NFL 2013-2014

[Mr.Bill]

[The Dude]

[Mr.Bill]

You can't compare one on one then to now because as I mentioned earlier, the rules were different. The game is geared to passing now.. The rules make it almost impossible to guard the receivers now. The rules now promote and more wide open, passing game.

In the last 9 games of the 1976 season the Steelers D gave up 28 points.. Yep, that's right.. 28 points in NINE GAMES.. Because of the rules now you'll never ever see that kind of D again.. The athletes are better now, faster and stronger.. But because of the rules the D's have no chance now to stop the passing game.. So you can't compare the passing of 15 years ago, to now..

You said the QB's and the DEFENSES are better now? I say nope, especially the defenses.. But IMO, neither are the QB's.. There are elites now, and the Brees's and Mannings and Rodgers would have been great 20 years ago too.. But the 2nd tier QB's would have struggled. They are having trouble now, they would be lost 20 years ago.

[The Dude]

Are you kidding me? The Staffords, Wilsons, Rivers, etc are much better than the Mark Brunells, Elvs Grbacs and Steve Beurleins.

it's not even close. You're acting like the old man who misses the "glory days" of the past. The players are MUCH better now in every aspect (with the exception of a few specific players).

A guy like Troy Aikman wouldn't even be top 10 today.

And lol @ 1976. A season where no team threw for 3000 yards. The 70s was nothing but running running running. It was the stupid era of the NFL.

[Mr.Bill]

[The Dude]

You misunderstood my 3k point. You think it's cuz defenses were better. Nope. the 1976 team that threw the most attempted 34 passes per game. The lions threw 46 times per game last year. Meanwhile, the 76 steelers rushed the most, 47 times per game! The most last year was 33.5 times per game.

The worst team in '76 averaged 101 ypg rushing. Better than 10 teams last season! The average was 151 compared to 116 last year.

The 70s era was known as the rushing era where teams didn't throw except when they had to do so.

If you could put the Jax Jaguars into the 1976 season, they'd go 14-0 and destroy the league.


Today, teams throw more often and throws net more yards per attempt. Coaches realized that passing is better than running and they need to pass much more often. Especially since defenses became so good as stopping the run and playing against the pass in long situations.

This is masking defenses improvement. Offenses have become less stupid by overemphasizing the run and thus defenses give up more yards. Furthermore, the tight end position has been completely revolutionized since Tony Gonzalez came aboard. The TE position was rarely one of any use in the passing game (notable exceptions in history not withstanding) and now almost every team has a legit TE that matters and some dudes are nearly as good as WRs (Gronk and Graham are). Teams also go to 4 and 5 wideout sets. Defenses have done their best to keep up but players are so athletic today, it's getting harder.

The worst defense today would destroy any team in any previous era.

[Mr.Bill]

[Bauce]

[Bauce]

[The Dude]