Why does the NFL stink this year?

[AzPatsFan]

Polian's distortion of the Rules into an offensive show, means that there are no elite defensive clubs anymore. If you don't have an elite offensive corps including of course an elite QB, you are screwed.

It didn't used to be that way. The new Rules emephasized that the few elite QBs are super important, and there are just not enough to go around.

The League needs to divide the PI foul into a flagrant and incidental offense like facemasks. The chuck rule should be expanded to 8 or 10 yards. Awarding the endzone PI on the five yard line,instead of the one, would also help. These Rules changes would balance the game again between O and D.

 

[FreakGoDeep]

Polian's distortion of the Rules into an offensive show, means that there are no elite defensive clubs anymore. If you don't have an elite offensive corps including of course an elite QB, you are screwed.

It didn't used to be that way. The new Rules emephasized that the few elite QBs are super important, and there are just not enough to go around.

The League needs to divide the PI foul into a flagrant and incidental offense like facemasks. The chuck rule should be expanded to 8 or 10 yards. Awarding the endzone PI on the five yard line,instead of the one, would also help. These Rules changes would balance the game again between O and D.

there is a good chance of this happening soon since the colts aren't the power house they were and the pats are.

 

[PatsFan37]

If anyone still cares about the original topic ...

First of all, the statistics argue against a smooth spectrum from best to worst. Performance tends to cluster. The clustering varies from year to year. There's a lot of luck involved and that's the result of luck.

It's rarely one thing. Just because a single illustrative reason is intellectually appealing doesn't mean it's true. The truth finds many reasons, not all of them appealing.

Examples:

The Jets would be decent ... but their coach is struggling, their clubhouse is imploding.

The Chargers need a coach.

The Bears need a QB. Ooops, maybe they have one and suddenly they'll be good.

The Steelers have a rookie coach. Next year they may be a lot better, all else being equal (which it never is).

It's QBs, it's coaches, it's injuries, it's schedule, it's team chemistry, it's luck. Every year.

That's why we have to be happy right now for what the Patriots are.

 

[Pats726]

and here is another reason...

http://www.patsfans.com/new-england-patriots/messageboard/showthread.php?t=64978

Instead of concentrating on football...they are whining and crying...another reason that contributes to the reasons..

 

[Buchanty]

I agree with Azpatsfan that the changes to the rules have distorted the game into one that suits passing offenses above all others. For that you do need a very good or elite QB, at least 1 elite and 2 very good receivers and a very good or elite OL (the more season they play together the better) and an average to good RB - (ie doesn't have to be elite).

These changes have left strong defensive teams at a disadvantage (Ravens and until Monday night the Jaguars).

Another point to consider is the copycat league which tries to embrace the voguish styles such 3-4, cover 2 etc. As the Jets are witness you need the right players to play 3-4, if they dont have the skills you get killed. Too many teams are trying to be something they cant be, they have picked up good players in the draft or through FA but they are not suited to the style of play demanded of them.

As a result you get 2 teams that are above and beyond everyone else

The Colts who are elite passing offense (for reasons above) and very good at cover 2

The Pats who are an elite passing offense (for reasons above) and very good at 3-4 (and 4-3 but actually disguising their coverages).

Beyond that you have a few teams that have an elite or very good offense or defense, and only an average capability on the other side of the ball - such as Dallas, Steelers certainly and to an extent Packers, Chargers and Giants (though I am still suspicious that they can stay in this category). The Redskins have a very good defense but have no offense, while the Bengals have a very good offense but no defense.

After that come the teams with average offense and defense, and below them the teams with have only one average capability, and finally those with none (Jets, Falcons, Dolphins and Rams).

I cant leave out special teams as weakness in this area exposes many good or average teams, but these seem less afflicted by schemes and rule changes than offense and defense.

 

[mykl]

It is almost ALL about coaching. On a poorly coached team, Brady or Manning would look a lot more like Palmer...still a very good qb, but not winning as much and not living up to his potential.

A good coach makes every one of a team's 53 players play better, harder, and more cohesively. A good coach puts his players in positions to make plays. A good coach makes limited practice and tape study time more valuable, and a good coach simply doesn't do the stupid things that most coaches in this league seem to do. If you have LdT on your team, why wouldn't you ride him? If you're Tomlin and you're playing a team that is awful against the run...wouldn't you run it more? Good coaches are ones who innovate and still focus on the fundamentals. A good quarterback can't be as good as they are behind an awful OLine. Good coaches know this.

I frankly don't understand why you see so many coaching retreads all over the league. So many failed coaches get third or even fourth chances. While Belichick didn't do well in Cleveland, it really wasn't because he was making stupid coaching decisions. It blows my mind! I understand why an owner would want to hire a "name" coach, but I thought that winning was the ultimate objective.

In business, if you're not constantly innovating, you're being left behind. The same thing is happening in football. Teams are being left behind by coaches that constantly innovate while at the same time being excellent teachers and game planners.

 

[Seymour93]

It's not just the QB position that's in a funk, look at the RB's this season. Larry Johnson isn't putting up the numbers like he has in the past few years. Frank Gore hasn't got it going. Besides the Raiders game, Tomlinson has had a disappointing season. Steven Jackson is nowhere to be found. Rudi Johnson and Shaun Alexander are shadows of his former selfs. You have a team like the Packers, who have to be the worst 5-1 team in history, relying on scrubs like DeShaun Wynn and Brandon Jackson. Houston and Atlanta have old geezers running the ball, Ahman Green and Warrick Dunn respectively.

 

[jaytyme]

Polian's distortion of the Rules into an offensive show, means that there are no elite defensive clubs anymore. If you don't have an elite offensive corps including of course an elite QB, you are screwed.

It didn't used to be that way. The new Rules emephasized that the few elite QBs are super important, and there are just not enough to go around.

The League needs to divide the PI foul into a flagrant and incidental offense like facemasks. The chuck rule should be expanded to 8 or 10 yards. Awarding the endzone PI on the five yard line,instead of the one, would also help. These Rules changes would balance the game again between O and D.

nice to see see u swipe the idea posted immediately before yours......try reading the thread first next time:rocker:

 

[patpatriot]

HHmmmm...the reason the NFL is sub-standard this year is because of Bill Polian? I realize that he is an Evil Genius and Master of the Football Universe but I think that this is a stretch. What happened to "Defense Wins Championships"? I thought that this maxim was as great a truism as "You Can Never Have Enough Pitching"?

 

[solman]

I think that NFL teams are getting better, and strategies are getting more complicated.

It is increasingly likely that a single missing element:

• Great coaching
• Great QB
• Great O-line
• Great clubhouse atmosphere
• Great Front Office (only signing players for less money than their talent is worth in free agency for a period of several years) [This is equivalent to saying great talent, but more precise about what causes great talent to appear on a team.]

will prevent a team from achieving at the highest level.

This naturally creates a huge separation between teams that have all the essential elements, and those that do not.

 

[Pats726]

Polian's distortion of the Rules into an offensive show, means that there are no elite defensive clubs anymore. If you don't have an elite offensive corps including of course an elite QB, you are screwed.

It didn't used to be that way. The new Rules emephasized that the few elite QBs are super important, and there are just not enough to go around.

The League needs to divide the PI foul into a flagrant and incidental offense like facemasks. The chuck rule should be expanded to 8 or 10 yards. Awarding the endzone PI on the five yard line,instead of the one, would also help. These Rules changes would balance the game again between O and D.

I totally agree that following POlien to make changes for more powerful offenses has really screwed the league....VERY correct..for so much is predicated on QBs..and good ones, other teams will fall behind an dlook bad. With no great defenses, it makes it an unbalanced league....well the NFL followed Polien's brilliant ideas and....it did NOT get them to where they wanted. THIS is the result...NOT good at all for teh NFL..fine for the Colts..and (the Pats, who recognized what they needed to do..)
I am not sure about dividing the PI up..as anytime one can stop a TD with a penalty and move the ball back, it aactually encourages penalties. If anything I would define PI a lot clearer so all will know what is allowed..NOT allowed.

 

[workhorse]

I understand that you guys hate Polian, but come on. That's a cop out to say that teams suck because of him. What rule "changes" could he have made that made players not play as well as they used to? Why didn't they suck last year?

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

Two great teams and a bunch of slop and we're one of the great teams. I'm good with that.

 

[SteelerSteve]

OK let's see, in no particular ranked order (except for the 1st 2 of course):
1 Brady
2 Manning
3 Favre
4 Palmer
5 Roethlisberger
6 Mcnabb
7 Hasselbeck
8 Romo
10Campbell
11Young
12Garrard
13Eli Manning
14Brees
15Derek Anderson
16Pennington
17Delhomme

Theres my list, I couldnt think of anyone past that that was any good.







OK, let's see how many good HCs there are:

1 Beli
2 Dungy
3 Billick
4 Shanny
5 Holmgren
6 Fox
7 Gibbs
8 Lewis? I cant agree with lewis
Tomlin is a young coach and we have yet to see how he will work out, but I think he will be a good one:rocker:

 

[RayClay]

My guess is that the frequent coaching and front office changes around the league the last few years are coming home to roost. I don't have the data to back it up, but take a look at what Peter King wrote about this week with regard to Miami, and nobody from the last 5-7 years of drafts being on the team anymore. Teams bring in a coach and that coach tries to build a team a certain way. he cleans house and brings in his own guys. if they don't have success right away and the FO gets impatient, they bring in a new guy who dismantles whatever the last guy was trying to do and starts over. It just keeps feeding itself. Look at the Jets. You've got Mangini trying to run a 3-4 with guys better suited for 4-3. when he gets fired this year or next year, whatever he was trying to do is going to get dismantled and they will be that much further behind.

i don't think it is any mistake that the teams that are successful right now either have had a coaching staff/FO in place for a long time or in the case of teams like Pittsburgh, Tomlin came in and even though he is a 4-3 guy, he kept the 3-4 in place - because it worked.

Organizational consistency will win out. Players come and go.

Look at the vast difference in the talent level of Patriots teams.

Also look at the consistency of approach of the Colts, even though we mocked it. Their success is largely due to Polian's consistent approach to pay for Peyton and his weapons and coach up and patch elsewhere.

Peyton's taken what the defense gives him more, but you have to admit the Colts team now looks like the same team as years ago.