When did the NFL peak for you?

[JWL]

A rant thread became popular the past few days. The responses indicate that several people on this forum will cease following the NFL in the not too distant future and it was basically all in relation to the current game rules.

If you were the commissioner and could revert back to the rules used in a certain year what year would you choose? You can alter up to three rules from the year in question. An example would be, "I think the NFL was best in 1936, but I would put the goalposts at the end line and add the 2-point conversion."

Also feel free to comment on how football was covered. I imagine there are some people who think the sport is covered too much now. I believe JohnH19 strongly dislikes NFL Network. Maybe some people thought the NFL was most properly covered in 1984 or maybe some think the current round the clock coverage is best.

[JohnH19]

I do indeed dislike the NFL N but only because the generally poor quality of the content. I have no problem with 24-7 NFL coverage if the programming is worthwhile but, unfortunately, the network doesn't take advantage of the potential that exists with the NFL Films archives and instead fills the hours with repetitive schlock and studio talking heads, many of whom are former players who have no broadcasting skills.

The NFL peaked for me in the early to mid 70s because all of the sports we love are best when we are in that age range of 12-16.

I would go back to 1977's rules when defenses were still allowed to play defense and the game seemed to me to be more "pure". The 1977 season was the lowest scoring in the modern era but the 1970-76 seasons were all quite exciting. The two changes I would make are the elimination of regular season OT and I would move the hash marks back to the pre-1972 locations.

The league's deep thinkers thought that moving the hash marks into the middle of the field before the 1972 season would open up the passing game by eliminating the narrow side of the field. It had the opposite effect in that coaches figured out that it actually benefited the running game to a greater extent and, as a result, the passing game went into hibernation until 1978 when the five yard chuck rule came into effect. The chuck rule may never have been required to save the passing game had the hash marks been left where they were.

[Rupert Patrick]

I do indeed dislike the NFL N but only because the generally poor quality of the content. I have no problem with 24-7 NFL coverage if the programming is worthwhile but, unfortunately, the network doesn't take advantage of the potential that exists with the NFL Films archives and instead fills the hours with repetitive schlock and studio talking heads, many of whom are former players who have no broadcasting skills.

The NFL peaked for me in the early to mid 70s because all of the sports we love are best when we are in that age range of 12-16.

I would go back to 1977's rules when defenses were still allowed to play defense and the game seemed to me to be more "pure". The 1977 season was the lowest scoring in the modern era but the 1970-76 seasons were all quite exciting. The two changes I would make are the elimination of regular season OT and I would move the hash marks back to the pre-1972 locations.

The league's deep thinkers thought that moving the hash marks into the middle of the field before the 1972 season would open up the passing game by eliminating the narrow side of the field. It had the opposite effect in that coaches figured out that it actually benefited the running game to a greater extent and, as a result, the passing game went into hibernation until 1978 when the five yard chuck rule came into effect. The chuck rule may never have been required to save the passing game had the hash marks been left where they were.

I too would go back to the 1977 pass defense rules, and I could get behind the hash marks moving back to the pre-1972 locations as moving them had a huge effect on offense in the 70's. I don't know about getting rid of OT, but I do like the 2-point conversion because it does add strategy to the game.

I think the NFL officially became oversaturated in the nanosecond the NFL Network started broadcasting. If they are not airing a game or playing an NFL Films program, I am not watching. NFL Films needs its own channel separate from NFL Network.

[Jay Z]

Probably the 1960s, because I'm a Packers fan and Lombardi. Even though I was born in 1965, and didn't really live through it.

By my demographic, I should love 1970s football, but don't. Both the pro and college games were bad. That may come from living in Wisconsin. The Packers had other times when they were bad, but I still prefer the 1980s to the 1970s. The 1950s and 1960s were also better in the NFL than the 1970s.

Mainly, I want a team to have a puncher's chance once in a while. That never happened in the 1970s, or didn't happen often enough. Half or more of the teams not being able to pass the ball, you can have it.

Do people here have problems with games like the 72-41 Redskins-Giants game in 1966, between two bad teams? Or do they just want every receiver that comes over the middle to have his head taken off?

[7DnBrnc53]

Do people here have problems with games like the 72-41 Redskins-Giants game in 1966, between two bad teams? Or do they just want every receiver that comes over the middle to have his head taken off?

I don't want to see WR's with their heads taken off all the time, but the favor for the passing game has gone too far. These owners and the TV networks have ruined the game in favor of what Ken Reed calls PAAC (Sports Policy Director for the League of Fans), or Profit At All Costs.

[JeffreyMiller]

I think the NFL officially became oversaturated in the nanosecond the NFL Network started broadcasting. If they are not airing a game or playing an NFL Films program, I am not watching. NFL Films needs its own channel separate from NFL Network.

I agree and would take that one step further backward with the advent of ESPN. Though I think they are great in concept, these networks oversaturate and also have a tendency to place focus on the player rather than the team. The individualism is a problem for me, as I am a fan of the team and feel that is where the emphasis should be.

I agree that if they are not airing a game or an NFL Films program, I don't normally watch the NFL Network. ESPN has become insufferable with the clowns on the pregame show. Too much hype and often too political.

[Citizen]

Probably the 1980s for me, although I find things to like from all eras.

I don't watch much football from before the 1950s. That NFL of that decade was marked by a certain amateurish charm that would vanish once pro football became a national religion. Maybe this is NFL Films propaganda, but the '50s really did seem to have many more rogues and characters than other eras. I think Paul Brown was correct when he pointed out that many of these guys had just been in a war; playing rough-and-tumble football with a bunch of other mugs was nothing but good fun.

The '60s, for me, were notable for the wall-to-wall legends who played then. I've never outgrown being a little starstruck by names like Starr, Sayers and Jim Brown. There also seemed to be a good balance of dynamic offense and stout defense.

The NFL of the 1970s was mostly dull and predictable, with the same teams dominating year after year, and some of the worst Super Bowls ever staged. Even in matchups against two top teams, the players looked like they were stuck in the mud. Sometimes a defensive struggle can be captivating (see SB 42), but usually it just reflects ineptitude on offense. The 1970s were full of such games.

IMO the game hit a sweet spot in the '80s. You had a handful of perennial contenders, but oddball teams ('81 49ers, '83 Seahawks, '85 Patriots) would sometimes jump up and surprise everyone. And after the '70s, some of the wild shootouts of the 1980s were thrilling and refreshing.

Since then, my interest has waned steadily -- just as it has for lots of other things I used to be passionate about. People often mistake this natural consequence of aging for a drop in quality in a given pastime, but that's just solipsism. Football used to be better? No, just different. All recent music sucks? No, you're just not capable anymore of hearing the quality others hear.

For all the carping about what's wrong with the game now, the skill level of the athletes is simply off the charts, especially in the passing game. Plays that would have been legendary 50 years ago are routine now. I guess that bothers some people, but I try to appreciate the beauty in the talent and poise that's on display.

[74_75_78_79_]

Good posts so far! As defense-friendly I am, I don't mind the '78 rules-change. Starting with that very season, there were still plenty of great defenses in the years/decades that would follow before the game became even more offense-friendly. I've opined before that '78-thru-'81 are my top-four favorite seasons but the entire '80s and '90s, the NFL was still a very great product. I agree to spread out the hash-marks back to pre-'72.

Coverage-wise, NBC and (especially) CBS (Brent, Irv, Phyllis & Jimmy) Sunday pre-game shows, MNF (Cosell, Gifford, Meredith), hearing Madden & Summerall calling a late-Sunday afternoon NFC showdown, 'This Week in the NFL', HBO's 'Inside the NFL', etc was a fine era for that although some may have felt, at the time, it was already oversaturated. All that said...'NFL Primetime', once it came into true form late-'80s, was a fine and welcomed addition; very enjoyable thru the end of the century IMO. Yes, this current 24-hour coverage via NFLN is overkill. I agree that there should be an 'NFL Films Channel'. A 'PFRA Channel' as well!

Although I can be a sucker for a 'feel-good' story like the '72 Packers, '77 Broncos, '79 Buccaneers, etc, I do miss the era of the same contenders practically every year. It's that very thing that makes you appreciate such a surprise-team every few years. I do want each team to have a..."puncher's chance", but not too much of one. I miss the days of most players playing for the same team their entire career or at least most of it. I guess free-agency/salary cap is to blame for all this but it's the changing times and that's the way it's got to be, I guess.

I wish it can go back to three-divisions-per-conference (and two-divisions-per-league in MLB along with just four playoff teams per; all series, even 1st Rd, 7-game series) and if it were to ever actually go back to that (barring further expansion), I'm fine with 6 playoff teams per conference, but just 5 again would be slightly better. I miss the (just) two Wild Card Games first Sunday of the post-season while the six division-winners get their rest and watch on.

[Rupert Patrick]

I think the NFL officially became oversaturated in the nanosecond the NFL Network started broadcasting. If they are not airing a game or playing an NFL Films program, I am not watching. NFL Films needs its own channel separate from NFL Network.

I agree and would take that one step further backward with the advent of ESPN. Though I think they are great in concept, these networks oversaturate and also have a tendency to place focus on the player rather than the team. The individualism is a problem for me, as I am a fan of the team and feel that is where the emphasis should be.

I agree that if they are not airing a game or an NFL Films program, I don't normally watch the NFL Network. ESPN has become insufferable with the clowns on the pregame show. Too much hype and often too political.

I gave up on pregame shows many years ago. Nowadays I turn the game on five minutes before kickoff and skip all that stuff.

[Ronfitch]

For all the carping about what's wrong with the game now, the skill level of the athletes is simply off the charts, especially in the passing game. Plays that would have been legendary 50 years ago are routine now. I guess that bothers some people, but I try to appreciate the beauty in the talent and poise that's on display.

I am still gobsmacked at the accuracy among NFL quarterbacks in the 5-to-20 (and for more than a few, out to 30) yard range. It is stunning to me.

The FG kicking is off-the-charts great as well.