Quarterbacks have it easy these days. Defenders have it hard.
The rules have swung in favor of the offense.
If you don’t believe it, try this: Five quarterbacks -- Jared Goff (465 yards), Andrew Luck (464), Derek Carr (437), Kirk Cousins (422) and Matt Ryan (419) -- passed for at least 400 yards this week. (With Patrick Mahomes still to go.) That is the most in any week ever.
The NFL has seen 12 such performances in four weeks this season after only eight all of last season.
So with the rules so far in favor of the offenses, 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman posed a question on Twitter:
“My question is why won’t they just put flags on the QBs?” Sherman wrote. “They would rarely hit the ground then. Guys would be able to grab the flags, and that would be a sack. Guys are losing thousands of dollars just doing their job. Something has to change.”
My question is: Who would want to play defense any more? It’s an impossible job.