NFL gradually evolves to become a pass-happy game-NFL News
It is a fact now that the game of the American professional football is fast evolving to be pass-happy, forcing a majority of teams to revisit their defensive schemes and strategies.
This has been happening to the much disappointment of the players and game lovers who have seen the quarterback-led attacks, sometimes featuring violent hits, as the most popular culture of the game. It seems becoming a heritage now.
Apart from earlier resistance, now there is clear awareness and acceptance in the National Football League (NFL) that the game is evolving, irrespective of the debate whether it is a forced change or the game is adapting to new culture on its own.
The debate whether the change should be allowed and accepted has taken the second stage, because in spite of the criticism and opposition it is happening, anyway.
The teams are now happy to change their defence from 3-4 to 4-3 schemes. It is easy for them to pick some tough guys in initial draft rounds and be content with the pass-rush or pass-happy setup.
Also, quarterbacks are receiving increasing protection, which according to some has affected the level and pace of their game.
This is what Buffalo Bills’ head coach, Chan Gailey, notes. He says “we know the effect that pass rush has on the game today. We've seen the game evolve. We've been in it since the '80s. And pass rush is a huge part of this thing."
He went on to say that “the thing about it is, all three downs in the league today is more passing than running. We're a different animal than we were 15 years ago."
When asked about the growing pattern of the transition from 3-4 defence to 4-3 defence, Gailey said:
"I'll tell you what happened is, there's so much passing in the league today, you're in a four-man front the majority of time anyway. That's just the way the league is.”
Whether good or bad for the game and its future, the reality is that the game is not what it was 15 years ago.
Some of the recent league measures are also seen feeding the change. For example, tightening of the noose around violent hits, almost banning them completely, has forced the trends to change in the league.
A major point in the process was recently reported scandal around the covert operation of illegal reward-for-hit programme that a league inquiry unearthed.
The NFL has consequently punished perpetrators of the bounty programme.
It did not please those who believe that violent hits are part of the game. They go as far as to claim that fans turn to watch the games because of the violent hits.
One of the NFL’s critics is Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker, James Harrison, a player known for daring and rough challenges. He is the only player to have been suspended over a hit on Cleveland Browns’ quarterback, Colt McCoy, who suffered concussion.
Harrison is not a happy person over the league’s move of offering more protection to QBs.
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