The NFL is losing its mojo

[Garrettop]

If anyone can look me square in the eye and tell me the quality of play is equivalent to 10+ years ago, I've got various expensive items and real estate in foreign locales I'd like to sell you on my word.

 

[Hoofbite]

NFL isn't going anywhere.

 

[manster4ever]

The NFL is a beast. Far and away the most popular fan sport in America. It destroys anything in its path when it comes to TV ratings and overall attention.

But that is entirely based on what the NFL has been for the past half century. What it was, and what it's becoming, are two different games. And folks are starting to notice.

I watched a lot of football yesterday, as I have for the past few years with the NFL Sunday Ticket. Each week this season, I've been wildly unimpressed with what we're seeing around the league. Sloppy, frustrating football mired with too much inconsistency and mistakes from players, coaches, officials, and just general play.

Some points to that effect:

• Only 11 out of 32 teams have winning records. Most of the league is awful.
• Quarterback play is horrendous. Matt Cassel is actually average.
• College is producing very few quarterbacks capable of the NFL game. When Brady, Brees, Peyton, Romo, Roethlisberger, and a couple others retire, it's going to get uglier.
• Officiating is horrible because of unclear rules that are being interpreted by a league office in disarray.
• Defensive holding/illegal contact is out of control. It's determining game outcomes.
• Pick plays still go rampantly uncalled. Refs call too much of what they shouldn't and not enough of what they should.
• Overblown statistics due to rules.
• Practice is virtually outlawed, so tackling is awful and football conditioning is poor.
• Injuries are out of control partly because the CBA doesn't allow for proper preparation.
• Too many look-at-me bonehead plays and penalties. Players today are just football stupid.
• "Concussion protocol" and the rules surrounding legality of hits will continue to increase.
• Parents in affluent areas are pulling their kids out of football in droves. It'll soon be a "poor" sport like boxing.Th

The NFL is a beast. Far and away the most popular fan sport in America. It destroys anything in its path when it comes to TV ratings and overall attention.

But that is entirely based on what the NFL has been for the past half century. What it was, and what it's becoming, are two different games. And folks are starting to notice.

I watched a lot of football yesterday, as I have for the past few years with the NFL Sunday Ticket. Each week this season, I've been wildly unimpressed with what we're seeing around the league. Sloppy, frustrating football mired with too much inconsistency and mistakes from players, coaches, officials, and just general play.

Some points to that effect:

• Only 11 out of 32 teams have winning records. Most of the league is awful.
• Quarterback play is horrendous. Matt Cassel is actually average.
• College is producing very few quarterbacks capable of the NFL game. When Brady, Brees, Peyton, Romo, Roethlisberger, and a couple others retire, it's going to get uglier.
• Officiating is horrible because of unclear rules that are being interpreted by a league office in disarray.
• Defensive holding/illegal contact is out of control. It's determining game outcomes.
• Pick plays still go rampantly uncalled. Refs call too much of what they shouldn't and not enough of what they should.
• Overblown statistics due to rules.
• Practice is virtually outlawed, so tackling is awful and football conditioning is poor.
• Injuries are out of control partly because the CBA doesn't allow for proper preparation.
• Too many look-at-me bonehead plays and penalties. Players today are just football stupid.
• "Concussion protocol" and the rules surrounding legality of hits will continue to increase.
• Parents in affluent areas are pulling their kids out of football in droves. It'll soon be a "poor" sport like boxing.
• Broadcasting that over-exaggerates performance, statistics, and fantasy football points.
• Way too many commercials.
• Far too much "social awareness" in broadcasting, which is now centered on new and casual fans.

This once great league is being torn apart by (partly legitimate) concern over CTE and the resulting rules ambiguity and CBA restrictions on proper football training. There seems to be political movement to eliminate tackle football as we know it.

Couple that with fans that are losing trust in the integrity of what they are watching, and recognizing that it's starting to look very different than what it once did. The passion for it is steeped in what the NFL used to be, not what it is. Hardcore fan support is slowly starting to wane as we come to grips with where this is headed.

I know it is with me. And this league is slowly losing me. I'm thankful that I got to see it when it was once so great.

Helluva post man. Only thing I'd say is that it's LOST it's mojo. It's all but over.

 

[Cowboysfan1975]

The NFL has a real problem on its hand because ticket prices have never plateaued and with the advent of home entertainment systems and HD TV, it's a better deal for fans to stay home than spend the money. The crowds at stadiums are often abysmal. They are selling tickets, but many stadiums, even great traditional organizations like Pittsburgh, are not getting fans to show up.

I have been surprised to talk to many former football fans that no longer watch due to what they know about CTE. Personally, I am all for the concussion protocols and further study and research of concussions. But, if you want to be honest about concussions, female soccer players and male soccer players under the age of 18 actually suffer more concussions that NFL players. Or you can look into basketball where anti-inflammatory drugs used to help players with knee issues have caused kidney failure. Again, I'm all for it, but I also tend to understand that there is a price that may come with virtually any athletic endeavor.

Anyway, the NFL game to me is very boring right now.

The game is mostly about short, dink-n-dunk passing and horizontal routes that pick defenders, even if they are perfectly legal. The risk for the offense is minimal. They can get the pass off quickly and keep their QB healthy. They can worry less about incompletions and INT's. So you don't get that great risk that comes with throwing the ball deep. And with these horizontal routes, if a receiver gets open they really don't beat their man more often than not. It's either about the defenders colliding into each other or in fear of colliding into each other that they change the defense to allow them to catch the ball, but hopefully not gain too much yardage and maybe they'll drop the pass or the QB will make a bad throw.

I think the NFL has to figure out ways to curb these gaudy numbers from QB's. I would really emphasize calling pick plays pretty severely and also be focused on the intentional grounding rule (yes, I know they will never enforce that). I would also change up the rules to allow less hurry up offenses. They could always argue that it puts defensive players at risk. But, it's one thing to score a TD thru athletic skill and it's another to beat teams because they can't get the right guys on the field because the offense won't let them.

I think a big thing that has happened in all of this is that it has provided for lousy football. There really is not one team out there I would consider 'great.' I think not one team would come close to beating the 2013 Seahawks.

I think with the offenses as such it is creating a lot of problems for the quality of football across the league.





YR

I would like to see any pick play penalized by 10 yards and loss of down like grounding is. It would put a stop to it immediately.

 

[Floatyworm]

The NFL is a beast. Far and away the most popular fan sport in America. It destroys anything in its path when it comes to TV ratings and overall attention.

But that is entirely based on what the NFL has been for the past half century. What it was, and what it's becoming, are two different games. And folks are starting to notice.

I watched a lot of football yesterday, as I have for the past few years with the NFL Sunday Ticket. Each week this season, I've been wildly unimpressed with what we're seeing around the league. Sloppy, frustrating football mired with too much inconsistency and mistakes from players, coaches, officials, and just general play.

Some points to that effect:

• Only 11 out of 32 teams have winning records. Most of the league is awful.
• Quarterback play is horrendous. Matt Cassel is actually average.
• College is producing very few quarterbacks capable of the NFL game. When Brady, Brees, Peyton, Romo, Roethlisberger, and a couple others retire, it's going to get uglier.
• Officiating is horrible because of unclear rules that are being interpreted by a league office in disarray.
• Defensive holding/illegal contact is out of control. It's determining game outcomes.
• Pick plays still go rampantly uncalled. Refs call too much of what they shouldn't and not enough of what they should.
• Overblown statistics due to rules.
• Practice is virtually outlawed, so tackling is awful and football conditioning is poor.
• Injuries are out of control partly because the CBA doesn't allow for proper preparation.
• Too many look-at-me bonehead plays and penalties. Players today are just football stupid.
• "Concussion protocol" and the rules surrounding legality of hits will continue to increase.
• Parents in affluent areas are pulling their kids out of football in droves. It'll soon be a "poor" sport like boxing.
• Broadcasting that over-exaggerates performance, statistics, and fantasy football points.
• Way too many commercials.
• Far too much "social awareness" in broadcasting, which is now centered on new and casual fans.

This once great league is being torn apart by (partly legitimate) concern over CTE and the resulting rules ambiguity and CBA restrictions on proper football training. There seems to be political movement to eliminate tackle football as we know it.

Couple that with fans that are losing trust in the integrity of what they are watching, and recognizing that it's starting to look very different than what it once did. The passion for it is steeped in what the NFL used to be, not what it is. Hardcore fan support is slowly starting to wane as we come to grips with where this is headed.

I know it is with me. And this league is slowly losing me. I'm thankful that I got to see it when it was once so great.

Great post.......

And all true.

I'm about to checkout as a fan. Definitely feel like the league is fixed for certain teams. In a league that is built for parity.....I have a hard time believing teams like New England, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, Seattle, Denver just happen to keep rising to the top.

It also amazes me every prime time game just happen to come down to the last play......every week. Coincidence? I don't think so

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Disenfranchised post during a lost season.

Most have missed all of these type threads a year ago.

 

[SlimBig]

• Parents in affluent areas are pulling their kids out of football in droves. It'll soon be a "poor" sport like boxing.

 

[Deep_South]

Ufc fighters are more skilled than Muhammad Ali and the average heavyweight would destroy Ali (in his prime) in a fight ( :

I don't know. After watching Holly Holm beat up Ronda Rousey, I would say that is very debatable.

 

[thinwhiteduke]

this is the actual definition of parity .
Everything becomes weaker. The nfl wants you to be confused who wins every week and everyone will be 8-8.
that's why longer field goals and 2 point conversions=so the gambling world can give bizarre point spreads

 

[Smith22]

After being a die hard football fan over the past 20+ years, I've really lost some of my passion this season. Between my kids playing sports and the decline of play in the NFL, it doesn't draw me in like it used to. The refs, the constant rule changes, the abundance of commericals....

On the other hand, maybe I'm just getting old.

 

[erod]

Disenfranchised post during a lost season.

Most have missed all of these type threads a year ago.

Not at all. This isn't a fresh thought, it's a continuation of an observation. It's going the wrong direction, and it's getting worse rapidly. Week after week, I watch all these games, and the quarterback play is just awful outside of a very few guys. I mean, REALLY awful, much more so than even five years ago. The game is just becoming a comedy of errors and miscues, not the crisp game we once watched. The rules, the lack of practice time, the lack of polish at key positions....it's making it tough to coach and officiate this once great game.

My hope is, the (old) owners see it, too, and want to fix it. But the player's union needs to give in on the practice rules, which is unlikely.

And the bigger problem is....what if the talent pool dries up because kids are dropping football at younger ages?

 

[ElGatoGrande]

Disenfranchised post during a lost season.
Most have missed all of these type threads a year ago.

It's not that those negatives described are contrived, it's that those stinky negatives are less tolerable once the deoderant of winning is removed.

 

[Wood]

The NFL is a beast. Far and away the most popular fan sport in America. It destroys anything in its path when it comes to TV ratings and overall attention.

But that is entirely based on what the NFL has been for the past half century. What it was, and what it's becoming, are two different games. And folks are starting to notice.

I watched a lot of football yesterday, as I have for the past few years with the NFL Sunday Ticket. Each week this season, I've been wildly unimpressed with what we're seeing around the league. Sloppy, frustrating football mired with too much inconsistency and mistakes from players, coaches, officials, and just general play.

Some points to that effect:

• Only 11 out of 32 teams have winning records. Most of the league is awful.
• Quarterback play is horrendous. Matt Cassel is actually average.
• College is producing very few quarterbacks capable of the NFL game. When Brady, Brees, Peyton, Romo, Roethlisberger, and a couple others retire, it's going to get uglier.
• Officiating is horrible because of unclear rules that are being interpreted by a league office in disarray.
• Defensive holding/illegal contact is out of control. It's determining game outcomes.
• Pick plays still go rampantly uncalled. Refs call too much of what they shouldn't and not enough of what they should.
• Overblown statistics due to rules.
• Practice is virtually outlawed, so tackling is awful and football conditioning is poor.
• Injuries are out of control partly because the CBA doesn't allow for proper preparation.
• Too many look-at-me bonehead plays and penalties. Players today are just football stupid.
• "Concussion protocol" and the rules surrounding legality of hits will continue to increase.
• Parents in affluent areas are pulling their kids out of football in droves. It'll soon be a "poor" sport like boxing.
• Broadcasting that over-exaggerates performance, statistics, and fantasy football points.
• Way too many commercials.
• Far too much "social awareness" in broadcasting, which is now centered on new and casual fans.

This once great league is being torn apart by (partly legitimate) concern over CTE and the resulting rules ambiguity and CBA restrictions on proper football training. There seems to be political movement to eliminate tackle football as we know it.

Couple that with fans that are losing trust in the integrity of what they are watching, and recognizing that it's starting to look very different than what it once did. The passion for it is steeped in what the NFL used to be, not what it is. Hardcore fan support is slowly starting to wane as we come to grips with where this is headed.

I know it is with me. And this league is slowly losing me. I'm thankful that I got to see it when it was once so great.

Just wait until Mike Webster movie comes out and brings national attention of concussions in NFL. We won't recognize this sport in 10 years.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

Not at all. This isn't a fresh thought, it's a continuation of an observation. It's going the wrong direction, and it's getting worse rapidly. Week after week, I watch all these games, and the quarterback play is just awful outside of a very few guys. I mean, REALLY awful, much more so than even five years ago. The game is just becoming a comedy of errors and miscues, not the crisp game we once watched. The rules, the lack of practice time, the lack of polish at key positions....it's making it tough to coach and officiate this once great game.

My hope is, the (old) owners see it, too, and want to fix it. But the player's union needs to give in on the practice rules, which is unlikely.

And the bigger problem is....what if the talent pool dries up because kids are dropping football at younger ages?

Must have missed this post last year then.

 

[erod]

Must have missed this post last year then.

I participated in it, I'm sure. It's worse this year than last, and worse last year than five years prior.

The rules can be fixed, and by proxy, the officiating hopefully. But the QB dearth is really problematic, as is the lack of practice time in camp and during the season. These guys barely do anything before live action.

And this partially fabricated CTE scare is the biggest threat to it all. Parents are freaking out.

 

[Bullflop]

The UFLPA and the owners/players contract is limiting players with less practice time and much less contact. It's burdening the game with a damaging downturn in performance.

The addition of so many rules that have complicated the game unnecessarily also causes much confusion and errors by the officials. Hence, much dissatisfaction amongst fans.

To compound the problem more, the league, in its greed to increase its revenue, has expanded the number of teams to such an extent that available talent for all of them suffers.

Despite all this, it's a fact that pro football is more popular now than ever and viewed by multitudes. Let's just hope they don't find a way to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

 

[ologan]

The NFL is a beast. Far and away the most popular fan sport in America. It destroys anything in its path when it comes to TV ratings and overall attention.

But that is entirely based on what the NFL has been for the past half century. What it was, and what it's becoming, are two different games. And folks are starting to notice.

I watched a lot of football yesterday, as I have for the past few years with the NFL Sunday Ticket. Each week this season, I've been wildly unimpressed with what we're seeing around the league. Sloppy, frustrating football mired with too much inconsistency and mistakes from players, coaches, officials, and just general play.

Some points to that effect:

• Only 11 out of 32 teams have winning records. Most of the league is awful.
• Quarterback play is horrendous. Matt Cassel is actually average.
• College is producing very few quarterbacks capable of the NFL game. When Brady, Brees, Peyton, Romo, Roethlisberger, and a couple others retire, it's going to get uglier.
• Officiating is horrible because of unclear rules that are being interpreted by a league office in disarray.
• Defensive holding/illegal contact is out of control. It's determining game outcomes.
• Pick plays still go rampantly uncalled. Refs call too much of what they shouldn't and not enough of what they should.
• Overblown statistics due to rules.
• Practice is virtually outlawed, so tackling is awful and football conditioning is poor.
• Injuries are out of control partly because the CBA doesn't allow for proper preparation.
• Too many look-at-me bonehead plays and penalties. Players today are just football stupid.
• "Concussion protocol" and the rules surrounding legality of hits will continue to increase.
• Parents in affluent areas are pulling their kids out of football in droves. It'll soon be a "poor" sport like boxing.
• Broadcasting that over-exaggerates performance, statistics, and fantasy football points.
• Way too many commercials.
• Far too much "social awareness" in broadcasting, which is now centered on new and casual fans.

This once great league is being torn apart by (partly legitimate) concern over CTE and the resulting rules ambiguity and CBA restrictions on proper football training. There seems to be political movement to eliminate tackle football as we know it.

Couple that with fans that are losing trust in the integrity of what they are watching, and recognizing that it's starting to look very different than what it once did. The passion for it is steeped in what the NFL used to be, not what it is. Hardcore fan support is slowly starting to wane as we come to grips with where this is headed.

I know it is with me. And this league is slowly losing me. I'm thankful that I got to see it when it was once so great.

Couldn't agree more.Well thought out and presented. Thanks!

 

[Toruk_Makto]

I participated in it, I'm sure. It's worse this year than last, and worse last year than five years prior.

The rules can be fixed, and by proxy, the officiating hopefully. But the QB dearth is really problematic, as is the lack of practice time in camp and during the season. These guys barely do anything before live action.

And this partially fabricated CTE scare is the biggest threat to it all. Parents are freaking out.

Fabricated CTE scare? Dude people are killing themselves. The science is real and measurable.

Also the dearth of college qb scare always makes me laugh.

Last year we added Jameis and Marcus. Both look like keepers.

2014: Blake, Carr and Teddy

2013: admittedly not a great year.

2012: Luck, Tannehill, Osweilier, Wilson

2011: Cam and Dalton (even Tyrod)

That's 12 potential above average to great qbs drafted just in the last 5 years.

The facts simply don't fit your narrative here either.

And finally when it comes to the lack of practice time... We're losing less high level starters to injury in season during practice time and the top teams all appear to be well coached and performing well. If anything there is a lack of coaching talent that has nothing to do with how often guys get to hit each other in Tuesday.

In short I disagree with you wholeheartedly.

 

[Garrettop]

Also the dearth of college qb scare always makes me laugh.

Last year we added Jameis and Marcus. Both look like keepers.

2014: Blake, Carr and Teddy

2013: admittedly not a great year.

2012: Luck, Tannehill, Osweilier, Wilson

2011: Cam and Dalton (even Tyrod)

That's 12 potential above average to great qbs drafted just in the last 5 years.

"Potential". As has been discussed ad nauseam, QB #s are inflated as it is with passing rules changes. Mediocre passers like almost everyone on your list wouldn't be able to put up even their mediocre numbers in the 90s. Declining QB play is being covered up by some of those bad rule changes also complained about.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

"Potential". As has been discussed ad nauseam, QB #s are inflated as it is with passing rules changes. Mediocre passers like almost everyone on your list wouldn't be able to put up even their mediocre numbers in the 90s. Declining QB play is being covered up by some of those bad rule changes also complained about.

Sorry I don't deal in hypothetical alternative realities.

The fact of the matter is the assertion was that the college game was not producing passers capable of laying in today's NFL. That's simply not true. It's. Not. True.