opposite of playing scared. And they earned my, and many other fans, respect.
Yeah, like I said before, I would have liked to have seen Browning let loose. But it comes with risk, not to just the receivers, but to the linemen who were playing on that shit surface.