this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2023
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I think Tom was specifically talking about qb play and making some extrapolations from that. he’s been talking about disliking changes (defenseless receiver, lifting of number regulations, etc) for years.
The game is changing. I’d like less ticky tack penalty but other wise I’m good. The people complaining about the game going “soft” are irritating.
I disagree. Brady has made "game has gone soft" comments before, but I think these are literally about mediocrity. I think he sees it all connected. When hes says players don't work on the fundamentals of protecting themselves anymore, hes implying there other fundamentals they also arent working on.
This is the 4th straight year scoring has gone down, and game threads here are filled with comments about shitty play. This a different complaint than "game gone soft."
If you ask me, I think we're seeing the negative impact of how insane contracts for star players have gotten in comparison to the overall cap. You can't have 2 players contributing 60+ million to the cap and expect a team to still be stellar IMO. Chiefs are a great example this year.
I don’t think contracts are a problem in what’s going on with play. The top end contracts got bloated, but almost all of the middle class is gone now and replaced with rookie contract and vet min guys.
Your last sentence is a recipe for shitty play though…
Not to mention the rules that protected the quarterback came into effect in the early 2000s, so Brady can’t really say “the game had gone soft” when he spent almost his entire career playing under the same rules.
Players definitely don't try and protect themselves. Look how Tua just fell over like a limp toddler several times in a row and now he probably can't remember his middle.name anymore.
It's not that the game is going soft, it's that it seems like every pass is a screen or checkdown. It's boring as fuck to watch.
If not soft, than what would you call it? The rules are actively being changed to discourage and/or negate play styles similar to Ray Lewis, Rodney Harrison and Ronnie Lott (Brady’s words). Defense is being hamstrung and handicapped seemingly more and more every season.
I think the word “soft” in this context is so dumb. It lacks any nuance and basically just sounds like someone complaining they or other people can’t be a dick anymore.
The Tuck Rule was fucking soft.