Cards kickoff preseason Thursday in Oakland

If most football fans are like me, it’s hard to determine whether preseason games are worth getting excited about or more of a tease. Granted, football in any form is enjoyable, but it’s just so hard to get too excited until the games are for real. All you can really do is take it for what it is – a time for fans and management to evaluate talent for the season to come. Obviously it’s nice to see your team win, but in the big picture that’s not the highest priority.

Coming out of the preseason healthy is on the top of every teams priority list. Unfortunately the Cards have already been bitten relatively hard by the injury bug. Star safety Adrian Wilson suffered an injury to his bicep during a team scrimmage. The injury is significant enough that Wilson is confronted with opting for surgery and missing the entire season or attempting to rehab and continue to play. Word has it that A Dub will rehab the injury and plans to be ready for the season opener against the Carolina Panthers. Either way it’s unfortunately because Wilson is a leader on defense and he was counted on this season to be healthy and return to his elite form from seasons past. If you recall, Wilson played with an ailment much of last season that noticeably diminished his on field production. Needless to say, the Cardinals don’t need any other injuries. Another injury to a defensive starter or key offensive player would really set the team back.

Coaches need to find a balance between getting players into regular season shape, avoiding injury and getting into a rhythm. Despite the injury risk, the Cards need to give new quarterback Kevin Kolb plenty of action in the preseason. Kolb is learning a new playbook, adjusting to new teammates and he only has a few years of experience under his belt. When week one rolls around, it’s important that Kolb is confident and not still learning the system. Of course a learning curve is expected to a certain extent, but only increased reps in game action will speed through the learning process.

Of course I’m going to watch the Cards play the Raiders tomorrow night. Honestly, all it’s going to do is make me want football more, not satisfy the craving that already exist. Preseason is better than no football, but wake me up when the regular season starts.