(10-04-2021, 05:02 PM)J24 Wrote: Honestly I think  the reason why the numbers are exploding has more to do with offensive philosophy then the rules itself. Teams were not running spread offenses in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s now it is common place.

Also QBs are a lot more skilled today than they were previously. I mean let's look at Kyler Murray for example the dude has the running skills of Barry Sanders but the arm of Jay Cutler. Dudes are just on another level right now.

(10-04-2021, 06:12 PM)Bryan Wrote: Ken Anderson held that record for 27 years before Brees broke it

(10-04-2021, 05:08 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: We've always had guys like that in the league.

Mike Vick ran a 4.3 and could throw 70 yards from his knees.

Randall Cunningham. Steve Young. Donavan McNabb. Steve McNair.

None or these guys were completing 75% with a 120 rating though, and tbh, these physical traits don't directly link to being super efficient anyway. Most of the best QBs in league history were actually very unathletic. Tom Brady was such a guy at 25 years old. Here he is at 44 and dominating with his slow self.

(10-04-2021, 06:21 PM)J24 Wrote: True but those guys had to adopt to the NFL while the NFL and Coaches are adopting to the mobile QB now.

I'm not saying that rules do not play a factor but teams are definitely playing at a faster pace and spreading out more often.  Teams were not running a shot gun offense 60% of the time, teams were not running 3 wide sets 70% of the time, and teams were not running the read option.

(10-04-2021, 06:17 PM)Wyche Wrote: You forget the run n shoot?

It wasn't common because of the rules in coverage and hits on the QB at the time.

Agreed that the athletes have vastly improved though.

(10-04-2021, 05:00 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I'm not asking for 1980s type of defensive play, but the game starts to feel a bit cheap when fantastic offensive output is so common. Everyone is playing like the 99 Rams now.


They want to lure in Gen Z with tons of offense. That's why they're allowing zany celebrations now, too. I guess I'm just an old head that misses old style football. All sports are falling victim to this mentality, so the NFL is not alone. The NBA has changed a ton as well, and all rule changes over the last 20 years have favored offense.

(10-05-2021, 04:14 AM)Housh Wrote: If Burrow wasn’t accurate and we didn’t have 4 great WR I’d discredit this but i can’t

(10-04-2021, 08:40 PM)JaggedJimmyJay Wrote: Depends entirely upon when it happened.

(10-04-2021, 04:35 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Can we take a second to talk about how ridiculous passing has become?

Burrow is completing a whopping 72.9% of his throws. I know Steve Young held the record for like 20 years at 70.3% before Drew Brees broke it. Now we have 7 QBs at 70% or better, and Burrow is only 3rd.

Kyler Murray is completing 76.1%...which would be a good free throw percentage in the NBA.

Burrow is also averaging 9.2 yards/attempt, which is also incredible, and would easily lead the league most years I've been alive. Yet Burrow only ranks 4th in that stat, with 5 QBs averaging 9.1 or better.


In passer rating, Burrow is sitting pretty at 113.8, which used to be a staggering number. Montana and Steve Young once held that record at a shade over 112. Now Burrow's number is only good for 7th...which is insane.

15 qualifying QBs are currently sporting a 100 passer rating or better.

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I'm not trying to cheapen Burrow's accomplishments at all. He still ranks highly and is playing great football. I'm just wondering if the league shifted a little too far towards offense with some of the rule changes through the years.

...and please for the love of God, don't say this is evolution. The stats have been skyrocketing just over the last few years.

(10-04-2021, 08:07 PM)BengalChris Wrote: We also saw Brees retire with the record passing yards only to have it broken 4 games into the next season.

The rules keep changing, as others have mentioned, to make scoring easier and defensing that scoring more difficult.

This isn't anything new though. In the 1930s 1324 yards was the record set in 1939 (Davey O'Brien). In 40s it was 2,938 (Sammy Baugh). In the 50s it was 2,899 (Johnny Unitas) - Damn I'm old I remember watching Unitas play. In the 60s it was 3,747 (Sonny Jurgensen). In the 70s it was 4,082 (Fouts). In the 80s it was 5,084 (Marino). In the 90s it was 4,690 (Warren Moon) and the first decade where it dropped. The 2000s was 5,069 (Drew Brees). The 10s it was 5,477 (Payton Manning).

Marino's 1984 record of 5,084 lasted until Drew Brees broke it in 2011 with 5,476 and that was promptly broken two years later by Payton Manning.

(10-05-2021, 07:57 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: It is somewhat evolution, though, I believe.  

And the evolution has come largely from coaches taking advantage of the rules that favor offense.  The coaches have also developed plays that create spaces for QBs to put the ball with quick release moments.  Rub routes, screens, shallow crossers.  RBs being used in the passing attack.  LOW RISK THROWS.  I remember being in awe of the YPR of someone like Bob Trumpy back in his day being something ridiculous like 17 YPR.  They pushed the ball DOWN THE FIELD.  Now, it is a lot of nickel and dime teams, with the occasional shot.  

Kurt Warner was the last QB where it looked like every pass was 20 yards downfield.  He would hold it so long and wait for that WR to make his final break and then hit him.  In the process, however, he got hit A LOT.  Career shortened.  Now it is about protecting your QB from hits (Talk about evolution...look at the freaks that play DE in the league now) by getting the ball out quick, with designed routes to create space.  

I think the coaching from colleges that is just more creating has made its way to the NFL and where teams like a MAC team had to be creative with its offense to generate any points against the likes of an OSU made its way to a team like OSU and then the pros.  

Defenses will evolve as well.  We see crazy schemes in college designed to counter all the weapons on offense.  3-3-5 defenses.  You haven't seen it in the pros....but I am sure it will, uh evolve, as well (not trying to piss you off).  

(10-04-2021, 04:35 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: Can we take a second to talk about how ridiculous passing has become?

Burrow is completing a whopping 72.9% of his throws. I know Steve Young held the record for like 20 years at 70.3% before Drew Brees broke it. Now we have 7 QBs at 70% or better, and Burrow is only 3rd.

Kyler Murray is completing 76.1%...which would be a good free throw percentage in the NBA.

Burrow is also averaging 9.2 yards/attempt, which is also incredible, and would easily lead the league most years I've been alive. Yet Burrow only ranks 4th in that stat, with 5 QBs averaging 9.1 or better.


In passer rating, Burrow is sitting pretty at 113.8, which used to be a staggering number. Montana and Steve Young once held that record at a shade over 112. Now Burrow's number is only good for 7th...which is insane.

15 qualifying QBs are currently sporting a 100 passer rating or better.

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I'm not trying to cheapen Burrow's accomplishments at all. He still ranks highly and is playing great football. I'm just wondering if the league shifted a little too far towards offense with some of the rule changes through the years.

...and please for the love of God, don't say this is evolution. The stats have been skyrocketing just over the last few years.

(10-05-2021, 06:31 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I agree most of what you say in the post, but I'd like to point out that when Marino set that record, no one else was throwing the ball like he was. He was in a class all his own. Now 5000 yards is something several guys have done. Often in multiple years.

In 1984, only 2 other QBs threw for over 4000 yards, and behind Marino's 48 TDs, the 2nd place finisher had 32.


You're good, man.

I was mainly talking about all the kids out there who think players physically evolve in a mere 20 years, and that's the primary reason for skyrocketing numbers.

What you're talking about, I agree with. Rules change and Coaches wisely take advantage. Playbooks evolve. Coaches and players are able to build off of decades of knowledge and advance. Especially with the rule changes that open the playbooks to things that may have been less feasible in the past.