offense/defense tipping point

[IllegalContact]

I think the NFL is getting very close to a point I brought up years ago regarding the league's desire to create the excitement through the passing game which inevitably leads to the defensive schemes to address that.

the first warning sign was the wildcat......it evolved to the read option.......at some point, teams will see the speed and leanness of an opposing defense and they will simply run the wishbone and the opposing defense will not have the size or the strength to prevent the offense from gaining 4-5 yards every play. sheer difference in mass will dictate the outcome.......go bigger than the defense can possibly go

 

[Sicilian]

I think the difference is that the defense always has an extra player on run plays, as the QB typically doesn't block. Add in that defensive players are rising all the time as far as strength and explosion per pound, and I doubt there will ever be a point where an offense can just consistently run for first downs like you're describing.

 

[Baboon]

If any team could have done that this year, it seems Dallas was that team. Unfortunately for them, they were paying a qb far too much to just hand the ball off every play.

 

[PatCat]

With all the hybrid linebacker/safety types that pack strength and speed it's tough to see that happening.

 

[IllegalContact]

so the defensive players are becoming more athletic and explosive and the offensive ones are not?

I think physicality is a wash between offense and defense. I think it's part of what makes gronk indefensible at times......I think it is part of why a guy like Russell Wilson is so highly regarded........read option gives makes the defense of the day less stable...along a separate line, you bring in another TE that may not be gronk, but blocks like gronk and is a fairly viable target in the passing game (500-600 yards per year)....you're basically adding size that targeted defenders (LB's) would struggle to shed which would put the onus of bringing down a 250lb RB on the secondary guys. It may happen, but I like the odds in that regard.

 

[IllegalContact]

If any team could have done that this year, it seems Dallas was that team. Unfortunately for them, they were paying a qb far too much to just hand the ball off every play.

Which is going to be very interesting next year in Seattle.....word on the street that regardless of outcome on sunday, Wilson is going to be the highest paid QB in the NFL next year.....