I'm Dreaming of the NFL Preseason!

Be honest; is it ever really not football season? Whether it's the ritual of NFL Sundays, the pressure-cooker of the playoffs, the spectacle that is the Super Bowl, the scouting combines, or the draft, the NFL stays relevant to its fans year-round in a way that no other sport can quite match.

Then, of course, you can't forget about College Football and its pageantry, rivalries, bowl season and playoff. Although alternative pro leagues, such as the recently-defunct, fly-by-night AAF have largely been failures, the fact that they keep sprouting up highlights an indisputable fact: Americans simply can't get enough football!

While the NFL does a fine job of satiating the masses 12 months per year, the one component of the league that's clearly the ugly duckling is its preseason. With so much emphasis and emotional capital invested once the regular season begins, and with the draft commanding so much importance when it comes to shaping a team's future direction, it's understandably difficult to drum up much enthusiasm for "meaningless" games that look real but don't count in the standings, and leave fans holding their breath that impactful players don't get hurt. All that aside, the preseason, which kicks off Thursday, August 1st with the Hall Of Fame Game between the Atlanta Falcons and Denver Broncos, is critical to teams and something that fans should embrace, not admonish, and here are three reasons why:

1. You get to witness the foundation laid for what will take place in the regular season. The schemes, the plays, the formations, the blocking patterns, the trickery; these are just a few of the elements to the game that begin to develop in the preseason. So, if you really enjoy the nuances of the sport, and want to truly get in on the season at ground level, then the preseason has a lot to offer.
2. You'll watch players busting their tails for a spot on the team. Sure, the preseason is a damned-if-you-do kind of proposition when it comes to teams' starting players. Mainly you want to see that they come out fully intact, ready to start game 1 of the regular season, and they don't play much in the early preseason games anyway... if at all. But other players, the non roster training camp invitees, and those who might be buried on the depth chart if they make the team, the preseason is their chance to shine and prove that they belong. Because of this, you can bet that these gridiron warriors will be working extra hard to remain with the team through the next round of cuts and hopefully get the chance to break camp on the actual roster. You never know when that relative unknown at wide receiver might steal the show in a preseason game and emerge as the league's next unlikely breakout star.
3. It's a laid back, cost-effective, and family-friendly way to enjoy a football game. An NFL game can be quite an investment. The crowds are big and loud and the games are intense, which is what keeps fans filling stadiums week after week. But, it can also be costly, involve traffic and other travel concerns, and long lines at the concessions and restrooms. In many cases, going to an NFL game is an all-day affair that's well worth whatever drawbacks you may encounter. However, there's something to be said for being able to buy a ticket for a great seat literally at a fraction of the cost of a regular season game, and the smaller, mellower crowds. Particularly if you're bringing a young football fan to his or her first game, and you're not sure how they'll respond to the experience of a live NFL game, then a preseason game makes a lot of sense as a no-risk test run that will hopefully lead to attending many more, higher stakes games in the future.

So, those are some of the advantages of the NFL preseason that you might not have thought of, and tickets to many preseason games can be found on Seatslink for less than $5! While the preseason will always be something of a rehearsal for each and every team, certain games are sure to pique fans' interest more than others, so be on the lookout for these notable preseason matchups (all times given are EST):

Broncos vs. Falcons (Thursday, 8/1 at 8:00pm at Tom Benson HOF Stadium)- And just like that, we're back to organized NFL games! As part of the festivities leading up to the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Canton, OH, the Hall of Fame Game is a preseason rite of passage that always carries special meaning. Adding to the intrigue this year is a matchup featuring two of the league's venerable quarterbacks: Matt Ryan of the Falcons, and Joe Flacco, who's in his first season with the Broncos after 11 years and a Super Bowl victory with the Baltimore Ravens. Neither starting QB figures to see much action in this game, but Flacco's time on the field will garner special scrutiny to determine just how he's beginning to mesh with his new team, which is looking to rebound from consecutive poor seasons.

Jets vs. Giants (Thursday, 8/8 at 7:00pm at MetLife Stadium)- The annual Snoopy Bowl (which gets its name from MetLife, the mascot for which is the beloved Peanuts character, and the name of which is on the stadium that the two teams share) falls earlier in the preseason than usual, as this battle for bragging rights normally comes at the end of preseason. But, with the two teams squaring off in the regular season this year, this season's preseason tussle carries a bit less meaning than it otherwise would. Still, it's never dull when the locals matchup in any context and this year's preseason game will be no different. While Jets fans will be clamoring to see the development of QB Sam Darnold in year 2, and hope to catch glimpses of Le'Veon Bell actually on the field, Giants fans will be champing at the bit to see what first round draft pick Daniel Jones offers at QB, as they look to him to eventually lead Big Blue into a bright future.

Panthers vs. Bears (Thursday, 8/8 at 7:00pm at Soldier Field)- These teams feature traditionally stout defenses, but the focus as always will be on the quarterbacks. MVP candidate Cam Newton leads the Panthers offense and surprising young star Mitchell Trubisky looks to show growth following a strong 2018 season that resulted in an NFC North Division title for the Bears. Of particular interest this year will be seeing who emerges as the front runner to become the Bears place kicker, after last season's kicking meltdown led to the team's early playoff exit.

Cardinals vs. Chargers (Thursday, 8/8 at 10:00pm at State Farm Stadium)- Another year, another highly touted rookie QB set to lead the Cardinals. This time around, it's No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray, taking the field for the first time in front of the home fans. But this season also marks the debut of sought after Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury, who makes the jump from NCAA to NFL, widely regarded as one of football's brightest offensive minds. The team on the other sideline will offer a fine example to aspire towards, as Philip Rivers enters his 16th season helming the Chargers, a team considered by many to be a Super Bowl contender after a surprising 12-win 2018 campaign.

Browns vs. Colts (Saturday, 8/17 at 4:00pm at Lucas Oil Stadium)- The feel-good story of 2018 meets 2019's must-see team. One of the most electrifying matchups of the preseason pits last season's Comeback Player of The Year, Andrew Luck and his surprising Colts against the Browns and their dynamic second year QB, Baker Mayfield who should have by this point developed some solid chemistry with new WR target Odell Beckham, Jr, which will likely be on display for some extended reps by this point in the preseason.

Patriots vs. Giants (Thursday, 8/29 ay 7:30pm at Foxboro Stadium)- Whatever the Super Bowl Champion Patriots will look like on week 1 of the regular season, will likely take the field in week 5 of the preseason. If Rob Gronkowski will have returned from retirement, he should be back with the team by this point. Either way, outside of Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick, this year's Patriots will have a somewhat different composition from years past, with NFL watchers eager to see what the on field product will be. On the other side of the coin, the Giants will have answered some questions as well, particularly in regards to Daniel Jones' role and development, as well as how the offense will react to the loss of Odell Beckham, Jr, with 2018 Rookie of the Year runningback Saquon Barkley as the offense's focal point.

Rams vs. Texans (Thursday, 8/29 at 8:00pm at NRG Stadium)- The story with the Texans will always be dynamic All-Pro edge rusher JJ Watt, for as long as #99 keeps playing. But, the Texans also feature a high-powered offense, led by Deshaun Watson who came back from a gruesome 2017 knee injury to have an explosive 2018, in which he passed for over 4,000 yards, and threw for 26 touchdowns against only 9 interceptions. He's complimented by 1,500 yard/11 TD receiver DeAndre Hopkins, but they'll be hard-pressed to match the offense of the Super Bowl runner-up Rams, whose own QB, Jared Goff has emerged as one of the game's elite, coming off of a 4,700 yard/32 TD season. The big question mark which will hopefully have some clarity by the end of preseason will be the status of runningback Todd Gurley, who was hampered in the playoffs with a knee injury, and was mainly a decoy in his team's Super Bowl loss.

Ready or not, the return to organized NFL football games is officially here, meaning that the excitement of the regular season is not far behind. Whether you're a football junkie who can't get enough, or a more casual fan looking to appreciate the game a little bit more, the NFL preseason provides plenty of thrills to satisfy. Ready for some football? Then visit www.seatslink.com for tickets to all NFL games, including the preseason, regular season, and post season- right up to the Super Bowl, as well as NCAA football tickets so you can cheer on your favorite school.

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