The last time Lovie Smith was coaching an NFL team was 2015 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
At that time, there were four preseason games, and how NFL teams handled them was fairly standard. The starters would gradually see reps until the third preseason game when they might play a series or two into the third quarter — considered the “dress rehearsal” game. The fourth preseason game was merely a battle for roster spots as starters rarely took snaps in the exhibition finale.
With the NFL going to three preseason games in 2021, it made the third game — the dress rehearsal — mash up with the preseason finale.
According to Smith, the Houston Texans’ plans for how many reps the starters will have in preseason won’t change just because a game has been taken away.
“No, it doesn’t change,” Smith told reporters Aug. 15. “As we went into preseason, we had a plan that we’re going with on how we were going to play everybody and how many reps for the most part they were going to get. Injuries are the only thing that kind of knocked us off track a little bit with that. That’s not really knocking us off track because you get a chance to see somebody that maybe wasn’t in those plans. Again, keep in mind, practices, preseason games, it’s all a part of the plan to get ready for the regular season.”
The Texans were able to see some of their starters against the New Orleans Saints in a 17-13 victory at NRG Stadium Aug. 13. However, starting quarterback Davis Mills led the offense for only the first two series and had three dropbacks, going 3-3 for 14 yards.
“You look throughout the league, some players aren’t going to play any,” said Smith. “So maybe some of ours. We have a few players that may not play any throughout, so it’s just not a given. I’m not saying everybody on our roster is going to play this preseason. That may not be the case.”
The Texans take on the Los Angeles Rams Aug. 19 at SoFi Stadium. An increase of reps among starters against the reigning Super Bowl champions would be the barometer fans and media need to gauge where the team may be at.
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