The NFL’s decision to shift from four preseason games to three meant that head coaches had to plan accordingly about how they would utilize and prioritize personnel in each game. The fourth preseason game was typically reserved for fringe roster players to state a final case. The third game was the ‘tune-up game’ for the start of the regular season when the starters got their most extensive playing time.
Back when the change was first made, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged that it might require a period of adjustment. A few years in, however, he struck a different chord, telling reporters yesterday that he approaches the third preseason game no differently than he did when there were four, including the game-planning aspect.