When and why did the NFL transistion from a running game to a passing game?

[SabresRule]

Once upon a time, the NFL was all about running the ball as opposed to passing it more often than not.

Back in the 1970s and earlier than that, few QB's, if any, threw for 30 TD's in a season.

Hell, it took until 1984 for ANYONE to throw 40 in a season (Marino).

When and why do you think the NFL transistioned from a run-heavy, pass-occasionally game to a game where there are as many passes as runs?

 

[Peter Parker]

I think the biggest factor was the rise of the West Coast offense and particularly the success of the 49ers. Heck i remember them saying once that they thought that short yardage passes were the same thing as a running play.

 

[stone phillips420]

unknown, i only watch cfl college and canadian

 

[yourbeliefs]

Two words: Bill Walsh.

 

[SabresRule]

Two words: Bill Walsh.

Two words: Don Coryell.

IMO, he changed it, not Walsh. The Chargers were an aerial attack team before the 49ers.

 

[lancemccaffrey]

1978. The league changed the rules to encourage more passing and scoring. There were several rules changes that happened in '78, the primary rule being that a defensive back could not make material contact after a receiver moved 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. This is the so called Mel Blount rule, the great cornerback during the Steel Curtain days.

Cornerbacks like Blount, Herb Adderly, Dick Night Train Lane, Jimmie Johnson, and Lem Barney were allowed to maul a receiver all the way down the field until the ball went in the air before '78. After '78, if a DB interrupted a receiver's route by physical contact 5 yards past the line of scrimmage, the refs ruled it a penalty.

Look at the Pittsburgh Steelers stats in the '70s. They went from primarily being a ball control, running team to a opening up their offense more with Bradshaw, Swann, and Stallworth.

Before 1978, Bradshaw never threw for over 2800 yards in a regular season. Starting in '78, he had four seasons in a row in which he threw for at least 2800 yards in a regular season. Before '78, Bradshaw never had a 20 touchdown season. Starting in '79, he had four consecutive seasons of throwing at least 20 regular season touchdowns.

Some of the inflated stats have to do with the league switching to a 16 game season in '78, but there was clearly a change in offensive philosophy throughout the league after rules changes in that year.

 

[HD MM]

unknown, i only watch cfl college and canadian

Hike, eh?!

 

[stone phillips420]

lol

 

[brainfry]

1978. The league changed the rules to encourage more passing and scoring. There were several rules changes that happened in '78, the primary rule being that a defensive back could not make material contact after a receiver moved 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.

As soon as I saw the subject line, I said to myself, "1978", and daggone it if Lance didn't beat me to the answer! Great explanation, too. The only thing I would add is that OC's started figuring out how to beat the zone defense.

I could have done without all the Steelers fluff, though. But they did win the next 2 Super Bowls. My team's QB was hurt the first half of 1978, so they didn't get to join in the party.

 

[Mr Tony]

unknown, i only watch cfl college and canadian

where they pass all the time

 

[dantheman77]

Two words: Don Coryell.

IMO, he changed it, not Walsh. The Chargers were an aerial attack team before the 49ers.

your forgetting the "cardic cards" coached by coryell in the early to mid 70's before he was a charger. hart, grey, metcalf. the cardinals were a aerial attack tem before the chargers.

 

[Ira Lacher]

It's still a running game, only the running backs get 2-yard dump passes instead of handoffs.

The stats need to be changed to differentiate between true pass plays, i.e. when the ball is delivered to a receiver who is 10 yards or more beyond the line of scrimmage, and pass-and-run plays, which are little more than forward laterals. The idea of quarterbacks being credited with 4,000 yards and 63-percent completion rates by dumping the ball 2 and 3 yards is as credible as anything that comes out of Brett Favre's mouth.

 

[hallrk]

1978. The league changed the rules to encourage more passing and scoring. There were several rules changes that happened in '78, the primary rule being that a defensive back could not make material contact after a receiver moved 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. This is the so called Mel Blount rule, the great cornerback during the Steel Curtain days.

Cornerbacks like Blount, Herb Adderly, Dick Night Train Lane, Jimmie Johnson, and Lem Barney were allowed to maul a receiver all the way down the field until the ball went in the air before '78. After '78, if a DB interrupted a receiver's route by physical contact 5 yards past the line of scrimmage, the refs ruled it a penalty.

Look at the Pittsburgh Steelers stats in the '70s. They went from primarily being a ball control, running team to a opening up their offense more with Bradshaw, Swann, and Stallworth.

Before 1978, Bradshaw never threw for over 2800 yards in a regular season. Starting in '78, he had four seasons in a row in which he threw for at least 2800 yards in a regular season. Before '78, Bradshaw never had a 20 touchdown season. Starting in '79, he had four consecutive seasons of throwing at least 20 regular season touchdowns.

Some of the inflated stats have to do with the league switching to a 16 game season in '78, but there was clearly a change in offensive philosophy throughout the league after rules changes in that year.

You got it right on. It was the rule changes that were the cause of the west coast offense and anything else that brought about more passing. If the rules had stayed the same we would have never seen the west cost offense.

 

[BillD1984]

1978. The league changed the rules to encourage more passing and scoring. There were several rules changes that happened in '78, the primary rule being that a defensive back could not make material contact after a receiver moved 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. This is the so called Mel Blount rule, the great cornerback during the Steel Curtain days.

Cornerbacks like Blount, Herb Adderly, Dick Night Train Lane, Jimmie Johnson, and Lem Barney were allowed to maul a receiver all the way down the field until the ball went in the air before '78. After '78, if a DB interrupted a receiver's route by physical contact 5 yards past the line of scrimmage, the refs ruled it a penalty.

Look at the Pittsburgh Steelers stats in the '70s. They went from primarily being a ball control, running team to a opening up their offense more with Bradshaw, Swann, and Stallworth.

Before 1978, Bradshaw never threw for over 2800 yards in a regular season. Starting in '78, he had four seasons in a row in which he threw for at least 2800 yards in a regular season. Before '78, Bradshaw never had a 20 touchdown season. Starting in '79, he had four consecutive seasons of throwing at least 20 regular season touchdowns.

Some of the inflated stats have to do with the league switching to a 16 game season in '78, but there was clearly a change in offensive philosophy throughout the league after rules changes in that year.

I totally agree that 1978 was the start of the pass happy offense. However, ironically the Patriots had the best rushing offense (yardage wise) in league history. The Pats amassed 3,165 in rushing offense in'78, and that mark is still tops today. What makes it further ironic is that the Pats leading rusher that year (Sam "Bam" Cunningham) had only 768 rushing yards, but the Patriots had five guys top over 400 rushing yards.

 

[vurbano]

Its a passing game for two reasons

1. you can't touch the QB anymore or its a personal foul and
2. You cant touch a reciever either.