I think the answer is generally yes you can to an extent. Luck and genetics play a huge role.
That said, DC seems to be emphasizing grit and fight before taking physical care.
He did rest most of his starters through most of preseason which McVay started as a trend. McVay let’s vets sit out of many practices to keep them fresh.
Will this season be filled with a ton of injuries again as players attempt to “run through a brick wall for Campbell”?
Here is Duce coaching scat back swift to play through being hurt (not injured).
There is definitely a difference between being sore and hurt versus injured and likely to aggravate. It’s taken me many decades understand of the differences in my own body.
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Having a hands on strength and conditioning staff has to be an asset. Now who has the best unit, have no clue. But teams like Pitt, Balt, GB, & NE always seem to survive in this department.
Would love to see a league breakdown on injuries over say, a ten or twenty year run.
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The comment section at POD got into that quote a bit… is that a bad thing Duce wants players to play through being hurt, etc…
The way I see it he didn’t mean going out there on a broken leg or with a concussion… but he did mean is what’s your tolerance for the every day pains you inevitably will have. The healthiest everyone is will usually be before training camp.
I remember a quote from golden Tate saying that every Monday he woke up he felt like he got hit by a car, because he was hit by multiple cars every game. But he played through a lot, I don’t remember him missing much if any time.
At the same time, you are dealing with world class athletes and maybe some feel of they can’t be playing at 90-100% they won’t be good and therefore decide to sit out.
I dunno, I’ve never experienced nor seen that side of things first hand. But I tend to agree with Duce.
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I think there’s been so much progress in recovery technology now that there is less room for error in NFL coaching than before when it comes to injuries. That said, coaches still have freedom in the areas of conditioning and old fashioned things like that.
Conditioning doesn’t get you better at playing football. Playing football gets you better at playing football. How about instead of conditioning for 10 minutes, you practice for 10 more minutes? How many wind sprints and gassers has an NFL player ran in a game over the past 10 seasons? I’m guessing 0. Not once has a player in the NFL during a game ran a snake or a suicide.
Not going to lie, I don’t like this approach that more volume of work leads to better results. I disagree. More volume isn’t needed, but rather what can we do to make the existing volume more efficient?
In about 5 years, I bet the NFLPA does away with the conditioning test. It’s stupid and doesn’t do anything to help the player.
Also, if this really is Campbell’s philosophy, I bet injuries here we be above the league average. However, there is so much luck involved with injuries that it’s really hard to say whether or not the injury would have happened with or without an additional stress applied through a specific drill.
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There is a playing well while hurt “trait.” It is smart to attempt to hire and retain people who have this trait as well as all the other NFL traits that make one successful in that arena. It’s not personal, but alas there is some good ole toxic male warrior stuff at play when you are trying to get people to push past pain levels that diminish others. Some come by it naturally and are just “tough.” Others look at others pushing past worse pain and that “trains” them that they “can” do it and they “learn” to “manage” pain better. Others, just don’t have the mind that will let them disconnect from pain and discomfort. I’m not going to call that “weak.” But I’m not going to select them to the Ranger Regiment, or an NFL football team either. This was one warrior, challenging another warrior to prove himself among warriors. Many just won’t understand that, some may find it offensive. I totally understand and appreciate it.
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We are up to 17 games now, which I’m sure will be 18 before long. Giving players extra rest during the season is probably a very good strategy, especially for a team like the Rams who are playing even more important games in the playoffs, when you really need healthy players.
You can’t keep expanding the season length, and not expect more injuries.
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There is also a" push it to the extreme trait" in a guy like Wentz that puts his body in harms way more than needed to be successful
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Well when you start comparing to Rangers, everybody is weak!!!
I know that’s not what you were saying but you’re right. Rangers are the toughest of the bunch. It’s a warrior mentality and that’s where I think Duce is coming from.
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That might be more an example of being tough but not necessarily being smart about what you are doing. So it’s not that he’s not tough, but he puts himself in the way of getting injured too much, which undermines his toughness
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Thinking we’ll eventually see:
2 preseason games (H & A)
18 game season
2 bye weeks
Increased roster
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For sure, it’s coming. They already got the practice squads up to 16 guys now.
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I would be cool with that and I think the players would too for the most part. Especially expanded rosters and an extra bye.
Balco and Alex Guerrero have been doing it for years!
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I also think when you “play” afraid to get hurt you suck more at it and end up doing just that getting hurt
When you play with freedom from the fear of injury you play better, smarter and more fluid imho….
And, I know from personal experience - when my body is hurting, getting up and out and doing something helps it….
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I’ve always wondered if injuries are correlated to untalented teams trying too hard to compete with talented teams. Trying too hard can get you injured. I have nothing empirical to back this up, just an observation.
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Definitely agree it’s better to lay the hit vs be hit.
The rams got a bit softer under McVay but they also kept remarkably healthy except at DB and RB.
Is there perhaps a strategy around position that needs to play it safe vs those that need to lay it out there every play?
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Lacking depth can definitely do that. When one team can play backups without much dropoff and reduce snap counts can definitely prevent injuries. Read an article on that with data to back it up. I’ll see if I can find it.
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Similar to when teams play not to lose instead of to win… they go into a “safe” shell and it usually bites them in the end.
You definitely cannot play afraid. I do believe playing afraid to get hurt takes away your natural instincts, makes one hesitant, think about extra split second, etc. whereas if you don’t think, just do it, you’re less likely to get yourself caught up flat footed or unprepared for a split second thing that could have detrimental effects.
No data to back it up but I do remember that from playing sports growing up. I remember kids would be afraid to get hurt and if they just trusted their natural ability, they would’ve avoided injury a lot of the time.
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