Over 29 years of fanhood Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 I feel like they deliberately did this for a Rams Chiefs primetime game two seasons ago and the score was like 98 to 97 or something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 4 hours ago, BarleyNY said: Why would they do this!? For ratings and MONEY!? The NFL!? Inconceivable! ** And let us not forget that this season will be an important benchmark for the new television contracts so it will have an outsized impact on the NFL revenue stream. What are you Vizzini from Princess Bride? Inconceivable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg S Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logic Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 I found this incredibly interesting. The difference has certainly been notable. It will be interesting to see how teams adjust to the "new NFL" as the season wears on.https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30003263/how-nfl-manipulating-scoring-2020-fewer-holding-calls-faster-games-way-more-offenseHow the NFL is manipulating games in 2020: Fewer holding calls, faster games and way more offense by Kevin Seifert, ESPN Staff Writer In its entire 100-year history, the NFL has never opened a season on the kind of scoring tear we've seen in 2020. Teams are averaging 24.7 offensive points per game during the first three weeks, 16% better than 2019 over the same period, and 22% higher than their average during the previous two decades. There are a number of theories for the surge, from high-level quarterback play to the coronavirus pandemic-related loss of home-crowd advantage. All have merits. But there is another direct correlation, an inorganic root emanating from the league office. At the direction of its new leadership team, on-field officials have changed the way they enforce penalties -- especially offensive holding -- in a way that is too dramatic to ignore. The decision has not only helped offenses, by cutting their penalty yards in half, but it also has led to slightly quicker games and certainly less public discussion about officiating.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoPoy88 Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Rog couldn’t be possibly trying to offset losses from no fans in stadiums and people being upset about protests by going full arena league could he? 🤔 nah not the Rog I know 😊 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan692 Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 You mean now they are giving everybody the tom brady treatment? I knew we just needed some zebra to get some of them 300 yard games!:) (Bills fans are like so what, they have been letting NE hold us for years -- lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Blitz Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Less offensive holding calls is the greatest thing that could possibly happen with the rules (if that's what they're doing). I can't tell you how many times I've seen my fantasy players get a big TD AANNNND "holding on the play." There is a reason a few years ago Joe Buck, as a player busted one for a TD a pass or run that before he'd even enter the end zone he'd say "no flags" or something to that extent bc we have become trained to feel like "I'm sure they'll be a hold here." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 16 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said: Actually, the big issue is (and has always been) how the refs selectively choose to enforce these penalties during the game. For example, the play before Kroft's catch that was inexplicably ruled an INT, was a holding call on Mitch Morse. @Simon commented elsewhere that he saw Morse holding all game. OK, so at the start of the game, players kind of feel out what the officiating crew is going to allow, and Morse has it in his head "they're gonna let us hold". Now all of a sudden on an important possession for the Bills late in the 3Q, the refs make 1st and 10, 1st and 18 on the Bills 21 by CALLING a holding penalty. That clearly influences the game. (then on the next play, that phony INT ruling ices the influence but I digress. Check out how PFR has currently scored that play though). My point is, the rules have to be consistently enforced. If the refs have made a decision to not call offensive holding, then don't call offensive holding. Don't call it selectively at key points in the game. I take the point but it has kind of always been thus. Inconsistently calling it but overall calling it less does seem to make for a more watchable game. One area I have definitely noticed more let them play is on returns where some of the ticky tacky block in the back penalties have disappeared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsherd Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 Having a smaller DL will hurt us in stopping the run. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunnerBill Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 (edited) 15 hours ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said: I feel like they deliberately did this for a Rams Chiefs primetime game two seasons ago and the score was like 98 to 97 or something... Yea I think that game went a bit too far. I never felt any jeopardy when the offenses were on the field. It felt pretty early on like a "whoever posses the ball last" game. And actually that was one of the things with the Bills last Sunday. When the Rams were in the middle of that last drive I was looking at the clock and thinking "there is an optimum point to let them score here and it is with about 4 minutes left." They scored with 4.33 on the clock. At that point I knew the Bills had a great shot of winning the game. Edited October 1, 2020 by GunnerBill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 22 minutes ago, GunnerBill said: Yea I think that game went a bit too far. I never felt any jeopardy when the offenses were on the field. It felt pretty early on like a "whoever posses the ball last" game. And actually that was one of the things with the Bills last Sunday. When the Rams were in the middle of that last drive I was looking at the clock and thinking "there is an optimum point to let them score here and it is with about 4 minutes left." They scored with 4.33 on the clock. At that point I knew the Bills had a great shot of winning the game. Yeah it the equivalent of an opponent scoring with around 24 seconds left in a basketball game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 4 hours ago, Big Blitz said: Less offensive holding calls is the greatest thing that could possibly happen with the rules (if that's what they're doing). I can't tell you how many times I've seen my fantasy players get a big TD AANNNND "holding on the play." There is a reason a few years ago Joe Buck, as a player busted one for a TD a pass or run that before he'd even enter the end zone he'd say "no flags" or something to that extent bc we have become trained to feel like "I'm sure they'll be a hold here." I'm in the opposite camp. It makes playing defense impossible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machine gun kelly Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 21 hours ago, machine gun kelly said: What are you Vizzini from Princess Bride? Inconceivable. I was going to give you a better laugh, but then again I’m a middle aged guy, and have only figured out once how to port the YouTube or pic into the text to let you see the clip on YouTube. You’re a good man Barley Brown. I know it’s simple but my it guys, (my two boys in college) are away to teach their dear old dad how to do things you guys probably learned a decade ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill from NYC Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 (edited) On 9/30/2020 at 10:53 AM, BillsToast said: Why they are doing it seems obvious to me. When baseball went on strike the guys came back huge and juiced as MLB knows they wanted to see offense and a breaking of records to help bring back the fans. McGuire Sosa brought back a lot of eyes that went away the 1st year post strike. This year ratings are way down and it's probably the growing frustration and striking of fans against the NFL and players turning political as well as CTE concerns. The ratings this year for the 1st few weeks for SNF, MNF have went down. SNF has gone down substantially. I think it's a ploy for to help come back and watch as fans like offense more than defense. I'm sure the loss of fans from the first bit of kneeling had the owners instruct players to stand or incentivized them. I think the league knew this year was going to be a bad year because of this. It's McGuire Sosa tactics for the NFL: overlook what you find to be offensive and in exchange more excitement. Even if you stay away it won't be for long after looking at the box scores. I find it impossible to argue with this post. Seriously, talk about hitting the nail on the head!!! Yes,after the strike, people found out that there were other things to do in the summer than watch baseball. Then McGuire came along with 18 inch forearms and was hitting 550 ft. home runs. Steroids ruled the day and even the ball was juiced. Today, whether or not we agree with them, there is ZERO doubt that some fans are furious with the politics of the NFL and some of the players. The NFL isn't stupid and wants these big spending fans back. Period. Again, great post. Edited October 1, 2020 by Bill from NYC 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabattBlue Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 25 minutes ago, Bill from NYC said: ...Today, whether or not we agree with them, there is ZERO doubt that some fans are furious with the politics of the NFL and some of the players. The NFL isn't stupid and wants these big spending fans back. Period. Again, great post. Yep. 👍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motorin' Posted October 1, 2020 Share Posted October 1, 2020 On 9/30/2020 at 9:51 AM, Hapless Bills Fan said: Actually, the big issue is (and has always been) how the refs selectively choose to enforce these penalties during the game. For example, the play before Kroft's catch that was inexplicably ruled an INT, was a holding call on Mitch Morse. @Simon commented elsewhere that he saw Morse holding all game. OK, so at the start of the game, players kind of feel out what the officiating crew is going to allow, and Morse has it in his head "they're gonna let us hold". Now all of a sudden on an important possession for the Bills late in the 3Q, the refs make 1st and 10, 1st and 18 on the Bills 21 by CALLING a holding penalty. That clearly influences the game. (then on the next play, that phony INT ruling ices the influence but I digress. Check out how PFR has currently scored that play though). My point is, the rules have to be consistently enforced. If the refs have made a decision to not call offensive holding, then don't call offensive holding. Don't call it selectively at key points in the game. I mean, the theory has been talked about before that it's in the league's interest for refs to manipulate the game to keep the score close. More close games, more viewers tuning in. The more viewers, the more ad revenue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurman#1 Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 On 10/1/2020 at 12:03 AM, Alphadawg7 said: Doesn’t really matter if this is true or not true. All 32 teams playing under the same rules, same refs. It matters. Teams using different tactics will be affected differently by any change, this one included. Some teams will be less affected, some more. They'll all have to adjust but some will be more able to do so. Any change will give some teams an advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurman#1 Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 14 hours ago, GunnerBill said: Yea I think that game went a bit too far. I never felt any jeopardy when the offenses were on the field. It felt pretty early on like a "whoever posses the ball last" game. And actually that was one of the things with the Bills last Sunday. When the Rams were in the middle of that last drive I was looking at the clock and thinking "there is an optimum point to let them score here and it is with about 4 minutes left." They scored with 4.33 on the clock. At that point I knew the Bills had a great shot of winning the game. I was thinking the same thing at that point. And when they got the ball it was, "OK, no 40 yard passes, Daboll. He'll complete them and we'll score and we must avoid doing that right now." People say "Fans love touchdowns," and sure, but part of the reason we like them is they're hard to get. Make 'em easier to get and fans will get less excited by each one. Defensive struggles are just as exciting as shootouts, IMO, as long as the scoring problems are caused by terrifically efficient defenses rather than crappy, inefficient offenses. What fans want is tension. How that tension comes about is less important than how much tension there is. It was noted above that ratings are down this year. Really? During the lockdown people are watching less football? They're screaming and begging for more and better entertainment they can consume at home without going out and they're watching less football? That is very much the opposite of a good sign. How come if they're scoring more TDs, people aren't watching more games? Maybe they've been looking at things wrong here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billsfan1972 Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 (edited) Oh yea exciting comebacks, last minute wins, 3oo yard passers duelling back & fourth, quicker games, not as many great plays called back. Boy that sucks.... We need a 13-10 game where the Defense holds the Opposition on that last drive to a 3 & out, assisted by that offensive holding penalty on that compelted 4th down attempt. When was the last time a fan left a game and said boy that Watt vs. Donald battle was something else (vs. wow Allen & Goff or Wilson & Prescott put on a show) I miss those days...... Sheez......😡 Edited October 2, 2020 by Billsfan1972 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lurker Posted October 2, 2020 Share Posted October 2, 2020 I still think the lack of croud noise (12th man) is the biggest influence on offensive output. Communication is better, stress is lower and defenses aren't getting as jacked up / adrenalized. The psychological advantage of not having 60,000+ fans roaring against you gives the road team a big 'level playing field' advantage... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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