Being an NFL defense in 2020 is a lot like being a regular human in 2020: Things are probably going horribly wrong, and there aren’t many signs they will get better.
Never before has it been more difficult to defend in the NFL, with offenses on pace to shatter records and scoring at an all-time high. Through the first month of the season, teams scored a whopping 3,151 points, breaking the previous record for most points scored in the first four weeks in the Super Bowl era. Offenses are racking up nearly 26 points per game, a clip that, if it lasts the whole season, would obliterate the record of 23 points per game set in 2013. A staggering 11 teams are averaging more than 380 yards per game, but you probably don’t need a stat sheet to know that most defenses this year are harder to watch than a modern Saturday Night Live sketch.
Right now, there are only two teams in the league allowing fewer than 2 points per drive. In 2015, 17 teams were able to do so. We’re at a point now where forcing a team to kick a field goal is essentially considered a win.
So why are defenses looking so terrible? The answer lies in a combination of changing rules and pandemic-related offensive advantages that have completely altered the definition of a successful defense.
For starters, referees have virtually eliminated the offensive holding penalty from the books. Each team has, on average, received 4.97 offensive holding penalties so far this year. In 2019, that number was 22.88. Defenses have stopped drawing holding calls almost altogether, making it easier for offenses to march down the field with aplomb. NFL referees have been told to throw a flag only when the hold seems “clear and obvious,” so if you’re good at grabbing a little jersey without being too flagrant about it, you’ve gained a pretty substantial advantage over your defensive counterpart.
Then there’s the lack of a crowd, perhaps the most noticeable disadvantage for defensive players, who feed off the chaotic energy of a loud stadium. The difference between a raucous Superdome crowd bellowing at 130 decibels and an empty one whose air would actually pass a Breathalyzer test can swing entire games. Without fans in the stands, offenses don’t have to use silent snap counts, which naturally advantage the defense by allowing players to time their pass rushes and blitzes. Quiet football cathedrals also allow quarterbacks to use their voices as weapons, utilizing hard counts to force defenses to jump offsides and extend drives. It’s no surprise that neutral zone infractions remain well above their 2019 totals.
If that wasn’t enough, defenses are playing in an era in which protecting the quarterback has never been more important. If you so much as mildly frown at a quarterback once he’s released the football, you’re inevitably going to draw a flag: Roughing the passer penalties have increased every year since 2016. It’s an admirable evolution, one that saves players from injuries while simultaneously shielding franchises’ most valuable assets. But defenders have never before been asked to slow their instincts down at such a rapid pace to adjust to the changing norms of the game.
Combine that with some of the most efficient and explosive offensive production we’ve ever seen, and it’s no wonder NFL defenses are getting roasted like a delicious Thanksgiving turkey.
The 2020 season has compelled us all to rethink what constitutes a “good” defense. The ones that have shined, such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Pittsburgh Steelers, still give up nearly 20 points per game. But we can also appreciate just how great they’ve been with all of the glaring disadvantages they face in a season that was almost scientifically engineered to help offenses.
So next time you find yourself wanting to launch your remote at your TV because your favorite team just gave up its fifth touchdown of the day, remember that the players on the field are likely as upset and confused as you are.
Just don’t expect a holding call.
Cory Gunkel is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C.
