A slightly dumb theory that just popped into my head
 

So we barely played our starters at all and in fact didn't bother to get any of them the ball. No touches for Bowe, Charles, Moeaki....hell we fed the ball to McCluster and Bannon.

Is it possible that the reasoning behind this was:

1. Our team is badly out of practice.

2. Haley will use the remainder of the preseason to play his starters heavily, to get them more practice compared to a normal preseason.

3. He used THIS game to evaluate all the scrubs and backups by playing them heavily and in some cases even starting them.

Basically, game 1 is for all the scrubs. Games 2, 3 and 4 we'll see our starters play into the third quarter and the scrubs won't see much action.

Possible or ludicrous?

No. You're over thinking it. Ludicrous.

I'd call it highly likely. Haley made it pretty clear before the game started that it was nothing more than a practice.

I honestly can't think of a reason not to give Charles a touch in a preseason game other than this.

Yes, but even in practice Charles and Bowe touch the ball, Wiegmann plays, etc.

In games 2 and 3 other teams will be playing their starters more so we'd have our starters playing more against the opponent's starters.

please tell me you are just trying to be sarcastic

I think it was more along the lines of "I want to see how these scrubs do against legit NFL talent to help figure out who should definitely make this team". And also perhaps he wants the starters to get another week of training under their belt before they put their bodies on the line in a game situation.

This also occurred to me.

Tonight was "abuse the third team punching bags and get through this shit without a major injury"

Well of course. They're vets. They want to play preseason games as much as Sneakers O'toole wants to take his sneakers off
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And why risking injury to major players in the first preseason game when you've only had 2 weeks of practice?

I mean you don't even let Cassel throw a pass....not one....pretty clear you don't want him getting hit.

Exactly. We have 3 more games and plenty more camp to get the starters going.

Imagine being a Tampa fan and Freeman goes down after an extended stay in the 1st game of the preseason. Would have been ugly for the franchise. I'm surprised Freeman played as much as he did. Haley played it smart.

i think you're over thinking

I was just happy to see Arrowhead in the Friday night Light spotlight while the team went out and just had some fun

My theory is that they just didn't want anybody hurt.

didn't we go 0-4 in preseason last season? first preseason game, **** it. ZERO CARES