Where has the Defense Gone

"Defenseless player." "Roughing the Quarterback." "Helmet to helmet (even when it is not)." "Simultaneous reception."

9-0, 6-3, 10-6 games= poor ratings/boredum in the ridiculous attention span that is U.S.A!! U.S.A.!!

Personally I love defensive battles and when you talk to anyone born before 1970 they'll tell you that was REAL football.

One of my most recent satisfying victories the Packers had was playing at the Jets I believe in 2009 or 2010. We weren't expected to win that game and were primed for a Rex Ryan ass kicking (so we were told). Instead IIRC I believe we won 9-0.

It was a terrific game.

I have the same memory of that game. There is a lot of tension in low-scoring game. With today's scores, the best you can hope for is for it to be close at the end of the game.

Because NFLFU wants it that way.

Agree with pboi, defensive battles can be a thing of beauty. Not a huge fan of high scoring Os vs hamstrung Ds myself.

I know I saw a column somewhere recently about how the newly enforced rules have changed how offenses and defenses see eachother.

In the past the offensive players had to keep their head on a swivel as defensive players were out to hit them anytime they could. The offensive players played with some hesitation out there and the defenses had no fear. Passing games could at least be somewhat slowed down as a receiver had a bit more fear about just running down the middle of the field and getting absolutely blasted by a hard hitting safety.

Now that has been reversed. Defensive guys have changed their mindset to the point where they are the ones hesitating. Just one slightly wrong hit and they get a major fine that actually impacts their potential earnings. It's made the NFL a totally different game. I certainly prefer the way it used to be, but that will never happen. Lawyers and empty suits have taken the defense out of football.

I don't get to see every other team in the NFL that much but just watching Packer games alone, it is amazing just how many games each week I saw the Packers or their opponent benefit by some sort of roughing or unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. It seems like those things are called way way more often than they were even say 5 or 10 years ago.

Look for a few rules to change this year though favoring the Defense. One being, no blocks below the waist on anyone at any time. Many defenders (Cushing and CMIII) came out and said that the NFL needs to protect the Defensive players as much as the Offensive players.

As said, in another thread, one rule change that will ultimately stop the pistol/read-option is to treat the QB like a RB if he is in that formation.

It is amazing how tweaks to rules or rule changes can alter the game, so much.

Another 5 years or so and this game won't even be recognizable. Trying to make a real life video game.

quote:

Originally posted by packerboi:
9-0, 6-3, 10-6 games= poor ratings/boredum in the ridiculous attention span that is U.S.A!! U.S.A.!!

Personally I love defensive battles and when you talk to anyone born before 1970 they'll tell you that was REAL football.

One of my most recent satisfying victories the Packers had was playing at the Jets I believe in 2009 or 2010. We weren't expected to win that game and were primed for a Rex Ryan ass kicking (so we were told). Instead IIRC I believe we won 9-0.

It was a terrific game.

And IF the Pack had had zero in that game this board would have lit up. The posters would have been in full cry....wheres the offense.

quote:

Originally posted by packerboi:


One of my most recent satisfying victories the Packers had was playing at the Jets I believe in 2009 or 2010. We weren't expected to win that game and were primed for a Rex Ryan ass kicking (so we were told). Instead IIRC I believe we won 9-0.

This must be the game where Dom Capers coached his opponent.

Certainly seems like the NFL finally pushed the defenses past their breaking point with the last rule changes. They simply can't catch up to the rules any more.

At a certain point it's going to become viable to create a more violent, defensive league for the lesser talented players to risk their health in and I think people are going to be drawn to it more than past attempts at lesser league football.

There's an overabundance of talented athletes these days that can still hit the holy crap out of someone. And there's plenty of guys willing to take those hits so they don't have to work at a low wage job. And there's no where to see that kind of football anymore.

I'm not suggesting it could become anything near as big as the NFL but the door is open for a profitable game of old school, over the top, violent football. Some unscrupulous rich guys (and lord knows there's a bunch of them around) just have to have the balls to put some money in it, market it the right way, and say the players know the risks and it's up to them if they want to play or not and take all the backlash that comes with it.

It's one area the NFL can't compete with. They've got the stadiums and the top talent but there's no way they can have the violence anymore. There's some prestige to having a league that's tougher than the NFL with the NFL having no way to compete.

There's a significant subest of NFL fans out there that love that stuff and I think I'd include myself in there. I'm not saying it's right...but I'd watch.

The degree of embareassment zooms past the defensive coordinator to the head coach.

osh speaks the truth.