This past Sunday saw a barrage of violent hits in multiple NFL games resulting in multiple concussions. Years ago this problem was called "getting your bell rung" or "seeing stars". In a more modern time, some research points to the fact that frequent concussions have connections to early, onset dementia and ALS in former athletes. Just yesterday the league started handing out severe fines for these hits and warned of potential suspension in loo of avoiding a fatality on the field. The league paints that the players delivering the hits are the criminals in these crimes. The players in question might have pulled the trigger, the changes in the NFL loaded the bullet into the gun. Let me explain.
The NFL is a cash cow. The Monday Night Football game between two small market, slow paced teams out rated a Rangers/Yankees playoff games. Move over baseball, a new king is in town. What sells football? Offense sells football. Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rogers are the top draw of football ratings. Are these players great? Of course they are, but why are they the most popular? They score points.
During the past ten years we have seen the acceptance and even the dominance of a spread offense used in the NFL. We see 4 or 5 wide receiver sets, plays with no running backs and 7 step drops. If you could rank your top ten NFL moments, how many would be great jukes, one-handed catches, or a Devin Hester punt return for a touchdown? The NFL is perpetuating the growth of offense with multiple rule changes to help the offense score points more easily. As a result of these changes, more players are getting hurt. Why?
Certain teams can't run the ball. They pass 35-45 times a game. When you do this, you put more and more pressure on wide receivers and defensive backs. There is a direct increase in concussions in wide receivers due to the increase in the number of pass attempts per game. At the same time QB play has gone down. With 5 WR in on a single play and a ball is thrown over the middle, often times the wrong WR streaking across the middle will jump and catch the ball when it really was meant for a WR further down the field. QB's are also leading receivers into bad situations with high passes and passes they the QB knows are going to leave his WR open to a vicious hit. Manning and Brady earn the most respect from their WR's because the WR knows that they aren't being hung out to dry unless it is a due or die moment. Ultimately, NFL coaches are responsible for this lapse in quality quarterbacking.
My last point has to do with being an athlete in general. Athletes want to win, they love a challenge and most will attempt to rise to the occasion when challenged by either a rival team or even a new rule. When you create these rules that limit contact, when an opportunity arrives to actually show what you are made of the player might get overly excited and give it more than is necessary. This is human nature. Imagine getting married, enjoying sex on your wedding night and then being told that you won't be able to have sex for 10 years. What is going to happen when the 10 years is up?
I agree that something has to be done about these hits and a deliberate hit to cause bodily harm should be punished by a fine or possibly suspension. At the same time, it is football and it is a contact sport. Give defenders a little more slack, allow for more aggressive play on the line of scrimmage against wide receivers. Loosen the reigns a little on players like James Harrison because I can tell you this much, just like most men who would be asked to abstain for 10 years...most would cheat...just like what happened this weekend. The NFL needs to take the bullet out of the chamber, otherwise someone will die on national television.
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