The stats quarterbacks and wide receivers have been putting up has been on the increase as the NFL has shifted to a more pass-happy league.
With even more of an emphasis placed on pass interference, illegal contact, and defensive holding for the upcoming season, we can expect more big numbers in 2014.
NFL officials have been making their way around to training camps to meet with teams in an effort to go over how penalties will be called this year, which will seemingly put defensive backs at even more of a disadvantage.
While there will be an adjustment period, the Cleveland Browns have taken measures to drive home the point to defensive backs to minimize the grabbing of receivers. The team had Joe Haden and the cornerbacks wear kickboxing gloves during practice.
Browns CBs wore kickboxing gloves (re: padded mittens) to avoid holding. WR Anthony Armstrong laughed, "I think they were frustrated."
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) August 4, 2014
Perhaps not surprisingly, the Seattle Seahawks, whose secondary has become the poster child for committing contact with receivers, came up as a possible reason for the renewed emphasis.
Joe Haden jokingly blamed Seahawks DBs for new emphasis on contact – They disrupted Broncos powerful O and "it's an offensive league."
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) August 4, 2014
There are more than a few who feel the scores of NFL games will soon resemble those of the Arena Football League with the way the NFL is now being officiated. How quickly defensive backs cope will help determine if point totals remain at a reasonable level.
