Week 1 of the football season is finally here. Fans are optimistic about their teams and cannot wait for the opening kickoff. A new season brings hope for fans that this might be the year their teams have a chance at competing for the Super Bowl.

The NFL gets a lot of things right, and it is the main reason why it is more successful than the other major sports. However, it does get some things wrongs too. One of them being the preseason. The preseason is long, dreadful, and painful to watch. And this year, it was worse than ever.

In the past, teams have used preseason games to slowly build on their playbook. This means that in the first preseason game, the starters will play a drive or two. Then in the second preseason game, they would play a quarter or so. In the third preseason game, typically known as the dress rehearsal, is when the starters would play about three quarters. The coaches will open their playbook and use plays they’ve been implementing to use in the regular season. And finally, none of the starters would play in the fourth preseason game. This would be a game for all the players trying to make the final cuts.

This year, the typical flow of the preseason did not apply. The starters for most teams barely saw any real action. Even in the dress rehearsal game, the starters were pulled quick. There is a huge fear around the NFL: starters suffering season-ending injuries in the preseason. We’ve seen it all too often over the past few years. And it seemed that coaches were much more careful with their starters this year. As a result, the product on the field was not of high quality and unbearable to watch most of the time.

If coaches and teams are going to be this careful, then it is time for the NFL to reconsider the preseason. There have been talks to cut preseason games from four to two. The NFL should really consider this option.

As a fan, I would be in favor of less preseason games. Cutting down preseason games might help with the quality of these games. There will be fewer opportunities for the starters to get game action. Therefore, fans will get to see closer-to-real season quality of football if only two games are played.

These games just have too much action that is totally irrelevant to the team’s success. The games should be more fun, even if they are just preseason. The nature of the game makes things complicated, but if coaches want to protect their players, then the NFL should cut back these games. It is a message the NFL has been standing by amidst the concussion controversy. They are taking measures to improve player safety, and one way to keep their players safe is by having their stars play less games that are meaningless.

NFL is a money-making machine. These preseason games still have better TV ratings than regular season baseball games and teams still make money with ticket and concession sales. However, the NFL must realize that the quality of the game must be preserved and player safety should be their top priority. The win-loss record of a preseason does not count for anything for the team’s success in the regular season, but a big-time injury can end a team’s season. There is nothing to gain, and everything to lose.