Cam Newton injured, which is why teams shouldn't play starters

Cam Newton injured, which is why teams shouldn't play starters

Frank Schwab --Yahoo Sports

The third preseason game is the so-called dress rehearsal. Teams are more likely to play starters into the second half. That’s how it has always been.

In recent years teams seem more willing to sit their key players for most if not all of the preseason, and we all saw why when Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton left Thursday’s game with a foot injury.

Newton was playing his first preseason game this season against the New England Patriots, after offseason shoulder surgery. The Panthers might have felt he needed some preseason reps, to work out his repaired shoulder in a game and to feel ready for Week 1.

Instead, Newton came off with a limp after a sack and headed to the locker room with a foot injury. He was ruled out almost immediately. Not good.

This is why teams sit starters in the preseason. Sean McVay of the Rams has taken it to an extreme, rarely playing anyone who we’ll see in a significant role to start the regular season. Last season the Rams had a sluggish first half in Week 1 of the regular season (which can happen regardless of preseason playing time) but they were healthy heading into September. It seems like a good tradeoff. It seems more teams are following that lead and scaling way back on the amount their starters play in the preseason.

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[sports.yahoo.com]