Offenses down around the league?

DVontel

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 28, 2015
Posts
12,720
Reaction score
22,247
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

What do you think is the cause for this? Inferior QB era? More athletic DL? Two-High coverage?
 

kerouac9

Klowned by Keim
Joined
Feb 14, 2003
Posts
37,966
Reaction score
28,764
Location
Gilbert, AZ
I don't know if "Inferior QB era" is fair, but I think we saw a golden generation of QBs cycle out.

I'd be interested if total TDs are down, also. Josh Allen rushed for 2 TDs against us and passed for zero.

Finally, I think that a shorter/less physical/no-game preseason does contribute. If everyone does it, the net competitive end result is zero, but I think it leads to less sharp play.

10 QBs in that 2021 season passed for over 4000 yards. Two passed for over 5000. Last year 10 players also passed for over 4000 yards, but the yardage champ (Tua) had just over 4600. Offense is just down in passing and running. Defenses are putting the top on these teams.

Except ours. Bill Simmons said on his guess the lines podcast Monday that our defense allowed 13 plays of 20 yards or more Sunday.
 

vince56

ASFN Addict
Joined
Sep 15, 2002
Posts
8,986
Reaction score
1,942
Location
Arizona
1) The current crop of QBs is sub-par. Take out the top 4-5 QBs and the rest are mediocre at best. Even those top 4-5 played poorly this week, really. We were spoiled with the last 3 decades of great QB play.
2) No one is playing in pre-season, so the first 3 games become the warm-ups.
3) Pass rushers are just better athletes than O-linemen and very few teams have capable offensive lines.

We are also beginning to see the effects of less parents letting their kids play the game. I have to assume there are more and more parents that are keeping their kids out of the sport due to the long-term health and CTE concerns, which is going to over-time water down the quality of play. The days of the cerebral quarterback are numbered. It’s going to be more and more athletic QBs.
 
Last edited:

DaHilg

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 12, 2021
Posts
1,325
Reaction score
1,863
Location
Boston
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

What do you think is the cause for this? Inferior QB era? More athletic DL? Two-High coverage?
I think it’s 100% defensive approach.. let teams do whatever they want essentially between the 20s, just don’t get burnt by the big play. Results into a lot more dink and dunk offenses thus lower passing TDs (and I’m guessing lower scoring overall).
 

Krangodnzr

Captain of Team Murray
Joined
Jul 21, 2002
Posts
36,318
Reaction score
34,042
Location
Orange County, CA
I don't know if "Inferior QB era" is fair, but I think we saw a golden generation of QBs cycle out.

I'd be interested if total TDs are down, also. Josh Allen rushed for 2 TDs against us and passed for zero.

Finally, I think that a shorter/less physical/no-game preseason does contribute. If everyone does it, the net competitive end result is zero, but I think it leads to less sharp play.

10 QBs in that 2021 season passed for over 4000 yards. Two passed for over 5000. Last year 10 players also passed for over 4000 yards, but the yardage champ (Tua) had just over 4600. Offense is just down in passing and running. Defenses are putting the top on these teams.

Except ours. Bill Simmons said on his guess the lines podcast Monday that our defense allowed 13 plays of 20 yards or more Sunday.
Maybe it's just my perception, but the Cardinals seemed to give up big plays or tiny gains against the Bills.
 

Cheesebeef

ASFN IDOL
Supporting Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2003
Posts
90,204
Reaction score
65,273
1) The current crop of QBs is sub-par. Take out the top 4-5 QBs and the rest are mediocre at best. Even those top 4-5 played poorly this week, really. We were spoiled with the last 3 decades of great QBs.

Agreed and why I can only shake my head when people tout Kyler as a “top 10” QB. First, in the last three years, he just hasn’t been and even in an argument that he has, QBs from 10-17 are pretty much interchangeable.
 

MadCardDisease

Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
20,441
Reaction score
13,667
Location
Chandler, Az
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

What do you think is the cause for this? Inferior QB era? More athletic DL? Two-High coverage?

I would say inferior QB play. Look how many teams trotted Rookies or Backups out there week 1. The Giants didn't want to play Daniel Jones but had no other option to with that contract. Breese, Rivers, Ryan and Brady are all gone now. Wilson, Rodgers and Cousins look like old men out there compared to 2019.

Plus running QBs are more in vogue now and they sap passing TDs with running TDs
 

MadCardDisease

Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
20,441
Reaction score
13,667
Location
Chandler, Az
The other thing I would say that has limited Week 1 scoring is the new trend to not play starters in the preseason. So you are going to see it take longer for offenses to gel in the regular season. Week 1 has become the preseason tuneup for many teams. Where back 6 years ago, teams would play their starters and entire half in the 3rd preseason game as the tuneup.
 

Dback Jon

Killer Snail
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
80,087
Reaction score
38,943
Location
Scottsdale
The other thing I would say that has limited Week 1 scoring is the new trend to not play starters in the preseason. So you are going to see it take longer for offenses to gel in the regular season. Week 1 has become the preseason tuneup for many teams. Where back 6 years ago, teams would play their starters and entire half in the 3rd preseason game as the tuneup.
Bills starters played in Pre-season. Cards didn't
 

GatorAZ

feed hopkins
Joined
Oct 17, 2011
Posts
25,006
Reaction score
17,641
Location
The Giant Toaster
I would say inferior QB play. Look how many teams trotted Rookies or Backups out there week 1. The Giants didn't want to play Daniel Jones but had no other option to with that contract. Breese, Rivers, Ryan and Brady are all gone now. Wilson, Rodgers and Cousins look like old men out there compared to 2019.

Plus running QBs are more in vogue now and they sap passing TDs with running TDs

I went back 10 years and looked at the QB’s in passer rating. We didn’t know we were in the golden age:

(in no order)
Brady
P Manning
Brees
Rodgers
Luck
Roethlisberger
Rivers
Wilson
Palmer
E Manning
Ryan
Stafford
Newton
Romo
 

vince56

ASFN Addict
Joined
Sep 15, 2002
Posts
8,986
Reaction score
1,942
Location
Arizona
I went back 10 years and looked at the QB’s in passer rating. We didn’t know we were in the golden age:

(in no order)
Brady
P Manning
Brees
Rodgers
Luck
Roethlisberger
Rivers
Wilson
Palmer
E Manning
Ryan
Stafford
Newton
Romo

Yep, there it is.
 

TheCardFan

Things have changed.
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
12,091
Reaction score
14,746
Location
Charlotte
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

What do you think is the cause for this? Inferior QB era? More athletic DL? Two-High coverage?

Combination of those three plus more rushing td's in general.

How many TD's were scored by QB's rushing in week 1? Seemed like a lot (maybe 10?).
 

kerouac9

Klowned by Keim
Joined
Feb 14, 2003
Posts
37,966
Reaction score
28,764
Location
Gilbert, AZ
I went back 10 years and looked at the QB’s in passer rating. We didn’t know we were in the golden age:

(in no order)
Brady
P Manning
Brees
Rodgers
Luck
Roethlisberger
Rivers
Wilson
Palmer
E Manning
Ryan
Stafford
Newton
Romo
If you didn’t know you weren’t paying attention.
 

Chopper0080

2021 - Prove It
Joined
May 15, 2002
Posts
27,444
Reaction score
37,577
Location
Colorado
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

What do you think is the cause for this? Inferior QB era? More athletic DL? Two-High coverage?
My theory is that it is two fold.

First off, playing QB from the pocket is emphasized less and less at the collegiate level. There is not the emphasis to play with timing and rhythm (for obvious reasons). Also, the number of years starts in college is also less which increases the inexperience. This leads to a steeper learning curve when players transition to the pro level, and as of now, the NFL is very difficult environment to learn fundamentals.

Secondly, in response to this, defenses are playing more two high / shell coverage which forces QBs to play with timing and rhythm (their weaknesses). This slows the game down, reduces big plays, and makes drives longer which increases opportunities for offensive penalties.
 

MadCardDisease

Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
20,441
Reaction score
13,667
Location
Chandler, Az
My theory is that it is two fold.

First off, playing QB from the pocket is emphasized less and less at the collegiate level. There is not the emphasis to play with timing and rhythm (for obvious reasons). Also, the number of years starts in college is also less which increases the inexperience. This leads to a steeper learning curve when players transition to the pro level, and as of now, the NFL is very difficult environment to learn fundamentals.

Secondly, in response to this, defenses are playing more two high / shell coverage which forces QBs to play with timing and rhythm (their weaknesses). This slows the game down, reduces big plays, and makes drives longer which increases opportunities for offensive penalties.
Two very good observations as well.
 

HairZach

Hall of Famer
Joined
Sep 7, 2020
Posts
1,326
Reaction score
2,669
Location
VA
I think a lot of it has to do with most NFL offenses pivoting to heavy TE usage and more ground and pound. Its not just us doing it, its most of the league. NFL defenses have the personnel/scheme to take away deep stuff now; the result is drives are longer, there are more rushing touchdowns, and there are fewer drives overall.
 
Last edited:

Crimson Warrior

Dangerous Murray Zealot
Joined
Oct 27, 2002
Posts
7,830
Reaction score
8,186
Location
Home of the Thunder
My theory is that it is two fold.

First off, playing QB from the pocket is emphasized less and less at the collegiate level. There is not the emphasis to play with timing and rhythm (for obvious reasons). Also, the number of years starts in college is also less which increases the inexperience. This leads to a steeper learning curve when players transition to the pro level, and as of now, the NFL is very difficult environment to learn fundamentals.

Secondly, in response to this, defenses are playing more two high / shell coverage which forces QBs to play with timing and rhythm (their weaknesses). This slows the game down, reduces big plays, and makes drives longer which increases opportunities for offensive penalties.

That's why we're sitting pretty with our incredibly physically gifted dual threat QB!

K1's rushing line from Sunday:

Five carries for 57 yards! 11.4 average!

I wish in 2nd half DP would have called his number on maybe four or five more designed run plays!

Murray is still beating LBs and defensive linemen to the edge, and it's still no contest him vs. one defender in the open field!

For the love of god, run Murray more! lol
 

TheCardFan

Things have changed.
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
12,091
Reaction score
14,746
Location
Charlotte
For the love of god, run Murray more! lol

I think he is running pretty close to the right amount and that gives defenses problems. He has averaged 6.6 carries per game in his career...not sure his body can handle much more.

I want to see a couple of downfield shots to MHJ vs running him more.
 
Last edited:

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
547,153
Posts
5,348,937
Members
6,302
Latest member
Sparky
Top