I haven't gotten the feeling ever that calls were being made for the trailing team. If one wanted to have a good conspiracy theory about the current NFL, then this would be a good one. I am sure Brian Tuohy has looked into it.sheajets wrote: Especially when you saw how lopsided the officiating was (and is) in a lot of these Patriots games.
https://www.sbnation.com/2017/2/5/14518 ... d-patriots
But it's not just them, in a lot of these games when team x is trying to come back on y you will see a lot of calls going x's way. A bad PI flag here a chintzy hold there. It's like the refs are thinking "ok we may have a game here, let's make sure these drives are sustained and the score gets closer"
Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
Re: Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
Re: Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
I agree with the 'rant'...the expectation for compelling NFL action of top teams (Rams-Vikings) often gives way to the feeling that you are watching Big12 football. After viewing the game, you feel the need to shower in order to get the 'stink' off of you. Anyways, here are a few random thoughts:
*NFL started going downhill when they replaced the MNF intro of Johnny Pearson's "Heavy Action" to some lame Hank Williams Jr. composition.
*The league might have more parity, but the games themselves also are typically back-and-forth scoring, to be decided by a bad referee call or a kicker missing an extra point. That kind of leaves you unfulfilled.
*Comebacks are too commonplace. I remember when the Pats were down 16 to Atlanta in the Super Bowl, the only interesting aspect was whether or not they could get the 2pt conversions...getting the two TDs was almost perfunctory.
*I prefer the variety of college football to the pro football product. I can sit down and watch a random SMU-Navy game and it captures my interest...I don't really have any interest in a random NFL game like Eagles-Titans.
*It will never contract, but I used to think that the NFL had too many teams. I thought 26 was the best number...anything larger would have a good number of teams scrambling to find competent starting QBs (Imagine the 1950s, with only a dozen teams and HOF QBs serving as backups). Now it seems like the opposite is true...any decent college QB can put up 350 yards/4 TDs in an NFL game. That cheapens the product, IMO.
*I'm not a fan of the 'pussification' of the NFL, but my bigger issue is the inconsistency in the application of 'player safety' rules. Much like a player making a catch, you watch a play and you have to wait to be told by the refs as to what you actually saw. Did you see a catch, or was it a drop? Did you see a defender break up a pass, or was it a personal foul? Did you see Clay Matthews sack Alex Smith, or was it roughing the passer?
*NFL started going downhill when they replaced the MNF intro of Johnny Pearson's "Heavy Action" to some lame Hank Williams Jr. composition.
*The league might have more parity, but the games themselves also are typically back-and-forth scoring, to be decided by a bad referee call or a kicker missing an extra point. That kind of leaves you unfulfilled.
*Comebacks are too commonplace. I remember when the Pats were down 16 to Atlanta in the Super Bowl, the only interesting aspect was whether or not they could get the 2pt conversions...getting the two TDs was almost perfunctory.
*I prefer the variety of college football to the pro football product. I can sit down and watch a random SMU-Navy game and it captures my interest...I don't really have any interest in a random NFL game like Eagles-Titans.
*It will never contract, but I used to think that the NFL had too many teams. I thought 26 was the best number...anything larger would have a good number of teams scrambling to find competent starting QBs (Imagine the 1950s, with only a dozen teams and HOF QBs serving as backups). Now it seems like the opposite is true...any decent college QB can put up 350 yards/4 TDs in an NFL game. That cheapens the product, IMO.
*I'm not a fan of the 'pussification' of the NFL, but my bigger issue is the inconsistency in the application of 'player safety' rules. Much like a player making a catch, you watch a play and you have to wait to be told by the refs as to what you actually saw. Did you see a catch, or was it a drop? Did you see a defender break up a pass, or was it a personal foul? Did you see Clay Matthews sack Alex Smith, or was it roughing the passer?
Re: Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
I would actually think it was good. There are some bland high-scoring games (Colts 38 at Chiefs 31 in playoffs in 2003) but usually they are fun to watch. I am not sure going back to 1977 would be fun. The Falcons played multiple games that year where neither team reached double digits in points. Great defense or bad offense? I don't know. I didn't watch the games in full. At least for me, if I watch a football game bad offense is more boring than anything else.RRMarshall wrote:Guys, try looking at it from this perspective. If you had gone a long journey with no TV and hadn't watched a football game since the early 80s and the first game you saw upon your return was that Vikings-Rams Thursday night game what would your reaction have been?? To me modern day football is getting closer and closer to Arena Football with every passing year, no pun intended!
I have talked about this with a few former players I have interviewed and they don't enjoy watching the modern version of the game just as we don't. 300 and 400-yard passing games used to be noteworthy feats, now you've had a bad game if you don't reach that benchmark. Dime and nickel defenses are practically the norm, and the game often comes down to can my third WR get open against your 5th DB. With all the complaints about player's kneeling do you think falling ratings just might be related to the quality of the product? No...I guess not..
I do not like Arena Football because it is looks so antiseptic. It is played indoors on rugs and the field is short and tight. The large fields and (mostly) outdoor venues of the NFL is more pleasing to my eyes. I also don't like the style of play in the Arena league which is again due to the field size. It just doesn't work for me. I have tried to get into it in the past, but it never stuck.
Re: Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
Replay reared its ugly head again yesterday when a totally unnecessary review reversed what appeared to be a Brown’s first down. It was ridiculous that the play was reviewed at all and absolutely unbelievable that the spot was moved back.
Re: Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
Think we talked about the Big XII before, conference wise the worst offender of the era ...Bryan wrote:gives way to the feeling that you are watching Big12 football.
I can sit down and watch a random SMU-Navy game and it captures my interest..
*I'm not a fan of the 'pussification' of the NFL
Army, Navy and Air Force are always great to watch, don't miss many of their games (even the asinine PPV for Army-OU), because it's like watching real football, at least when they're on offense. Offense designed to beat the defense. Unlike the homogenized offenses pretty much everyone else in major college football/NFL run (save for Ga. Tech and some others here and there) which is designed not to beat defense but is successful and exists in practice to take advantage of the era/rules, which is where the tie to 'pussification' comes in. It's not the r&s doing something different, not even the early days of the air-raid (though that exists now for the era), it's not Martz leaving his QB exposed, it's just pussification ball offense.
Re: Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
What is this new fangled fancy passing stuff you fellows are talking about? My team still operates like it is 1995.
Re: Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
Think by now we know that the Jets are long exempt from the usual rule.JWL wrote:What is this new fangled fancy passing stuff you fellows are talking about? My team still operates like it is 1995.
In all seriousness though, the Jags were letting receivers run free and open like usual, Darnold just missed a lot of throws and specifically TD/big play throws yesterday. Left a lot of points paying possessions on the field with inaccurate throws.
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ChrisBabcock
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Re: Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
Worth noting that Drew Brees set a pretty significant record last night and there's not one post about here, at the PFRA, where there's plenty of people who love stats, records, history, etc.
To me, that sums up where football is at.
The play it came on was even perfect in summing up the era, itself.
To me, that sums up where football is at.
The play it came on was even perfect in summing up the era, itself.
Re: Hope this doesn't sound like a rant ...
I have never gotten into career passing stats. Marino breaking the record (I am assuming he held the title at one time; heck, I might be wrong about this) and later Manning breaking it did nothing for me. The touchdown passing record doesn't excite me either.
My favorite statistical notes from this past week were accomplished by the Jets. The Jets ran for over 300 yards. As far as I know, the 300-mark was eclipsed only one other time since the 2014 season. Also, Robby Anderson's stats were cool.
While this era of fancy passing does not bug me as much as it bugs nearly everyone else in this thread, I still prefer seeing more balance and good running. Running the ball down another team's throat and often at their best defender (the Jets did this to Von Miller) is enjoyable as long as I'm not rooting for the team on defense. Connecting on deep passes is thrilling. A team doing both in the same game is awesome especially when I was also rooting for that team.
My favorite statistical notes from this past week were accomplished by the Jets. The Jets ran for over 300 yards. As far as I know, the 300-mark was eclipsed only one other time since the 2014 season. Also, Robby Anderson's stats were cool.
While this era of fancy passing does not bug me as much as it bugs nearly everyone else in this thread, I still prefer seeing more balance and good running. Running the ball down another team's throat and often at their best defender (the Jets did this to Von Miller) is enjoyable as long as I'm not rooting for the team on defense. Connecting on deep passes is thrilling. A team doing both in the same game is awesome especially when I was also rooting for that team.