Offense and Defense.
keets
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In the NFL it is always a constant battle between the Offense and the Defense, an overly obvious statement. The rules committee which meets and makes changes during the off-season is always doing things to fix what they think is wrong within that constant battle. To my memory, there haven't been many changes made to help the defense in maybe 20-30 years, major changes that I'm aware of. Everything has been to help the Offense and increase scoring.
The end result is that there are currently some very high powered and efficient Offensive Teams. Quarterbacks are pretty much untouchable and if they can't find an open receiver the rules allow them to "ground" the ball without consequence and start over. The march is on to not allow players to hit other players below the knees and DB's are severely hampered in how they can defend receivers.
I'm wondering when the rules committee will start to help the defense?? The balance has shifted too far to one side. Am I alone in this thinking??
Al H.
Comments
It’s almost impossible to play defense in the NFL today. But it’s a business and the more points scored the more exciting the game. Rules for the QB were changed. I protested vigorously at first and then realized I’d rather watch a game with healthy starting QB’s than 3rd stringers because a Brady or Jackson got body slammed by some 3rd string tackle. I’d rather watch a Stefon Diggs than a 3rd string TE because some LBer head hunted him with a clothes line on an incomplete pass. So the defense will always be sacrificed for excitement. Teams can still play good defense and be with in the rules. Just no more knock out highlights on ESPN.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
they can regulate contact and they have tried to do that, successfully. there comes a time when the defensive side of the game needs to be helped and I think it is either here or just around the corner. already in 2021 there have been a lot of games with 35+ points scored and defenses unable to stop Teams. I don't think that's because the players are bad, it's because they are severely handicapped by the rules about what they can do.
one thing would be to just make everything equal between defenders and pass receivers, start calling offensive PI more often or stop calling defensive PI for minor, incidental contact. stop calling PI when a pass is clearly not catchable. another thing, remove all the QB protection which equates to legalized intentional grounding. those two things would go a long way to slowing down offenses and making them play football.
I would have to think about this more, but there are penalties that are automatic first downs which, if changed, could aid the defenses. In my opinion, too many drives are saved this way.
If defensive holding is an automatic first down then offensive holding should be a loss of down, same with offensive pass interference. Additionally, illegal contact should not be an automatic first down. The penalties are skewed in favor of the offense, the NFL should address it. The offense already has enough advantages.
Robb
If they increased the Chuck rule it would help a ton. it is only 5 yards right now. if defenders could jam up WR longer at the line, it would give DLineman much longer to get home.
they could also cut out the ticky tack PI calls on hand fighting.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
I’ve always disagreed with this. I agree it should be a penalty. 5 yards, repeat the down. Pass interference should be a spot foul and if it’s a first down so be it. But a quick out on 3rd and 20 wouldn’t have been a first down anyways.
"I spent 50% of my money on alcohol, women, and gambling. The other half I wasted.
Pass interference should be a spot foul
PI should be a five-yard penalty from the line of scrimmage, no more 45 yard plays on third-and-ten or automatic first down at the one-yard line because of PI in the end-zone. that last one is a strategy play.
if defenders could jam up WR longer at the line
this is another one, the NFL took away the bump-and-run with the five yard rule so now defenders almost universally play off the receiver. that means the short one step drop pass is almost impossible to defend. add to this the "defenseless player" rule and the DB's are really handcuffed at the snap.
They want more points scored to make it more exciting just like they wanted more HR’s in MLB to bring it back from its stagnant self, they turned a blind eye to PEDS. The NFL just had to change the rules to benefit the Offenses.
I think the NFL could back off on a lot of their attempts to limit contact and defenses by making one simple move... Go back to a version of the leather helmet (maybe different material, but similar idea) with no facemask and reduce the size and overall shock reduction (for the player initiating the contact) of the shoulder pads.
When a player is wearing the helmet and pads that have been worn for 30+ years, they feel invincible and are far more likely to move in for big collisions than they would if they also felt some of the result of those collisions. Less padding would decrease players leading with their heads with blocking and tackling. It would force players to become more skilled in those areas (form tackling, good wrap ups, properly positioning and engaging in a block) and rely less on brute force to move an opponent in a desired fashion. Contact-based injuries would certainly still occur, but I think they would be less frequent and probably less severe. Then they may not feel the need to regulate the players as much as they do now.