This is necessarily subjective. But I really have not enjoyed this NFL season, which sucks, because I look forward to it all year. NFL football is the only sport I really follow anymore. I used to follow the NBA and baseball fairly closely, watching a couple dozen games of each a year and tracking the divisional standings. I can’t remember the last time I watched a baseball game (
The quality of the product has been down, but the quality of the schadenfreude—watching extremely annoying guys like Rodgers, Brady, and Wilson eat absolute shit—has been way up. Gotta take what pleasures you can.
As a Vikings fan this has been the best NFL season on a long time. The games are actually fun to watch again after replacing Zimmer with O'Connell. Regardless of how the season turns out, it's been a great ride. I haven't had a rush like the victory over the Bills since the Minneapolis Miracle. I have PTSD after losing the NFC championship in Philly last time and the thought of reliving that beating again makes me cringe, but they've done really well. The find a way to win somehow even when everything goes wrong and they play like garbage. It's like the previous season in reverse where they were great on paper but kept racking up Ls.
Boy, do I feel this one. One of the trickle-down effects of the injury bug has been that fantasy has been absolutely wretched this year — things always get dicey with RBs at the end of the season, and that's part of the fingernail-biting fun, but I've been through five quarterbacks. It makes it feel less like educated predictions and more like, well, being a Washington fan, which is what fantasy is supposed to keep my mind off.
I will say that I've enjoyed college ball more this season than I have in awhile — some genuinely strong teams at the top, good stories, dynasties in danger, lots of fodder for arguing about whether the rankings are right. I enjoyed Michigan-OSU far more than any NFL game I've watched this year.
It's been fun to see the NY Giants show some life this year. Daniel Jones is better and Saquon Barkley is doing his thing. But once they get an injury or two on the OL they are exposed and one can see their clear deficiencies, even against teams that aren't that good. I don't really follow the Jets but seems the same with them.
Completely agree on quality (though I am a Pats fan so be aware there is some bitterness here). Belichick has been commenting on the reduced practice time since that change was made and I agree it is a major factor, particularly as it affects line play. Also contributes to the offensive surge as the more simplified college offenses transition easier.
I agree that no team really seems very good this year. But as a NY Giants fan since birth, I must say: the New York Football Giants are back and we will win the Super Bowl this year.
Yeah. The whole Woke thing broke my 55 yr love affair w the NFL.
I was watching "A Football Life" episode on John Madden the other day. They interviewed the black and white players and they were all guys I could relate to. I can't relate to any of the black players today, except maybe Mahomes. Similar to the NBA. I'm in Chicago. Back in the Bulls heyday I could relate to every player; black or white; even Dennis Rodman!
This all slowly changed over time. I'm sure there's some guys with whom I could relate, just cuz the math says so. But, it isn't worth it to find them when I see sloganeering on the helmets and the end zones. Am watching reruns of The Wire instead. : )
I think people didn’t realize what a golden age of QBs we had for a long time that people forgot what it looks like where more than half the league has mediocre at best QB play.
Besides the obvious Manning, Brady, Rodgers triumvirate the last decade there were so many guys who were considered “tier 2 starters” that had they played in any different era would be considered top 3 if not best QB in the league. Guys like Wilson, Brees, Rapeburger, Rivers, Ryan, I’m sure I’m forgetting a couple of others. There was a lot of depth at that position around the league that doesn’t exist now.
I think the main problem is one of the things you mentioned: the reduced practice time, especially in the off-season, has made the offensive line play absolute dog-shit compared to years past. Offensive lines need time to gel, and the reduced full-contact practices in training camp and preseason have affected them the most. Playing without pads during the summer months in an attempt to reduce CTE related problems is great for player health and safety, but the well-oiled machines that NFL teams used to trot out for Week 1 aren't possible anymore, and you can see that defenses are feasting on these less prepared units. Sacks are going through the stratosphere this season and it makes for sloppy throws and QB's that normally look great looking mediocre.
Mild criticism of Lamar Jackson? You must really not want to be invited to the Good White Man cookout. Shame. I hear Chris Hayes and Max Kellerman did a mean karaoke version of Beyoncé’s “Halo” at the last one. Oh well. Just watch out for one of those New Jersey teams we got Mike Fuckin White at qb1 iykyk
The quality of the product has been down, but the quality of the schadenfreude—watching extremely annoying guys like Rodgers, Brady, and Wilson eat absolute shit—has been way up. Gotta take what pleasures you can.
NFL killed itself with woke.
Anyone else see a close resemblance between Aaron Rodgers and Hunter Biden??
As an Eagles fan, this season has been great :)
As a Vikings fan this has been the best NFL season on a long time. The games are actually fun to watch again after replacing Zimmer with O'Connell. Regardless of how the season turns out, it's been a great ride. I haven't had a rush like the victory over the Bills since the Minneapolis Miracle. I have PTSD after losing the NFC championship in Philly last time and the thought of reliving that beating again makes me cringe, but they've done really well. The find a way to win somehow even when everything goes wrong and they play like garbage. It's like the previous season in reverse where they were great on paper but kept racking up Ls.
Boy, do I feel this one. One of the trickle-down effects of the injury bug has been that fantasy has been absolutely wretched this year — things always get dicey with RBs at the end of the season, and that's part of the fingernail-biting fun, but I've been through five quarterbacks. It makes it feel less like educated predictions and more like, well, being a Washington fan, which is what fantasy is supposed to keep my mind off.
I will say that I've enjoyed college ball more this season than I have in awhile — some genuinely strong teams at the top, good stories, dynasties in danger, lots of fodder for arguing about whether the rankings are right. I enjoyed Michigan-OSU far more than any NFL game I've watched this year.
It's been fun to see the NY Giants show some life this year. Daniel Jones is better and Saquon Barkley is doing his thing. But once they get an injury or two on the OL they are exposed and one can see their clear deficiencies, even against teams that aren't that good. I don't really follow the Jets but seems the same with them.
Completely agree on quality (though I am a Pats fan so be aware there is some bitterness here). Belichick has been commenting on the reduced practice time since that change was made and I agree it is a major factor, particularly as it affects line play. Also contributes to the offensive surge as the more simplified college offenses transition easier.
I agree that no team really seems very good this year. But as a NY Giants fan since birth, I must say: the New York Football Giants are back and we will win the Super Bowl this year.
Yeah. The whole Woke thing broke my 55 yr love affair w the NFL.
I was watching "A Football Life" episode on John Madden the other day. They interviewed the black and white players and they were all guys I could relate to. I can't relate to any of the black players today, except maybe Mahomes. Similar to the NBA. I'm in Chicago. Back in the Bulls heyday I could relate to every player; black or white; even Dennis Rodman!
This all slowly changed over time. I'm sure there's some guys with whom I could relate, just cuz the math says so. But, it isn't worth it to find them when I see sloganeering on the helmets and the end zones. Am watching reruns of The Wire instead. : )
I think people didn’t realize what a golden age of QBs we had for a long time that people forgot what it looks like where more than half the league has mediocre at best QB play.
Besides the obvious Manning, Brady, Rodgers triumvirate the last decade there were so many guys who were considered “tier 2 starters” that had they played in any different era would be considered top 3 if not best QB in the league. Guys like Wilson, Brees, Rapeburger, Rivers, Ryan, I’m sure I’m forgetting a couple of others. There was a lot of depth at that position around the league that doesn’t exist now.
I think the main problem is one of the things you mentioned: the reduced practice time, especially in the off-season, has made the offensive line play absolute dog-shit compared to years past. Offensive lines need time to gel, and the reduced full-contact practices in training camp and preseason have affected them the most. Playing without pads during the summer months in an attempt to reduce CTE related problems is great for player health and safety, but the well-oiled machines that NFL teams used to trot out for Week 1 aren't possible anymore, and you can see that defenses are feasting on these less prepared units. Sacks are going through the stratosphere this season and it makes for sloppy throws and QB's that normally look great looking mediocre.
Mild criticism of Lamar Jackson? You must really not want to be invited to the Good White Man cookout. Shame. I hear Chris Hayes and Max Kellerman did a mean karaoke version of Beyoncé’s “Halo” at the last one. Oh well. Just watch out for one of those New Jersey teams we got Mike Fuckin White at qb1 iykyk
I'm just glad that Roethlisberger retired so that even though the Steelers are bad right now I feel less weird about cheering for them.