How do we overcome the NFL's desire to neuter defense?

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

It appears that the NFL would love nothing more than for all of us to regress to the mindset, expectations, and attention spans of the average 8 year-old on game day.
The average football youngster fan can tell you the names of his or her favorite QB's, Receivers, and even Running Backs( if said RB is an undeniable yardage monster ). Ask them about their favorite defensive players and you're just as likely to get a blank stare as you are a very short list of defensive superstars who are as well known for their commercials, endorsement deals, on-field antics, and off-field issues as they are for their play.
Now before you take me to task over that last comment, let me first say that I know and understand that there ARE parents out there who enjoy teaching their kids about the team, who is who, and what they bring to the overall effort on BOTH sides of the ball. Bless you good parents for doing so.
Had you asked me that question when I was a youngster, the best I could probably come up with was Mean Joe Green.

Offense is exciting, I get that. Deep passes for massive gains, insane catches between multiple defenders, running backs busting through lines, juking defenders at the 2nd level, and then screaming off to the end zone leaving DB's in their wake. It's great entertainment that anyone watching, regardless of their knowledge of the game, can enjoy and be a part of.

Defense is a little more tricky. Defense requires you to have some knowledge of the game to truly appreciate( or condemn )it. But once you do, there is no question whatsoever that it is far and away the most exciting phase of the game, especially if your squad is composed of 4 or more genuine all-stars.

In coming across this article today( https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...m_campaign=nfl ), I found it interesting in that the writer touched on some points that have been under discussion at CP for some time.
Namely, I found it both interesting and troubling that the writer points out a lack of defensive fundamentals( tackling etc.)not only with the Chiefs, but across the whole league.
It seems to me that these fundamentals have been sacrificed in the name of a new defensive game that relies more on speed, intelligence/scheme, and finesse. Tackling, a subject that we beat to death around here, is on it's way to becoming a very nuanced "shade of grey" that can result in lost yardage through penalty and close games lost on the whims of officials.

This is completely unacceptable. We spend so much time here joking about flying banners in an effort to effect change within our own organization when what we should be doing is creating a league-wide coalition of fans who are absolutely fed up with this bullshit, and who want OUR ****ing game returned to a state of balance where all three phases of the game have an unfettered opportunity to change the course of a game.

The technology, science, and sports nutrition exist to counter the effects of a reasonably executed defensive standard where tackling, sacks, and properly laid wood can live in symbiotic harmony with 40 year-old QB's and 40+ point games. This isn't an either/or situation.
I'm open to any ideas, no matter how far out they might seem. Create a "double roster" whereby starters can be rotated in and out of the game, either by rules or choice in an effort to keep the amount of playing time down for the individual and reduce potential long-term damage? Double the cap and let's roll. Allow the defense to hit hard under very defined guidelines and points of contact that if violated result in sitting that player out for a couple of defensive series, similar to hockey? That's certainly better than outright eliminating the very essence of defensive football.

I don't want to wake up one day to find a completely unrecognizable game playing on my television. The game is not so far gone that we couldn't put the brakes on and at least make an attempt to right the ship. And I know that CP is not the only site on the web frequented by fans of the game who are as sick and tired of this shit as we are.
If SOC can accomplish the change it sought, then there is no reason that a similar organization comprised of fans the whole league over could not create a voice to be heard and reckoned with in this matter. After all, it is ultimately in the hands of the fans whether or not the NFL gets ratings, can generate revenue through advertisement, sell merchandise, fill stadiums, and pay its overhead and salaries.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by UK_Chief

Don’t worry about it because we have a gunslinger QB?

And if the other team has one as well?

It's a shame we have nothing to go on in terms of research and comparison in this particular scenario...

[1COOLDOG]

FIRE BOB SUTTON!!

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

If you are talking about how to put together a good defense given the current rules, I think that has been covered above.

The defenseless receiver rules and hitting the QB have changed things. But it wouldn't be hard to shift things back, if the NFL wanted.

You could make it an automatic holding penalty if you put an armbar to the neck of the pass rusher. You could allow more hand fighting and jostling by DBs. You could be more aggressive about calling OPI on pick plays. And so on. If the NFL wanted.

But I think what the OP asked is how to do that when it appears casual fans want more offense and serious fans will bitch and moan but will watch it anyway.

So I think you are out of luck.

It's not about the fans and what they want, it's about the league and what they want. And what they want, according to the premise of the article I linked in the OP, completely sucks.
Tamba Hali made a career of being strangled out of sacks and pressures while the refs stood idly by and let it happen.
And how many times are we going to see a call of offensive pass interference this season? I'm guessing not very damned much. The whole thing is just wrong. It's the equivalent of paying to go watch a MLB player at batting practice.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Claysexual

It's not about the fans and what they want, it's about the league and what they want. And what they want, according to the premise of the article I linked in the OP, completely sucks.
Tamba Hali made a career of being strangled out of sacks and pressures while the refs stood idly by and let it happen.
And how many times are we going to see a call of offensive pass interference this season? I'm guessing not very damned much. The whole thing is just wrong. It's the equivalent of paying to go watch a MLB player at batting practice.

It actually IS about what the fans want. The league wants whatever makes the most money and what makes the money is offense, offense, and more offense.

[FAX]

I'm biased, of course ... but I do try and stay objective when I watch film. (On account of Wally's guidance that one should be "honest" with oneself when reviewing a game.)

With that in mind, the Belicheats should have been called for at least 4 OPIs in Sunday night's contest.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

FAX

[PutQuinnIn]

Originally Posted by Lprechaun

What's going to happen is headhunters. Hitting the QB is almost an automatic 15, so DCs are going to start telling players if you can hit him hit him as hard as you can we will be penalized anyways might as well make it count.

That is why psychopath Burfict concerns me Sunday Night.

[TinyEvel]

Super race of robots who can hit each other as hard as they like. Its coming. Just wait. In fact, the robots will be controlled by real people like Avatar or Esports.

[TribalElder]

I bet instead of rushing the passer eventually it will become more about defending he throwing lanes and batting down passes.

[T-post Tom]

NFL Network now reporting that Chiefs' defense has given up most passing yards thru 6 games since 1940. That's 78 years. That goes beyond anything the league itself is doing.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by T-post Tom

NFL Network now reporting that Chiefs' defense has given up most passing yards thru 6 games since 1940. That's 78 years. That goes beyond anything the league itself is doing.

Unacceptable.

Completely unacceptable.

I'm as thrilled as the next fan( and possibly more so than most )that not only do we finally have a franchise QB, but we have a world-destroying franchise QB.

That said, Bob's "smoke 'em if they whip 'em out and put 'em in your face"-brand of defense is an absolute ****ing embarrassment. This is the defense that you can literally mouth-**** as an opponent if it pleases you to do so.
It's a disgrace.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by TinyEvel

Super race of robots who can hit each other as hard as they like. Its coming. Just wait. In fact, the robots will be controlled by real people like Avatar or Esports.

I had that vivid dream, as well, Mr. TinyEvel.

I fear the aliens are using the nocturnal microwave shooter again.

FAX

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by FAX

I had that vivid dream, as well, Mr. TinyEvel.

I fear the aliens are using the nocturnal microwave shooter again.

FAX

Mr. KCChiefsman would send his load to the moon over a football playing sex robot

[BigRedChief]

Changing times. We have Mahomes. Just roll with it.

[Baby Lee]

How to sack a quarterback in the NFL....wait nvm. pic.twitter.com/EYuOo4qNEq

— Sean McGann (@seanmickeyG14) September 23, 2018

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by T-post Tom

NFL Network now reporting that Chiefs' defense has given up most passing yards thru 6 games since 1940. That's 78 years. That goes beyond anything the league itself is doing.

Yes, this defense has produced some really horrendous stats. But if you have a defense that gives up 2 or 3 big passing plays and then holds them in the red zone to a field goal. Say the opponents have a 3 minute drive that produces 3 points. Is that worse than a defense that forces a nine minute grind it out drive that results in a TD?

I'm a little puzzled that the focus is so much on yards given up or even total points given up. It seems to me that it should be points given up per possession based on starting position. When the opponents start at the 25 after the kickoff, how many points on average do they give up per opponent's possession.

And I would think that if the opponent is going to score anyway, having them do it quickly with a few big pass plays means the defense isn't on the field as long, so should be fresher in the fourth quarter, right.