I believe it was on Pardon The Interruption (PTI) that I saw Steve Young being interviewed, and Michael Wilbon spoke about how felt like the NFL today was a worse on the field product that in years past and asked Steve if that was correct from his point of view.

Steve answered back that due to all the player safety restrictions that players and teams are spending the least amount of time together than in the past. With spending less time together, players and teams aren't developing nearly as well and teams have struggled to run more complex schemes because they're not working together as much and there is less time together.

In a reaction to that, a lots of defenses have gone to a lot more extremely simply schemes... and smart QBs like Brady and Brees are tearing them apart, because they're so simple and that he's jealous as he wish he could play against defenses that where as simply as they are today. (so simply schemes are both good and bad).

But Steve Young point is that due to the restricted time together, the NFL is becoming a lot more like college football in the simply schemes that they're running... and that the restricted time is negatively effecting the football product in many different ways, from players and scheme...


I'm feeling more and more like the CBA (or the time restrictions) is ruining the NFL to a degree... as players (around the whole league, not just the NFL) aren't developing like they used too... and honestly I can't remember a year with such horrible OLs to start a season from across the entire NFL and the OL has to be together to try to act as 1.

---

This would appear to make draft and develop a poor way to build a team.

---

How so or what context do you mean that?

Edit: I just ask, because in the context of what I was thinking (the schemes getting simpler and more college like), that would mean it was easier for a young guy to pickup the scheme and play sooner, which building through the draft might assist with that, because they wouldn't need as many veterans to understand the complex parts of the scheme.

---

I meant that if players aren't able to develop due to lack of time to be able to you'd probably want more veteran guys who aren't going to take as long to pick up schemes and execute within them.

---

I can agree with that for the positions that don't develop, like I have suggested it seems like TEs in the NFL have taken a lot longer to develop and a lot more seem to bust, since college spread systems have taken over.

Though with a simpler scheme, it should be easier for them to develop into that scheme.

That being said, I don't know if the Packers are running those simpler schemes or not... I think the Packers 2-4 nickel which they mainly run now, is more simpler than their 3-4 scheme we used to run a lot more of.

---

Coaching can make such a huge difference. Look at the Rams from Fisher to McVay. Look at the Falcons with Shanahan vs. Sarkisian.

With less time you need even better coaches that can get things across better and quicker. Urgency is of the essence. Every second counts. Passion matters. A let's go, let's go, let's go is important. Kind of a hurry up offense approach to coaching. You're also going to need to draft smarter players. Not all that long ago we had one of the dumbest teams in the league. Smart coaches and smart players are critical. Kamara in New Orleans is incredibly bright. Payton is a smart HC. Good mix there.

One of my beefs with Mike McCarthy is he has struck me from the start as not that bright. He's an uninspiring speaker, too. He's a steady Eddie just like Ted.

Hoping for smarter management and smarter players in the not too distant future.

---

I don't buy it. Its not brain surgery, its football. It isn't that complicated. They try to make it seem so much more than it is. Don't forget a huge portion of those playing in the NFL would never have been accepted into college if they didn't play ball. There are only so many pass routes, blocking and running options, and only so many different things a defense can do.

The problem with football is the rule changes that have favored the passing game so much that it is almost impossible to cover without getting a PI, run games are an afterthought to those with better Qbs which magnifies the differences in ability of the QBs and their offenses. All in the name of player safety of the "defenseless". If the NFL really wanted to address the safety of receivers, they would allow CB to make more contact and cover tighter which would result in less passing.

---

Maybe its just me but I if its true that defenses are getting simpler because teams can't get in enough work then it plays right into the leagues hands. They want the offense to have an advantage because the majority of the fans like high scoring games. Any Safety concerns are just icing on the cake.

Not quite, because it's true for both sides of the ball... Young mainly talked about defenses... and I was thinking someone was going bring up how Capers 3-4 defense was not the simplest. Of course we're using a lot more 2-4 now.

But it's also very true about offenses, especially with the back-up QBs and the OLs. Teams don't have time for 3rd string QBs anymore and less time for the #2 QBs, and the OLs play around the NFL has been the worst I've ever remember seeing, especially the early weeks.

---