Browns No Dress Rehearsal For Dirk Koetter
August 23rd, 2016
“I don’t need to practice game-planning.”
The cliché for an NFL team’s third preseason game is that it’s a “dress rehearsal” for opening day.
Not so for Dirk Koetter.
Koetter got into great detail on the subject this week. He just doesn’t have time now to make Friday’s preseason game against the Browns a true simulation of a real game.
Koetter, of course, is a very busy man running the entire team while still calling the offensive plays — all as a first-year head coach.
“Game planning is serious business. I probably spend, on a real week, I probably spend close to 40 hours working on a game plan. I just don’t have 40 hours, none of our coaches do right now and things are changing,” Koetter said, while talking about preparing for the Browns’ 3-4 defense.
“A lot your regular game planning is key to specific personnel, and when they’re playing three-deep, like we may want to attack X, Y and Z. X in the pass game, Y in the run game, Z on the perimeter. But now those guys play two series, well it just doesn’t make sense to game plan, you don’t have time, you’ve got other stuff going on. Our game plans are much more detailed and that’s why, as we talked about the other night, preseason is a catch-22. You want to win because they’re keeping score, but at the same time, the preseason was set up to evaluate your team to how you’re going to get from 90 down to your final cuts, your 53, that’s what it was set up for. I’ve been game planning for 35 years.
“I don’t need to practice game-planning.”
What an honest, refreshing and informative take from Koetter.
Preseason is what it is: a tool for evaluating players and units.
Whether Koetter has the right call on 3rd-and-5 against the Browns on Friday, trailing, say, 12-10 midway through the second quarter, is completely meaningless.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:42 pm
Belichek said today that the 3rd preseason game is a completely different universe than regular season. People shouldn’t call them dress rehearsals..
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:44 pm
I agree with this sentiment, but can’t help but think of how different the reaction would have been if lovie said this last year. I am not sticking up for lovie or bashing lovie, he is gone so I could care less. But a person’s opinion of someone dramatically changes you reaction to what they say.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:47 pm
Man it feels nice to have a good offensive coordinator again.
August 23rd, 2016 at 7:52 pm
As so many have said before me, let’s move on. Let’s move on. Let’s move on. LET’S MOVE ON.
What would it mean if our DC or our OC in title said this? Maybe that would be worth our time.
I like the education I get from posts like this. Thanks, Joe.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:21 pm
It may not be a dress rehearsal for the coaching, or players like gmc or doug martin, but fans are not going to rest easy knowi g its preseason with the kickers missing left and right, as well as a slow start all around on offense. It should be considered a dress rehearsal for the players with high expectaitions who havent reached theyre potential. It would be nice to see a couple clean drives before week 1 to help assure everyone there is improvement.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:37 pm
Preseason is not meaningless…..neither are games when you are out of the playoff race……Players get paid to play….players want to make teams….players get injured…..
Kicks are returned when in the regular season they wouldn’t be…..
Koetter is absolutely right about the value of preseason with evaluating plays, players etc. Nice to win but not the number one priority….
The problem with the missed kicks is that there is no backup……you can fumble, drop passes, miss blocks, throw interceptions, miss tackles, get penalties….and there are players there to take your job…..but not our kicker….this is the problem with spending a high draft pick….you have the investment….
I will reserve my opinion on Aguayo based on his regular season performance….
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:39 pm
Just saw such throw someone to the ground with anger, hehehe, I love that stuff.
Joe I have a question for coach K if you are so inclined. Will Evan Smith or Joe Hawley be starting at center? I think we’ve seen enough of Smith at center and I personally would rather not have my pro bowl future super bowl winning quarterback getting hit. Ty
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:40 pm
I agree with Kevin.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:46 pm
Perspective
The Rams gave up like 12 draft picks for Geoff. Dak Prescott got drafted in like the 4th or 5th round. Prescott making at least 2 if not 31 GMs looks really silly.
Perspective
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:54 pm
From what I see coach K not too happy w his O.
His qb can’t throw “Jameis needs to make that throw in his sleep”
WR can’t catch “wish some of our WR would make that catch”
O is slacking “No juice, no juice”
And the O ain’t scoring points “yea should’ve been more points than that, we missed ME along the sidelines then the missed FG”
I would add his vet lineman ain’t blocking – looking at you Evan Smith
With that said I have the upmost concidence he won’t get blown out by 40 points by the 3rd qrt on Sept 11.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:54 pm
He might not need to practice game planning, but he might need to practice game planning while ALSO being the Head Coach in charge of the whole team. He hasn’t had to do that since college. Just a thought.
August 23rd, 2016 at 8:59 pm
These games are glorified practices. The goals are don’t get anybody significant injured and evaluate the lower end of your roster. They have no bearing whatsoever on how the team will play in the regular season unless a top line starter gets injured. Please quit attributing any significance to these games.
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:10 pm
Honest & Refreshing! Ha I’ve known that since I started looking at football! Give me a freakin break!
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:12 pm
To me it matters how the 1s play. Are they aggressive, smart, disciplined, in synch? You don’t wwnt to walk into game one with no rhythm. Prove you can do it on Friday 1s!
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:36 pm
Saying preseason games aren’t meaningless isn’t attributing significance to the games…..simply saying the games have some meaning.
Surely they have meaning to those who want to avoid becoming Insurance Claims Adjusters, UPS drivers, Hooters cooks or Sports Blog Writers.
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:41 pm
Just wonderin’ … If preseason games are completely meaningless, why are the Bucs still charging full price for them?
August 23rd, 2016 at 9:50 pm
There’s a business/legal term known as “gouging” which applies here.
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:04 pm
First year coach, with a bad attitude , that have not won anything, who belittle his player through the media, what a winning combination
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:10 pm
Hey Ed. Go root for the Dolphins please. 🙂
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:45 pm
The problem/mistake was not giving up too much for a player you believe in. It was releasing and not replacing competition for that player.
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:47 pm
I think the dress rehearsal is talking about the amount of time your starters (traditionally) play. 3/4 of the game, and in the last preseason game they are lucky to play at all. I agree with Koetter and he says what every team is doing. No team is “game planning” a preseason game. Why would you waste the time evaluating the opposing team, when you have 90 of your own players that need to be evaluated? In the end that is the main onjective of preseason game. Getting game tape of your players to evaluate their performance.
August 23rd, 2016 at 10:59 pm
Honest and refreshing, oh it’s that Joe. Because Koetter keeps it “real”. Let’s see how refreshing he sounds if just we’re 0-6 to start the season and he hasn’t practiced his game planning and paying attention to the offense? I mean the ST has sucked and the starting D has given up 4 tds 3 in the red zone. Some of the same ol same as last year.
August 24th, 2016 at 12:14 am
Just get us the damn W’S this fan base deserves. We have all heard it all and are ready for the truth on the field. Just get the job done coach. Please!! Go Bucs!
August 24th, 2016 at 12:49 am
The Lions once went 4-0 in the preseason. They followed that up by going 0-16 in the regular season.
That’s all i have to say about that.
August 24th, 2016 at 1:33 am
Anyone remember how bad cincinatti looked last year in pre season against us? They did fine in regular season… Pre season means nothing no one wants to play in these games besides players fighting for roster spots
August 24th, 2016 at 4:25 am
agreed preseason is BS and but likewise the
dreams of our rookies tearing up the league is a total wetdream
both spence and vh3 will have very little production this year. this is the big boys league and both rooks will be humbled
August 24th, 2016 at 5:46 am
OMG.. You needed Koetter to say it to believe it? Preseason doesn’t matter. Except maybe for poor Aguayo..
August 24th, 2016 at 6:44 am
Sure is nice to have a coach who is honest.
August 24th, 2016 at 11:30 am
Honesty, frankness, truefullness..whatever. Koetter needs wins. Just not one or two, He needs a lot of wins. I’m sick and tired of all of this..Koetter and Smith adulation.How many times you want us Buc fans to..kiss the baby..rub his heard. The clock is ticking. No more niceities. GET IT DONE!! Or..you will be joining the rest of the ex buc head coaches fishing!!!
August 24th, 2016 at 11:31 am
Meaningless game for the stats, but it means the world to young players trying to make any team they can.
It means the world for our kicker, who needs every single FG attempt he can get before the season starts, whether he makes them or not. Experience is the best teacher. I don’t care if he misses every FG and Extra Point attempt in these last two preseason games. Each miss will lead to a lesson learned so that he’ll be more ready come game one.
After that? Well, my thoughts are pretty much out there already.
Also…I’m HOPING we can get a couple good WRs after the last round of cuts (from other teams).