Filed under: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers, AFC North
Each year throughout the NFL season, experts, media and football fans constantly complain and act baffled as to why offenses cannot execute on a consistent bases. And now, there’s a new complaint that is suddenly popular: Why do certain quarterbacks hold the ball long?
Well, here’s the answer, defensive players get paid big bucks, too. It’s as simple as that and after the 2011 NFL draft, which is loaded with good defensive players, expect the trend of quarterbacks hanging in the pocket with the ball longer to continue.
J.J. Cooper of FanHouse.com assessed the time that NFL quarterbacks have to get rid of the ball before they’re on their backs watching the birds fly in the air — 2.7 seconds. But here’s the kicker, the mental clock has to change because just as offenses evolve due to rule changes that cater to the executors and the development of the offensive athlete, defenses adapt along with the defensive athlete.
The responsibility falls on the offensive line and running backs on pass protection to provide the time for the quarterback to deliver the ball. Now, there are exceptions where it is clear that the signal caller holds the ball too long due to confusion, but name a quarterback who wants to hold the ball, purposely, to get hit by defenders weighing 250-plus pounds attacking at blinding speed from different angles?
After this year’s draft and the drafts to come, teams can never load up on too many defenders, mainly linebackers due to injuries and the value they have.
Out of the projected top 64 prospects in this year’s draft, 33 are defensive players, but 25 are defensive linemen, which are more than a third. Blitzing is a major part of the game and defenses have to be aggressive because of the great offensive minds in the league. If opposing defenses do not attack, stars on offense will have a field day. Fans want to see their teams to light up the scoreboard, however defensive players have a job to do as well.
The total amount of sacks for the 2010 season was 1,119. That’s 10 more from 2009 and three-and-outs were forced 37 more times from the previous year as well. This means defenses are better adapting to offenses each year and sacks and three-and-outs are likely to continue to increase, especially with this upcoming draft in April.
Despite sitting in the locker room at halftime of Saturday’s game against the 
Baltimore rode a 21-7 lead into halftime at Pittsburgh, then spent the next two quarters in meltdown mode.
