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Belichick: 3rd preseason game not 'in the same universe' as regular season

Jim Rogash / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The third preseason game is generally viewed as a dress rehearsal for the regular season, with teams opting to give their starters significant action before resting them in the final exhibition game.

However, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who rarely goes along with conventional thinking, doesn't believe the third preseason game is in any way comparable to the rigors of a regular-season contest.

"I don't. I don’t know what that means," Belichick said Monday on WEEI Sports Radio. "In terms of playing time it might be a little different, but in terms of game-planning and strategy, what we see in the regular season compared to what we see the in third preseason game I don't even think you're in the same universe. We're still running our basic plays and we'd expect our opponents would run their basic plays. You get to the opener and start to get to game-planning and scheme, I mean you're in a totally different ballpark, in my opinion. I don't see any comparison at all. It's too far away, I don't see how you could compare them, from that standpoint.

"One-on-1 matchups, letting the players play, yeah, I would say you have a better matchup of guys like that, but it's nothing compared to what we’re going to see in the regular season from a total scheme situation standpoint."

Belichick is likely right. While teams use the third preseason game to rid their starters of any remaining rust, they're still unlikely to tip their hand by showcasing anything other than basic schemes.

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