Let The Defense Play
There was a time when a defensive player had the easiest and arguably the best job in the NFL. All they had to do was to crunch the guy carrying the ball. In today's NFL playing defense has become one of the toughest jobs in the sport.
Used to be all you had to do was keep your eye on the ball, now you have to watch the ball, see who has the ball, keep track of how many yards off the line of scrimmage you are and last but not least keep a keen eye on the ref. Some of the new rules imposed on the defense are ludicrous! Somewhere along the way quarterbacks and receivers became sissies that needed to be protected.
Just think how much money Lawrence Taylor would have had to dish out a year in fines? LT absolutely crushed QB's. I also wonder how many defensive legends would have been unknown if these rules had been in place from the start?
Today the QB is protected goods and I think it is entirely unfair to the defensive players. The way I see it the QB is able to run, scramble and practically do flips; but all the defense can do is push him down. And boy they sure better push him gently. Let's face it the QB's are sissies. Just let me say this if you aren't man enough to get hit and driven into the ground... take up ballet and leave the NFL to real men.
The answer is better protective gear, not hamstringing the defense. Many of the quarterback rules are in place today because Troy Aikman had a soft head. Rather than design a better helmet the NFL took the easy/lazy way out and made the QB off limits. With today textile technologies it wouldn't be too difficult to design a thicker lighter helmet that better protects the head. These rules have led to softer, slacker quarterbacks. They know they don't have to spend as much time in the gym because they know they won't be hit too hard anymore.
In practice QB's have always been known to wear a red jersey proclaiming them off limits. I say come game day make them wear pink jersey's with cute little daisies embroidered on them. Heck why not let their Mamma's stand behind them to comfort them if they get too sweaty!
Now, lets talk about the poor little receivers. "Ref! Ref! He touched me! I went past five yards and he put his pinky finger on me! Toss the flag!!" How the heck are you supposed to cover a guy and be able to make a play for the ball when the receivers have a protective bubble around their butts? Look, I understand the corners and safeties can't mug the guy but let's get real here FOOTBALL IS A CONTACT SPORT!
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