Chip Kelley ruined the NFL
My 40s are right around the corner and I feel like it's gonna be a real sweet spot for me. Prepare for a classic get off my lawn rant.
I said Chip Kelly ruined the NFL because without doing any research and just using my simple mind, that's the first name that comes to mind when I think back about an innovative offensive scheme coming from college to the NFL. I'm sure there are others, whatever it's not important. What is important is college football and Roger Goodell are killing the NFL.
I once wrote a blog about the Golden Era of the NFL quarterback. We have finally reached the very end of that. RIP to Aaron Rodgers magic Achilles' heel. This new era of quarterback is a new era of NFL, which is looking more and more like flag football year after year. College offense schemes mostly consist of getting as many guys that run as close to a sub for 4-40 as possible, make them all zigzag behind the line before the snap, and then let them run as fast as they possibly can all over the field after the snap. Direct the QB exactly where to throw it. If that doesn’t work, run around for 10 seconds until one of your track stars makes a break for the endzone. It is making what was once the most difficult position in sports to play now another athletically dominated position. It’s boring.
Godell and the greedy owners have done themselves no favors pandering to the Fantasy and Gambling crowds. No one is buying the idea of “making the league safer”. Players were never even asking for that. They were asking for the comprehensive medical coverage they were owed after sacrificing their brains and bodies. They know what they sign up for. And I’ll tell you what, it wasn’t two hand touch. Or getting popped $30,000 for a bang bang play in the secondary that every single fan is clamoring for. It’s a violent sport. No getting around that. They have nearly fundamentally changed the game so that Patrick Mahomes can dance around for half an hour with out the threat of getting hit. All in the name of “safety?” Fuck outta here. More points = more money. And lastly on Godell ruining this league. Tell your part time officials to swallow the bloody whistles! Or better yet get your seven sinning owners to pay up for proper full time referees and ditch that hack laywers and accountants looking for air time.
This is why we see Belichick struggling. Well, part of the reason. The other being the absence of the greatest professional athlete of all time and he’s old as shit. This goes hand and hand, though. With little to no need for defense and special teams, the need for tactician's is dwindling year by year. The Shanahan - McVay coaching tree is spreading like wild fire instituting a QB friendly (Dumb) system with speedsters running all over the place. As I write this I realize that sounds like a catch 22 and maybe it’s just a different kind of tactician that’s needed, but I digress - Simple Minds.
Still, there is no debating the responsibilities of the QB are not what they once were. How many throws are we seeing where the ball is thrown before the WR even makes his break? Spoiler Alert: Not many. It’s no longer an anticipation throwing league, it’s a read and react league.
Quick Comparison
Golden Era Now
Tom Brady Patrick Mahomes
Peyton Manning Josh Allen
Aaron Rodgers Joe Burrow
Drew Brees Jalen Hurts
Ben Roethlisburger Lamar Jackson
Philip Rivers Justin Herbert
Eli Manning Trevor Lawrence
Kurt Warner Dak Prescott
Brett Farve Tua Tagovailoa
Steve McNair Kyler Murray
Michael Vick Derek Carr
Matt Ryan Mac Jones
Russell Wilson Russell Wilson
Matthew Stafford Matthew Stafford
The fire power at the top of the Brady list just destroys this new crop of QBs. Sorry not sorry. Slow Down! Get off my lawn! They don’t make em like they used to!
Of course there are still exciting plays and the athletic feats are impressive. I just think it diminishes the intellectual part of the game, at least on the field. Mike McDaniel can nerd out with his $100,000 watch that doesn’t work day and night, Tua is never going to be Peyton Manning or even Brett Farve. And that offense is never going to impress me as much and watching Drew Brees’ tiny ass misdirect a defense via a protection call.
So, thanks Chip Kelley. Your pussy Pac 12 offense gave us Marcus Mariota and the beginning of the end to the Golden Era of the NFL QB.