As Aaron Rodgers said last week, "It's not real football." And that may be true. Many teams not only rest their starters, but they avoid the "real football" Rodgers is talking about -- the exotic defensive looks, the full breadth and depth of the offensive playbook, etc. Rather, it's a time for evaluation of players, not plays, as teams try to figure out their roster.
But there's also an idea that while the games don't count, they do matter. They once even mattered for Rodgers, back when he was a young backup and starter. He's obviously long removed from those days, which may contribute to his disdain for the preseason now.
But for those looking to make a roster, the preseason is one of their best chances to impress. Plus, no one ever wants to look bad on a football field, preseason or not. That's especially true for those in a battle for a job or for playing time.
And several players who fall into those categories failed to impress in preseason Week 1. The good news is that there's still plenty of time. The season is still nearly a month away.
Roster cut day is over two weeks away. A rough outing can be fixed with a good week of practice and a good preseason Week 2. It can also be a sign of things to come.
As such, we're looking at some preseason Week 1 losers and assessing their chances to make up for it. I've already given my thoughts on the Falcons being a major Week 1 loser, given their Friday consisted of ... The Falcons are still without Michael Penix Jr. in game settings as his knee rehab continues, meaning Tagovailoa is the de-facto QB1 in a pretty dismal quarterback competition.
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