The Athletic has an article today speculating that the early season wave of injuries is due to the limited offseason. I don't know enough about training to have an opinion. What does BBI think of this theory?
The possibility of an early wave of soft-tissue injuries was among the major concerns, from players and league officials, after the coronavirus pandemic forced the NFL to move its entire offseason program online. Players were left to train on their own throughout the spring, in makeshift home gyms or on high school fields. |
https://theathletic.com/2081369/2020/09/21/devastating-wave-of-injuries-dominates-week-2-taking-down-some-big-names/ - (
New Window )
I've never seen anything like what happened in the NFL after 1 quarter yesterday (5 quarters into the season).
I can understand muscle pulls/ and achilles injuries. But acl injuries are just bad luck in my opinion.
That seemed to be a pretty dirty game by both teams. The Chiefs were teeing off on Herbert when he'd leave the pocket. The Bengals and Browns had several head shots.
Even in the Giants game and the Pats game, I saw two different examples of DB's throwing a WR to the ground with a suplex-type move.
That seemed to be a pretty dirty game by both teams. The Chiefs were teeing off on Herbert when he'd leave the pocket. The Bengals and Browns had several head shots.
Even in the Giants game and the Pats game, I saw two different examples of DB's throwing a WR to the ground with a suplex-type move.
I guess off-topic...with the caveat that I've only seen the Giants games, it feels like much less of anything is being called this year. Is that true?
Oddly, OPI has been called at a higher rate. DPI and defensive holding are being called a little lower than last year. But overall, flags are down by more than 50% vs. games last season. I'm fine with that as long as it stays consistent.
100%
Critical injuries have been part of the game for several seasons now. It is more about the size and speed on the players. Look at the list of players that have missed significant time in recent previous years.
- Bradley Chubb
- Dalvin Cook
- Guice
- McKinnon
- Watt
- Big Ben
- Kerryon Johnson
- AJ Green
- Kwon Alexander
- Dissly
- Lamar Miller
Oddly, OPI has been called at a higher rate. DPI and defensive holding are being called a little lower than last year. But overall, flags are down by more than 50% vs. games last season. I'm fine with that as long as it stays consistent.
https://www.nfl.com/news/referees-focusing-on-clear-and-obvious-calls-as-penalties-drop - ( New Window )
the whole camp pre-season process evolved over the years because it more or less worked. Not surprising that abandoning it would have an impact.
Critical injuries have been part of the game for several seasons now. It is more about the size and speed on the players. Look at the list of players that have missed significant time in recent previous years.
- Bradley Chubb
- Dalvin Cook
- Guice
- McKinnon
- Watt
- Big Ben
- Kerryon Johnson
- AJ Green
- Kwon Alexander
- Dissly
- Lamar Miller
I have no science to back this up. But for decades I've heard coaches talk about the difference between "being in shape" and "football shape", which includes slowly getting used to the pounding. SOTI told me years ago that injuries were beginning to mount not just because of overtraining but because camps were getting softer and players getting less contact (seems counter intuitive but he predicted it).
Yesterday was a blood bath around the league.
Whether it happens in preseason or the regular season isn't too much of a relief for those guys who get injured.
There's also a pretty strong correlation to PED use, but lets not open that can of worms.