Something changed a few weeks ago in the NFL (1 Viewer)

It's like offenses were supercharged for the first 9 weeks of the season with teams scoring at a clip never seen before. It was at such a level that it was being called "the new NFL" by talking heads on just about every network. There were 12 QB's sitting with a passer rating over 100 and interceptions were at league lows across the board.

In week 4, 12 teams scored over 30 points. This week 2 teams scored over 30 and more games were played since no teams have a bye.

We saw teams with great passing games like the Saints, Rams, Patriots and Chiefs putting up all time record numbers. All the sudden a few weeks ago defenses have started showing up, teams are struggling to score 30 points, QB's are suddenly throwing interceptions again. Teams that can run the ball and play defense are suddenly looking a lot more competitive.

So what gives?
Are refs allowing secondaries to play more physical? Has it taken this long for defenses to catch up with the newer style offenses? Are weather and injuries starting to impact games to keep scores down? Is it a combination of all of the above? Is this how the playoffs will be or will there be another shift?


This is going to really shift the advantage back to teams that can win in a variety of ways. Teams that are versatile and can play good defense against the run, play good defense against the pass, run the ball and throw the ball. It's going to give a huge advantage to the Saints but I also think it gives the Saints some big time incentive to really start to lean more on the running game. Something I would have never said just a few weeks ago.
Need to get the OL healthy and keep it that way. That will be huge.
 
I'd like to see the average QB rating of the NFL beginning the week we played the Cowboys. That's when it started.

We had about a dozen QBs above 100. Now about half have fallen off below 100.
 
Happens every year.

The weather turns nasty, offensive film is completely out, refs start throwing less flags (especially in the playoffs), and teams start to play tighter as the stakes get raised.
 
I honestly believe it was the Chiefs Rams game. It was a complete travesty of pro football no matter how the talking heads tried to spin it. Defenses stopped getting called on everything after that game.
Yep I actually started to feel that the NFL rule changes had gone way too far after that game ended.
 
It's like offenses were supercharged for the first 9 weeks of the season with teams scoring at a clip never seen before. It was at such a level that it was being called "the new NFL" by talking heads on just about every network. There were 12 QB's sitting with a passer rating over 100 and interceptions were at league lows across the board.

In week 4, 12 teams scored over 30 points. This week 2 teams scored over 30 and more games were played since no teams have a bye.

We saw teams with great passing games like the Saints, Rams, Patriots and Chiefs putting up all time record numbers. All the sudden a few weeks ago defenses have started showing up, teams are struggling to score 30 points, QB's are suddenly throwing interceptions again. Teams that can run the ball and play defense are suddenly looking a lot more competitive.

So what gives?
Are refs allowing secondaries to play more physical? Has it taken this long for defenses to catch up with the newer style offenses? Are weather and injuries starting to impact games to keep scores down? Is it a combination of all of the above? Is this how the playoffs will be or will there be another shift?


This is going to really shift the advantage back to teams that can win in a variety of ways. Teams that are versatile and can play good defense against the run, play good defense against the pass, run the ball and throw the ball. It's going to give a huge advantage to the Saints but I also think it gives the Saints some big time incentive to really start to lean more on the running game. Something I would have never said just a few weeks ago.

Colder weather and league stopped calling as much defensive holding and pass interference.
 
Watching it definitely looks like refs are letting defenders get away with more physical play on receivers. I don’t know if a memo went out or it’s just organic but defenses have been quick to take full advantage. Offenses, including ours, will have to adjust.
 
The league office apparently decreed that offensive holding be called more a couple of weeks ago. I’ve definitely noticed quite a few of these penalties the last couple of weeks. The Saints got called twice against the Bucs. The Rams and Eagles were both called for it last night. Quenton Nelson was called in the early game. It’s been killing a lot of drives. 10 yards is brutal, even on 1st down.
 
It's like offenses were supercharged for the first 9 weeks of the season with teams scoring at a clip never seen before. It was at such a level that it was being called "the new NFL" by talking heads on just about every network. There were 12 QB's sitting with a passer rating over 100 and interceptions were at league lows across the board.

In week 4, 12 teams scored over 30 points. This week 2 teams scored over 30 and more games were played since no teams have a bye.

We saw teams with great passing games like the Saints, Rams, Patriots and Chiefs putting up all time record numbers. All the sudden a few weeks ago defenses have started showing up, teams are struggling to score 30 points, QB's are suddenly throwing interceptions again. Teams that can run the ball and play defense are suddenly looking a lot more competitive.

So what gives?
Are refs allowing secondaries to play more physical? Has it taken this long for defenses to catch up with the newer style offenses? Are weather and injuries starting to impact games to keep scores down? Is it a combination of all of the above? Is this how the playoffs will be or will there be another shift?


This is going to really shift the advantage back to teams that can win in a variety of ways. Teams that are versatile and can play good defense against the run, play good defense against the pass, run the ball and throw the ball. It's going to give a huge advantage to the Saints but I also think it gives the Saints some big time incentive to really start to lean more on the running game. Something I would have never said just a few weeks ago.

As a gambler, I definitely noticed. A few weeks into the season, I couldn’t miss betting the over. Then I lost darn near every bet 3or 4 weeks ago. Last 2 weeks, I have done well with the under.

I think part of the reasoning was all the defensive penalties opening the year. Every time you breathed on a QB or wide receiver it would be unsportsmanlike like conduct/PI. I think the league calmed the refs down a tad.
 
I think it's pressure. Less room for error leading coaches to call games more conservatively.

So if you can run the ball and run clock, play good defense, you give yourself a chance.

Look at a team down 6 with 2 min. They throw all over the place. Because no pressure. What do you have to lose? You are already losing.

But the first 58 min they played conservatively trying to win by controlling clock and playing good D.

Except Rams. They haven't figured it out yet.
 
Luckily we have been playing better on D... but we need to get back to running the ball also.. the hot teams now are the Bears, Ravens and Chargers... Chargers have a good D and Bears and Ravens both run the ball hard and play great D... Ingram and Kamara need to be our bell cows, get Taysom involved more (I cant believe Im saying that as I thought we used him too much earlier)... and play action to MT and others... protect Brees

We asked for a running game and a good D for YEARS.. and now we have it. Saints are in the drivers seat with everything to gain and lose
 
It's like offenses were supercharged for the first 9 weeks of the season with teams scoring at a clip never seen before. It was at such a level that it was being called "the new NFL" by talking heads on just about every network. There were 12 QB's sitting with a passer rating over 100 and interceptions were at league lows across the board.

In week 4, 12 teams scored over 30 points. This week 2 teams scored over 30 and more games were played since no teams have a bye.

We saw teams with great passing games like the Saints, Rams, Patriots and Chiefs putting up all time record numbers. All the sudden a few weeks ago defenses have started showing up, teams are struggling to score 30 points, QB's are suddenly throwing interceptions again. Teams that can run the ball and play defense are suddenly looking a lot more competitive.

So what gives?
Are refs allowing secondaries to play more physical? Has it taken this long for defenses to catch up with the newer style offenses? Are weather and injuries starting to impact games to keep scores down? Is it a combination of all of the above? Is this how the playoffs will be or will there be another shift?


This is going to really shift the advantage back to teams that can win in a variety of ways. Teams that are versatile and can play good defense against the run, play good defense against the pass, run the ball and throw the ball. It's going to give a huge advantage to the Saints but I also think it gives the Saints some big time incentive to really start to lean more on the running game. Something I would have never said just a few weeks ago.

bclemms - As alwys, excellent stuff. Thx.

Last week, Coach Pete just mentioned that Defensive Coordinators have almost a year of film watching the high flying offenses, analyzing what was tried ineffectively to stop them and what has been used effectively to stop each of these high flying teams. To me, it seems a lot like Belichick's defensive scheme for a decade, "Take away the offenses best weapons them make them beat you with the lesser offensive players."

As you pointed out bclemms, weather is definitely part of it. For those of us who play FF, we've seen this painfully in the last quarter or more of the years. When snow and cold comes, scores go down. But that doesn't explain why the Dome or perfect weather city teams are not lighting it up still. Interesting stuff. Really excellent post!
 
What I have heard listening to various NFL and NFL-talk channels on satellite radio, it's that with the new rules about hitting in camp, it's now the offenses (that are working in shorts and shells in the OTAs, mini-camps and camp) that have the big advantage early in the season, but over the course of the year as people get more used to hitting during games, and offenses end up having more film to show everyone, that the defenses start to catch up.

No idea if it's true, but it also makes some sense.

Bolded is what's most plausible for the lower amount of points scored in the past month. That, and more instances of the refs going back to the way things used to be before GODdell when it comes to PI.
 
Usually this time of year, the high powered offenses do eventually slow down.

Teams have to start trying to run the ball and do things differently before the playoffs come, cause if not, they're toast.
 

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