I can't speak for the WWII seasons or the strike shortened season(s[?]), but this whole season feels immensely dumb.
From the Rodgers injury onwards things feel like they aren't making any sense. I might sound biased because I'm a disappointed Giants fan, but I did not expect the Vikings and Titans to be down here with us. And now the mighty Patriots are finally a perennial Bad Team. And wtf are the Bengals doing.
The Chiefs are the only team that look legitimately great. The Eagles and 49ers are top teams but look painfully mortal and straight up goofy sometimes.
Most games I've watched seem like absolute nonsense. Each week there's at least one game that makes me turn into an Insane Clown Posse Digital Circus side character: Giants-Bills, Browns-Colts and now Bills-Bucs.
This is entirely subjective but is anyone else feeling like this is all nonsense
I think the football product suffers with Thursday games every week and so many international games. The travel and the short weeks can be difficult for players and for coaches.
I think the 18th week adds some level of change in roster strategy/player utilization beyond just "don't play your starters in preseason games." But even if that's it, the lack of violent reps before week 1 hurts things like OL and linebackers ability to start out strong.
I also think that between guys like Brees and Brady retiring the past couple seasons, and Rodgers being hurt this year, the changing in the QB guard has made some defenses look better and offenses look worse. Plus defenses are adapting to the offense-friendly rules, which is making some good offenses look bad.
I don't think it's stupid. The league changes rules so often that there's always some amount of shifting going on in the standings. Refs always blow calls, especially in big spots. Same as it ever was