Argument: Do QB's really have it *that* much easier now than before?

[No_bammer_weed]

I hear this line of thinking pop up frequently especially in the Aaron Rodgers "Goat" threads; this idea that rule changes have made it easier for QB's to put up numbers, and created over-inflated productivity because modern QB's are coddled, and defenses are handcuffed.

While its fair to point this out, I think this argument is overblown. Its one variable of the many.

Yes conduct or safety related infractions are strictly legislated, which does advantage offensive players but these rules are inspired by how much stronger and quicker players are today. No hyperbole, but the rules are literally a life and death matter.

This dovetails into my comparison with QB's of the past versus today. Yes, defenses before had a greater license to play more violently, but today's QB's have to content with players who are bigger, faster, stronger, and SMARTER.

Defenses today are complex and demand far more ability from the QB than before. Defenses today are better prepared. Better coached. I mean the Bears 46 D from '85 was considered revolutionary. Now pop warner teams do that sht. A lot of Defensive ends and LB's ran a 40 in 10 minutes. Compare them to a JJ Watt in terms of athleticism --- and even tho JJ cant hit you helmet to helmet, he can still kinda affect your throws, no? DB's and CB's still play aggressively and defend --- and with far more talent and athleticism at their disposal than before .

A guy like Mark Rypien thru for 28 Td's 11 picks, a 97 QB rating, and led the Redskins to a superbowl in '91. Talent for talent is he that much better than Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, Matthew Stafford, Drew Brees, etc? Lets not let nostalgia overhype the older era.

What say you?

 

[GzUp]

 

[resurrection]

Yeah, they do

Breh just look at the numbers

 

[dontreadthis]

yes they do, passing yardage is cartoon status nowadays.

 

[FTBS]

Interesting point. I don't think the physicality angle can be overstated though. If you are gonna sack a QB today you basically have to wrap him up and lay him down on some pillows. Can't hit too high. Can't hit too low. Can't hit too hard. Add to that the fact that defenses, while more complex, are playing with their hands behind their backs. You used to have to really be a brave soul to come across the middle as a receiver. Now dudes don't think twice about going up for one handed grabs in traffic because as a defender you can only hit him in a certain area and he can't be defenseless. It's not just defensive players that are bigger, faster, stronger, and smarter. It's offensive guys too. You got guys like Gronk and Graham basically getting alley oops from their QBs.

If you look at playoff football, you can see the impact that physicality has. Defenses are able to get away with more and guys like Manning and Brady aren't as dominant when their receivers aren't given as many free releases and defenses have them under siege. I think the era angle can be overblown in some instances, mostly because of bias. However, I don't think you can really deny the impact that the rules changes and/or changes in enforcement have had. You will always have outliers (Scott Mitchell in 95, Derek Anderson a few years ago) however the best will always prove they are the best over time.

 

[resurrection]

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_single_season.htm

Just peruse that list for a few minutes

 

[Trip]

defenses are way more complex...playbooks are much bigger....It's the most difficult position in sports.

 

[I AM WARHOL]

Hell you can even say QBs have it easier today than 5 years ago with the new emphasis on PI and defensive holding. The NFL is about money and more casual fans like seeing high octane offenses as opposed to hard nose defenses.

 

[No_bammer_weed]

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_yds_single_season.htm

Just peruse that list for a few minutes

I perused.

I see a lot of Lynn dikkeys, Dante Culpepper's, Steve Beurlein's, Rich Gannon's, Neil Lomax's, Trent Greens, etc. high on that list bruh....and for the top rated yardage seasons that are in the mid to high 4,000s, we only see a separation of a couple hundred yards or so from this era and the 80s/90s, which accounts for the bulk of the seasons.

And for the 5,000 passing yard list...yeah, Stafford doesnt belong and has been boosted by playing in a dome and with megatron, but is it not possible that guys like Drew Brees, Payton manning, and Tom Brady are just better than QB's before them? Its not as if completely wack QB's are putting up ungodly numbers on the reg, and its so easy. A lot of QB's are strugglin out here.

 

[blackestofpanthers]

A flag was thrown on that as it would be today. If there were no flag i'd understand the point of posting it, but right now it's like

 

[TKOK]

while defenses are more complex and all that, i do think they have it easier. With that said i think that qb's like Brady,Brees,Manning and Rodgers would be real good in any era.

 

[No_bammer_weed]

He was kicked out the game for this and suspended for two games, which was one of the longest suspensions ever for an in game play/hit, and its considered one of the dirtier ones in history. Dont act as if this was a normal thing for QB's

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Martin_(American_football)

 

[BelowTheMasonDixon]

I hear this line of thinking pop up frequently especially in the Aaron Rodgers "Goat" threads; this idea that rule changes have made it easier for QB's to put up numbers, and created over-inflated productivity because modern QB's are coddled, and defenses are handcuffed.

While its fair to point this out, I think this argument is overblown. Its one variable of the many.

Yes conduct or safety related infractions are strictly legislated, which does advantage offensive players but these rules are inspired by how much stronger and quicker players are today. No hyperbole, but the rules are literally a life and death matter.

This dovetails into my comparison with QB's of the past versus today. Yes, defenses before had a greater license to play more violently, but today's QB's have to content with players who are bigger, faster, stronger, and SMARTER.

Defenses today are complex and demand far more ability from the QB than before. Defenses today are better prepared. Better coached. I mean the Bears 46 D from '85 was considered revolutionary. Now pop warner teams do that sht. A lot of Defensive ends and LB's ran a 40 in 10 minutes. Compare them to a JJ Watt in terms of athleticism --- and even tho JJ cant hit you helmet to helmet, he can still kinda affect your throws, no? DB's and CB's still play aggressively and defend --- and with far more talent and athleticism at their disposal than before .

A guy like Mark Rypien thru for 28 Td's 11 picks, a 97 QB rating, and led the Redskins to a superbowl in '91. Talent for talent is he that much better than Eli Manning, Phillip Rivers, Matthew Stafford, Drew Brees, etc? Lets not let nostalgia overhype the older era.

What say you?

How are you gonna say "Let's not let nostalgia overhype the older era" when at no point in THAT era was Mark Rypien considered an elite QB. Matter of fact outside of that season, what else did he do of note in the league.

After 1999 passing became a JOKE.

Look at all the people who have put up great numbers in the last 10-15 years who were FAR from actually be considered anything other than average to slightly good.

Trent Green - In 2004 threw for 4,591 yards making him 2nd in the league to.........Daunte Culpepper who threw for 4,717 yards and 39 Td's. He didn't reach that number in the last 5yrs of his career combined.

In 2006 Marc Bulger threw for 4,301 for crying out loud.

In 2009 Matt Schaub led THE LEAGUE in passing.

Remember Aaron Brooks and Jon Kitna being in the top ten in Passing statistics.

 

[CrimsonTider]

Hell you can even say QBs have it easier today than 5 years ago with the new emphasis on PI and defensive holding. The NFL is about money and more casual fans like seeing high octane offenses as opposed to hard nose defenses.

Why are all these QBs bad then? Outside of the big 3.

The OP is right

 

[boskey]

Yeah, they do

Breh just look at the numbers

Exactly. He listed all the disadvantages that today's quarterbacks have to deal with. But he didn't explain why he thinks numbers are exploding

This thread gets an incomplete