Burrow has been amazing, but...

[Shake n Blake]

(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.

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.

(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).  

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.