Notebook: Dave Canales "open" to playing starters Saturday

[ForJimmy]

2 minutes ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

Playing starters in the last game would make almost no sense, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them out there lol.

Wouldn't this be the whole getting reps and getting comfortable in the offense argument?

[PNW_PantherMan]

1 minute ago, ForJimmy said:

Wouldn't this be the whole getting reps and getting comfortable in the offense argument?

Na that's what the first two games are for.  There's almost no reason to play our starters against the Bills backups.  Best case scenario is they look good against 2nd stringers, which does nothing.  Worst case is they get stuffed by 2nd stringers and lose confidence.  Also, the risk of nagging injuries in the last game can easily drag into week 1.  If there was a time to play the starters, this ain't it.  Just my two cents.

[KaseKlosed]

Extended season means less playing time in preseason for starters. Seems like this is a heavy trend this preseason. Do you coach. 

[ForJimmy]

11 minutes ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

Na that's what the first two games are for.  There's almost no reason to play our starters against the Bills backups.  Best case scenario is they look good against 2nd stringers, which does nothing.  Worst case is they get stuffed by 2nd stringers and lose confidence.  Also, the risk of nagging injuries in the last game can easily drag into week 1.  If there was a time to play the starters, this ain't it.  Just my two cents.

It just shows there are so many different ways to do this. Last week would have been against the Jets backups as they didn’t play starters either. The Patriots starters barely played week 1 also. 

[PNW_PantherMan]

2 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

It just shows there are so many different ways to do this. Last week would have been against the Jets backups as they didn’t play starters either. The Patriots starters barely played week 1 also. 

True.  But we have no way of knowing why they chose to do that.  I would question playing starters if I was playing against the Panthers and they weren't playing anyone that was gonna make the 53.  Just throwing out there.

If they haven't had action in the first two games, I just don't think it makes a lot of sense to dress them for game 3.

[Davidson Deac II]

26 minutes ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

Na that's what the first two games are for.  There's almost no reason to play our starters against the Bills backups.  Best case scenario is they look good against 2nd stringers, which does nothing.  Worst case is they get stuffed by 2nd stringers and lose confidence.  Also, the risk of nagging injuries in the last game can easily drag into week 1.  If there was a time to play the starters, this ain't it.  Just my two cents.

Had the starters played against the Jets, it would have been against the Jets backups.  

I agree with you about the injury thing though.  

[ForJimmy]

14 minutes ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

True.  But we have no way of knowing why they chose to do that.  I would question playing starters if I was playing against the Panthers and they weren't playing anyone that was gonna make the 53.  Just throwing out there.

If they haven't had action in the first two games, I just don't think it makes a lot of sense to dress them for game 3.

I get it.  It's why I'm on the boat of it doesn't matter.  Play them and get the ready, sounds good.  Keep them healthy and work on depth, go for it.  

[strato]

38 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

I get it.  It's why I'm on the boat of it doesn't matter.  Play them and get the ready, sounds good.  Keep them healthy and work on depth, go for it.  

I kind of don’t care anymore either. The hopeful side says I want to see what they have done.

The 2023 me might say 17 will be more than enough. I’m watching replays the last two years as it is.

[WhoKnows]

19 hours ago, ForJimmy said:

Wouldn't this be the whole getting reps and getting comfortable in the offense argument?

No. If injuries are something you are trying to avoid or lessen the impact (on the regular season), you don’t use only the last preseason game to get reps.

First, when other teams play their starters, they do it in weeks 1 and 2 so better chance of real reps. Second, if someone rolls an ankle, when do you want that to happen? Preseason weeks 1 and 2 give you more recovery time than week 3.

In days gone by, no starters ever played the last week of preseason. I’m all for reps when we have brand new OLs and coaches every single year, but the smart choice is to play starters early when they have a higher chance to play other starters and have more chance to heal if there’s any minor injuries.

[strato]

19 hours ago, ForJimmy said:

I get it.  It's why I'm on the boat of it doesn't matter.  Play them and get the ready, sounds good.  Keep them healthy and work on depth, go for it.  

I pledged Canales a benefit of the doubt this year and will start his test year two if he makes it lol. 

If it doesn’t work, we may see a different approach next year. I am like, what do we have to lose? I predicted 6 wins... is 5 or 4 going to make that much of a difference? In draft position yeah but otherwise I care all that much if it is 11 losses or 15 losses. 

I would be happy as a fan if they ramp up their game as the season progresses and are showing us something good by season’s end.

I always say, if they can be good enough to spoil someone’s playoff hopes that is some good progress. 

[ForJimmy]

1 hour ago, strato said:

I pledged Canales a benefit of the doubt this year and will start his test year two if he makes it lol. 

If it doesn’t work, we may see a different approach next year. I am like, what do we have to lose? I predicted 6 wins... is 5 or 4 going to make that much of a difference? In draft position yeah but otherwise I care all that much if it is 11 losses or 15 losses. 

I would be happy as a fan if they ramp up their game as the season progresses and are showing us something good by season’s end.

I always say, if they can be good enough to spoil someone’s playoff hopes that is some good progress. 

I'm on the same boat.  Try to put a competitive team on the field and if we get 6 wins with a functioning offense I'll call it a success.

[ForJimmy]

2 hours ago, WhoKnows said:

No. If injuries are something you are trying to avoid or lessen the impact (on the regular season), you don’t use only the last preseason game to get reps.

First, when other teams play their starters, they do it in weeks 1 and 2 so better chance of real reps. Second, if someone rolls an ankle, when do you want that to happen? Preseason weeks 1 and 2 give you more recovery time than week 3.

In days gone by, no starters ever played the last week of preseason. I’m all for reps when we have brand new OLs and coaches every single year, but the smart choice is to play starters early when they have a higher chance to play other starters and have more chance to heal if there’s any minor injuries.

The problem is we didn't have enough starters healthy early on.  Our LG is just getting healthy, Hunt was in and out of joint practice, XL was injured, and Johnson is injured.  It would be our QB behind an incomplete OL without his first round WR and he best WR.  Tremble was also banged up along with out backup tackle and backup QB (imagine if Dalton's injury lingered and Bryce gets hurt.  You want Plummer in the regular season?).  I think this is why he didn't play them early.  He kept saying we see how they are looking health wise before he made a decision.  So he could trot out half an offense or try to make some play through mild injuries that could turn more severe.  

Now if you are wanting reps vs starters that is tough to find.  The Pats played their starters for 1 series and the Jets didn't play them at all.  So that would have been one brief series of a offense missing key pieces going against a Pats defense in week 1. 

Again there are 100s of different factors that go into this, which is why there isn't one specific way to do it. 

[backINblack28]

20 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

The problem is we didn't have enough starters healthy early on.  Our LG is just getting healthy, Hunt was in and out of joint practice, XL was injured, and Johnson is injured.  It would be our QB behind an incomplete OL without his first round WR and he best WR.  Tremble was also banged up along with out backup tackle and backup QB (imagine if Dalton's injury lingered and Bryce gets hurt.  You want Plummer in the regular season?).  I think this is why he didn't play them early.  He kept saying we see how they are looking health wise before he made a decision.  So he could trot out half an offense or try to make some play through mild injuries that could turn more severe.  

Now if you are wanting reps vs starters that is tough to find.  The Pats played their starters for 1 series and the Jets didn't play them at all.  So that would have been one brief series of a offense missing key pieces going against a Pats defense in week 1. 

Again there are 100s of different factors that go into this, which is why there isn't one specific way to do it. 

This all makes sense and I don't disagree with any of it, it's just frustrating that a 2 win team is essentially fronting that we can't use all the reps we can get (esp given new system, new staff, and OL/roster turnover). I have seen enough freak preseason/training camp injuries to know that health is paramount, but I do think young QBs getting reps is important no matter the situation.  I say that to also say I'm not sure how much any rep last year helped Bryce considering we couldn't run for 3 yards, run block, pass block, run a route, catch a ball, or put all of those things together for more than like 15 plays in an entire season so I digress 

Edited August 22, 2024 by backINblack28

[TLGPanthersFan]

If the starters play on Saturday and struggle against backups. Woo boy.