FG kicking is too easy in the NFL, time for changes

[Tailback U]

The athletes today are as good as they have ever been. Your opinion of why the NFL sucks today can be attributed to the rules or college football or whatever you want to blame it on, but if you actually think that the players we've been watching over the last couple of decades are physically inferior and less talented than 20+ years ago then you are taking crazy pills. And I'm not really talking about individuals or comparing the elite of today to the elite of 20+ years ago, I think there is more depth top to bottom today than in the past.

Lastly, I feel like it is a lot harder to kick a 60 yard game winning FG then to complete a 4th and 2 nowadays.

I can only imagine the fuss people will make if they were to narrow the FG posts, making more teams go for 4th downs and convert them because of the rule changes and penalties, only to bitch about how they never should have changed the field goal posts.

I also love this idea that when there is parity in the league then the NFL is "down" and the competition sucks. It's like if there aren't a couple of elite teams dominating then the whole league must just suck ass.

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

The athletes today are as good as they have ever been. Your opinion of why the NFL sucks today can be attributed to the rules or college football or whatever you want to blame it on, but if you actually think that the players we've been watching over the last couple of decades are physically inferior and less talented than 20+ years ago then you are taking crazy pills.

Who said "inferior" ? Since when does not better = inferior ?
Its a lateral move . Athletes are the same as they were 15-20 years ago. The conditions around them have changed giving the appearance of vast improvement when there isnt.

And I'm not really talking about individuals or comparing the elite of today to the elite of 20+ years ago, I think there is more depth top to bottom today than in the past.

Wrong again. NFL salary cap has forced out many veteran players and give teams a top heavy roster. There is less time to develop skills and less money to keep experienced veterans who demand more money. Overall quality of player past the top tier is down and has been since FA began. Its the nature of the CAP.

If you were in an NFL locker room like Maynard youd know all this stuff.

I can only imagine the fuss people will make if they were to narrow the FG posts, making more teams go for 4th downs and convert them because of the rule changes and penalties, only to bitch about how they never should have changed the field goal posts.

Ill agree to that.

I also love this idea that when there is parity in the league then the NFL is "down" and the competition sucks. It's like if there aren't a couple of elite teams dominating then the whole league must just suck ass

Theres always been the elite tier. The issue is the rule changes have assured parity is covering up for the watering down of scoring. Sept doesnt mean squat and neither does the first half of a football game anymore. Thats a problem being masked by OMGZ SHOOTOUT ! OMGZ MEGA COMEBACK! headlines. Its being spoken about pretty regularly by former players turned analysts so at least its a known issue. Denying it is silly.
Parity is one thing but within a game there is none. Its all offense , in specific all passing. Theres what 3 legit defenses every year ? and even they are all vulnerable to getting man handled and giving up 40+ in game (SF v NO last year rings a bell)

Athletically players are the same. Minor changes in positional makeup because of personnel needs nothing more. Skill sets are inferior period.
Game being boring or sucky is purely opinion I side on the sucky part.

[Tailback U]

Who said "inferior" ? Since when does not better = inferior ?
Its a lateral move . Athletes are the same as they were 15-20 years ago. The conditions around them have changed giving the appearance of vast improvement when there isnt.

I don't think anyone is saying the players today are all that much more physically superior than just 15-20 years ago. I think 20-30 years ago, there were less overall freaks than today.

Compare the players today to 30-40 years ago, even more so. I'm not sure anybody is denying that, though, so we could be saying the same thing.

Wrong again. NFL salary cap has forced out many veteran players and give teams a top heavy roster. There is less time to develop skills and less money to keep experienced veterans who demand more money. Overall quality of player past the top tier is down and has been since FA began. Its the nature of the CAP.

This is a good point and while I think you could be right I also think there are more rookies that come in ready to play than in the past. The amount of rookies starting around the league and playing at a high level is impressive.

Not something I can tangibly compare to past years because I don't have that info but watching guys like Eric Reid (FS), Kiko Alonso (MLB), Matthieu (S), Eddie Lacy (RB), Keenan Allen (WR), Kyle Long (G), etc. shows you that rookies can come in and start right away at any position today. I listed mostly skilled positions, there are a few guys starting on the OL and DL as rookies this season as well that are playing very well that I didn't mention.

I think the drafts are a little deeper today than in the past, which is why I assume teams may be deeper. I'm just seeing a lot of rookies playing all over the league at various positions and playing well.

Theres always been the elite tier. The issue is the rule changes have assured parity is covering up for the watering down of scoring. Sept doesnt mean squat and neither does the first half of a football game anymore. Thats a problem being masked by OMGZ SHOOTOUT ! OMGZ MEGA COMEBACK! headlines. Its being spoken about pretty regularly by former players turned analysts so at least its a known issue. Denying it is silly.

Parity is one thing but within a game there is none. Its all offense , in specific all passing. Theres what 3 legit defenses every year ? and even they are all vulnerable to getting man handled and giving up 40+ in game (SF v NO last year rings a bell)

Athletically players are the same. Minor changes in positional makeup because of personnel needs nothing more. Skill sets are inferior period.

Game being boring or sucky is purely opinion I side on the sucky part.

I think people are being overly dramatic. Fans like to bitch about something. Especially "old" fans who have been watching football for 20+ years (I'm right around the 20 year mark).

The rule changes, penalties, and absurd amount of commercial breaks are hurting the NFL more than anything. The competition, coaching, and the players are as good as they've ever been. It's all the other crap that's hurting the sport.

Bottom line, more changes worsen the game, in my opinion. I'm tired of it.

[dave]

bigger= some not much...stronger/faster = no..40 times haven't changed.. players at skill positions have been around 6 ft tall and 200 pounds for 40 years.

This may be the dumbest thing I've ever read here.

I am not a rams29jackson hater or anything, but for you to say today's athletes are not much different than athletes from 40 years ago is insane and borderline retarded.

[ram29jackson]

Who said "inferior" ? Since when does not better = inferior ?
Its a lateral move . Athletes are the same as they were 15-20 years ago. The conditions around them have changed giving the appearance of vast improvement when there isnt.


Wrong again. NFL salary cap has forced out many veteran players and give teams a top heavy roster. There is less time to develop skills and less money to keep experienced veterans who demand more money. Overall quality of player past the top tier is down and has been since FA began. Its the nature of the CAP.

If you were in an NFL locker room like Maynard youd know all this stuff.





Ill agree to that.



Theres always been the elite tier. The issue is the rule changes have assured parity is covering up for the watering down of scoring. Sept doesnt mean squat and neither does the first half of a football game anymore. Thats a problem being masked by OMGZ SHOOTOUT ! OMGZ MEGA COMEBACK! headlines. Its being spoken about pretty regularly by former players turned analysts so at least its a known issue. Denying it is silly.
Parity is one thing but within a game there is none. Its all offense , in specific all passing. Theres what 3 legit defenses every year ? and even they are all vulnerable to getting man handled and giving up 40+ in game (SF v NO last year rings a bell)

Athletically players are the same. Minor changes in positional makeup because of personnel needs nothing more. Skill sets are inferior period.
Game being boring or sucky is purely opinion I side on the sucky part.

[ram29jackson]

This may be the dumbest thing I've ever read here.

I am not a rams29jackson hater or anything, but for you to say today's athletes are not much different than athletes from 40 years ago is insane and borderline retarded.

I just gave you facts as to why. skill position players are the same size, they trained year round in the 80s too...theres not some drastic difference in the jock the last 40 years aside from the fact most are actually dumber than they use to be and that's saying a lot because most jocks have always been dumb..they cant jump any higher on average and they don't run any faster... they aren't better or greater on average than they've ever been....outfield walls aren't getting deeper in baseball and pitchers don't throw 115 miles an hour on average because not much has changed about physical ability...guys just train year round so they look better doing what they do now than they did in the 60s but it hasn't changed the landscape of how well they play the game or improved it.

[dave]

I just gave you facts as to why. skill position players are the same size, they trained year round in the 80s too...theres not some drastic difference in the jock the last 40 years aside from the fact most are actually dumber than they use to be and that's saying a lot because most jocks have always been dumb..they cant jump any higher on average and they don't run any faster... they aren't better or greater on average than they've ever been....outfield walls aren't getting deeper in baseball and pitchers don't throw 115 miles an hour on average because not much has changed about physical ability...guys just train year round so they look better doing what they do now than they did in the 60s but it hasn't changed the landscape of how well they play the game or improved it.

Link me to the facts, pal. There were no 6-5 240 lb. WRs like Calvin Johnson 40 years ago, there were no 6-8 250 lb. players like LeBron James 40 years ago, there were no 6-9 255 lb. Zdeno Charas 40 years ago...

[Tailback U]

If you think the linebackers in 1970 are as quick and explosive laterally and in coverage as they are today then you are smoking crack.

Maybe a few of them. But as a whole no way. Sure, there were some freaks 30-40 years ago. There are a lot more today.

[Tailback U]

Double post

[ram29jackson]

Link me to the facts, pal. There were no 6-5 240 lb. WRs like Calvin Johnson 40 years ago, there were no 6-8 250 lb. players like LeBron James 40 years ago, there were no 6-9 255 lb. Zdeno Charas 40 years ago...

what the hell does a guy being a heavier weight have to do with them being better athletes ? you are coming up with freakish singular examples of players who stand out to you. That doesn't make it any form of a norm or an increase in anything.

magic Johnson was 6'8" 215 lbs, so whats your point ? some guys guys are physically bigger, some aren't. Its always been that way and doesn't change the skill set needed for the sport.

Dr J and MJ and Kobe were all 6'6" and between 195-200, pounds the 3 greatest sky walkers of their eras = there have been no extreme changes

[SuperKevin]

I agree athletes 30 years ago were training year round but there have been ridiculous advancements in workout supplements and athletic training that have allowed todays athlete to gain more results and reach higher maximum potentials.

[Point Blank]

[Warner2BruceTD]

I don't understand this post.

[Guest]

I don't understand this post.

Tucker just missed a kick

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Today's NFL players are bigger, stronger, and faster and probably more "talented" as they are much more specialized then players of yesteryear were.

However, they are also Charmin soft and less physical...no, Night Train Lane never had to play Calvin Johnson...but Calvin Johnson never had to play Night Train Lane. No one knows how Megatron would fair against a player that wouldn't let him off the line, and in the rare event Johnson got off, would have to put up with the constant hand fighting from someone from Night Train's era. Same for linemen...they might be smaller, but the level of physicality and technique these guys used trumps today's players despite the size/speed factors.

Quarterbacks of today, are so much more advanced then QBs of yesteryear, but today's QBs would turn to dust if they were roughed today like the QBs of long ago.