CFZ Is football getting worse?

[MWH1967]

I once got both my two front teeth knocked out in a baseball game and they put them on ice. Had them put back after the game.

We were cut form a different cloth. I still have them today. They somehow didn't die.

 

[fredp22]

I think this is a legitimate question. Is football getting worse over the years? Perhaps it's just that the Broncos and Colts are terrible teams, but it seems that football in general is becoming worse than before. I started watching in about 1999 or 2000. During the time that I've watched football since then, I have to say, it feels like it has in terms of quality. I think 2003-2009 were very good football years and even up until maybe 2018. However, since then, especially this year, football feels like it's getting a bit worse. It feels overly officiated with poor officiating, the quality of the players doesn't seem as good (especially in the trenches), and the coaches seem to be getting worse overall. I get that you can't have Belichick or Andy Reid on every team. However, my goodness! It feels like a lot of coaches have gotten dumber since the advent of "analytics" in football.

I think coaches seem to be hung up a bit on analytics compared to calling plays that the team is good at running. Look at last night. There were a few calls in the Broncos game, such as the 4th down play in OT, where the coaches are clearly overthinking things. If you're going to go for it, why go shotgun on 4th and 1? That completely eliminates the concern of the run play, which the Broncos were doing very well on that drive. That way, they could play action if they wanted to throw it. Or, just kick the field goal given that the Colts offense wasn't doing anything. Either would've been better than what the Broncos called. Watching the games so far this season, I can't help but see this with other teams, and I have to ask, to those of you that have been watching longer than I have, is the quality of football getting worse over the yearS?

some changes I've seen

1- there is no more offseason. Players come in cold from last season with little to no training or coaches input. Fist 3-4 games are what you would have seen during offseason play Its no coincidence that players can come in from college and start almost immediately today. Use to take 1-3 years of learning and easing in. Elways tough 1st year was normal

2- Players use to play for the love of the games. Its now to show off a talent with a goal being the big money contract. Once they get the money they go into the Zeke Elliott mode of going thru the motions until contract expires.

3- (not saying this was better just how it changed) Playing the game was a lot tougher. A WR had to pay for running a route over the middle by getting hit by 2-3 players at point of catch- today it means nothing and hard hits flagged. QB's almost always got a shot after a pass. Many of yesterdays hits would a penalty today. Look at a Dick Butkus highlight film-most would be penalties in today's game. The game was a lot tougher and physical. I Remember Parcells telling Bavaro to finish his throwing up (as he was doing it) on his own time but get back into the game next play or calling Glenn "she" cause he was nursing an injury. Again with CTE I understand the changes-just how the game has changed and gotten softer.

4- I think the coaches have gotten weaker. Your post named the best 2 today for the whole NFL. In the 80's just in the NFL east you had Landry, Parcells, Air Coryell, Vermeil, Gibbs (we had 5 in NFC east then). Just to name a fraction of the others at the same time- Shula, Madden, Stram, Walsh, Noll. MM/Garrett wouldnt have lasted in old NFL.

NFL recently said they now view the game now as a form of entertainment. It use to be viewed as a sport. Its is a lot different than a game from the 80's and with the talk of flag football for the probowl may continue to evolve

 

[TWOK11]

I like a good defencive struggle. That's not what last night was. Last night was just ineptitude from the QBs. At least in my view, and, even before that, a lot of games have the appearance of looking worse than they did to me about 10-15 years ago.

But that’s kind of the point, QB play and offensive football used to be so much worse across the board that you didn’t notice it. You only notice it now because it’s on average better, so the bad stands out.

 

[TWOK11]

So the '89 SF 49ers would get routed by the '22 Texans?

Absolutely, the sheer gap in size, strength, speed and overall athleticism would be overwhelming. The 1989 49ers starting OL weighed an average of 282 pounds. Their starting DL averaged barely over 260 pounds. Not one player on their team ran an official 40 below 4.5. Football wasn’t even a full time job for most players back then, and most players did very little if any offseason training or dieting and usually showed up to camp out of shape.

It was a completely different world/mindset for players back then, and they just wouldn’t hold up against modern NFL players in a 60 minute game. Not to mention defenses from prior eras would be wholly inequipped to stop modern offensive schemes.

The Texans would be able to name their score in that game.

 

[fivetwos]

One thing I hope our ‘brain trust’ is taking note of when it’s time to replace #4…..

Do NOT trade multiple premium picks and pay 50m a year for an aging QB.

Just deal with sucking until you can land a decent one in the draft. The next Mahomes or Allen is a lot to expect, but the Mac Joneses of the world can be found, and be effective if you build your team the right way…..defense and running game.

 

[fivetwos]

Absolutely, the sheer gap in size, strength, speed and overall athleticism would be overwhelming. The 1989 49ers starting OL weighed an average of 282 pounds. Their starting DL averaged barely over 260 pounds. Not one player on their team ran an official 40 below 4.5. Football wasn’t even a full time job for most players back then, and most players did very little if any offseason training or dieting and usually showed up to camp out of shape.

It was a completely different world/mindset for players back then, and they just wouldn’t hold up against modern NFL players in a 60 minute game. Not to mention defenses from prior eras would be wholly inequipped to stop modern offensive schemes.

The Texans would be able to name their score in that game.

That’s an interesting point. Really is.

If I’m being a bit critical, id say you need to go back another 20-30 years for when football wasn’t a FT job for most of it players.

 

[aikemirv]

Late in the game they tried to play it off, as both teams defense were pretty good, hence, the lack of offense.

But all I seen was some pretty bad thrown passes from both QB's. Not just bad passes, but poor decisions as well.
It wasn't until the last 4 minutes when Ryan finally got some protection and the moved the ball.

I said throughout he game if his OL could block and give him an extra second to throw, Indy would have had a few TD's.

Both QB's looked to be on their last legs. But heck, they probably play their next game like they are 25 again.

I tell you though, Matt Ryan knows how to take a sack better than anyone. Just like the Super Bowl they gave to NE due to a sack taken by him!

 

[Silly]

I don't think it is the game. I think there are too many commercials, penalties, replays and rule changes. Also, they have changed the league to a passing game and most QBs are just not good enough.

For example, it really feels like with all the rules and replays that the modern NFL is an episode of Judge Judy. I don't know when the NFL thought a procedural game would be more fun?

 

[charron]

Last nights game was bad and it wasnt just because the defenses were playing well. Wilson looks done.

 

[Hardline]

It absolutely has gotten worse just on rule changes alone.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

some changes I've seen

1- there is no more offseason. Players come in cold from last season with little to no training or coaches input. Fist 3-4 games are what you would have seen during offseason play Its no coincidence that players can come in from college and start almost immediately today. Use to take 1-3 years of learning and easing in. Elways tough 1st year was normal

2- Players use to play for the love of the games. Its now to show off a talent with a goal being the big money contract. Once they get the money they go into the Zeke Elliott mode of going thru the motions until contract expires.

3- (not saying this was better just how it changed) Playing the game was a lot tougher. A WR had to pay for running a route over the middle by getting hit by 2-3 players at point of catch- today it means nothing and hard hits flagged. QB's almost always got a shot after a pass. Many of yesterdays hits would a penalty today. Look at a Dick Butkus highlight film-most would be penalties in today's game. The game was a lot tougher and physical. I Remember Parcells telling Bavaro to finish his throwing up (as he was doing it) on his own time but get back into the game next play or calling Glenn "she" cause he was nursing an injury. Again with CTE I understand the changes-just how the game has changed and gotten softer.

4- I think the coaches have gotten weaker. Your post named the best 2 today for the whole NFL. In the 80's just in the NFL east you had Landry, Parcells, Air Coryell, Vermeil, Gibbs (we had 5 in NFC east then). Just to name a fraction of the others at the same time- Shula, Madden, Stram, Walsh, Noll. MM/Garrett wouldnt have lasted in old NFL.

NFL recently said they now view the game now as a form of entertainment. It use to be viewed as a sport. Its is a lot different than a game from the 80's and with the talk of flag football for the probowl may continue to evolve

Wilson seems to be riding the Zeke train.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

One thing I hope our ‘brain trust’ is taking note of when it’s time to replace #4…..

Do NOT trade multiple premium picks and pay 50m a year for an aging QB.

Just deal with sucking until you can land a decent one in the draft. The next Mahomes or Allen is a lot to expect, but the Mac Joneses of the world can be found, and be effective if you build your team the right way…..defense and running game.

Yup, I hope they're learning to do the opposite of what Denver did.

 

[Silly]

The NFL officiating and rule changes have done the most harm. The tempo and natural fluidity of the game is forever lost. They have all but eliminated kickoff returns

There is a tempo aspect. For example, after a TD and with the kickoff return eliminated from the game and all the commercials. There is a huge time delay until the next meaningful play. Sometimes, I read a magazine article after the TDowns because there is nothing happening in the game and I am not interested in the endless commercials.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Football goes through cycles, offense adjust to defenses and then defenses have to adjust and it goes on and on and on. One of my teams won a game one year 65 to 58, we beat the same team a year later 7 to 3. If you love offense you would have loved the first game, if you're a fan of defense, you would have loved the second game. If you just love football....you would have enjoyed both games. As far as officiating goes, it's part of the human element of the game, they screw up just like coaches and players do. At the end of the day, I enjoy football at all levels. Pee wee, Middle school, HS, college, semi pro, professional. It never gets old.

I agree, and, unfortunately, there's not enough pro talent to go around, so some teams are just having to get the best they can get. Still, it's shocking how bad Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan are. That game last night was shockingly bad. I don't ever want to hear someone critique our QBs again until they look like that. Last night was so bad it was comical, and the TNF games in general look terrible.

 

[Ranching]

I agree, and, unfortunately, there's not enough pro talent to go around, so some teams are just having to get the best they can get. Still, it's shocking how bad Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan are. That game last night was shockingly bad. I don't ever want to hear someone critique our QBs again until they look like that. Last night was so bad it was comical, and the TNF games in general look terrible.

It may have been bad, but I still enjoyed it. The defenses played a part in how bad the offense looked. Watch the whole game and don't just follow the ball. You'll appreciate it more.

 

[Vandyr]

Even military boot camp is different now compared to when I went through it in 1985.

Bro....so I went around the same time as you (1990) and my buddy's kid just went in a few weeks ago...the stuff I'm hearing from him is insane. They get...days off. They get "stress cards" they can pull if they feel like they're being pushed too hard. They get phone calls all the time, and they spend more time in classes learning proper pronouns than they do having PT and marching.
You're not wrong about everything going snowflake. I think if we ever get into a serious conflict, our military is going to look like the offense of either of those teams last night - useless.

 

[pitt33]

Also, to add to this, the college levels seem to be weakening, especially at the trenches. I think between college and the NFL, the quality of the sport is going down.

To piggyback on this I read where many kids aren’t getting into football at a young age due to concussions and the long term effects. I know many more parents nowadays that refuse to start their boys into a football program. This in turn may ultimately reduce the talent pool to draw upon.

 

[RodeoJake]

I like defensive games. I appreciate the effort and preparation it takes to devise and execute an excellent defensive strategy.

More to the original point, the game has evolved. It's had to in order to protect the players. If the sport had remained as brutal as it was 50 years ago, more athletically gifted youngins would play other sports that were less devastating to the body. To keep the talent pool from drying up, the sport had to incorporate safety measures.

 

[plasticman]

I don't like all the rule changes. I think free agency means you get a different team every year. They used to give coaches a fair opportunity to build something. Some of the greatest coaches in history never would have made it more than two seasons these days.

Those are just some bullet points rather than the term paper I could write on the subject.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Officiating is about the same (possibly better today); scrutiny has gotten worse. Back before Twitter and overly critical analysts, refs were missing calls left and right to little fanfare.

Now, people with their 4k TVs see a holding penalty was called due to hands wedged under the left armpit instead of on the arm itself, and act like the Atlantic sea wall is collapsing.