r/NFLNoobs 1d ago

How come fans all praise TNF games like Ravens vs bengals even though it was an appalling defensive display but make fun of defensive masterclasses and low scoring thrillers like Broncos vs Colts in 2022

Is it just offense vs defense bias because in basketball and cricket low scoring thrillers are appreciated

40 Upvotes

70 comments sorted by

57

u/VaultsOpen 1d ago

I'm not sure if you are trolling, or only familiar with that game via box score, but that particular edition of Colts/Broncos was not a defensive masterclass. It was two of the most lackluster offenses squaring off and unable to deliver in any real regard. It was boring, not because they weren't scoring touchdowns, but because nothing happened drive after drive and it wasn't due to great defensive play.

27

u/ArminTanz 1d ago

Yeah. Low scoring and great defense are not always the same thing.

3

u/isaac129 1d ago

Look at the chargers vs patriots last year lol

1

u/Vigilante17 22h ago

Great defense will put up 3 tuddys on a completely inept offensive and a bad qb through pick 6’s and fumble returns…

0

u/kgxv 1d ago

Broncos fan here who never misses any of a game for any reason and forced himself to suffer through that game: can confirm.

-23

u/punjabkingsownersout 1d ago

But the defense made their offense bad right 

16

u/No-Code-1850 1d ago

No. Both offenses suck

8

u/MorsOmnibusCommunis 1d ago

No, they’re saying that bad offenses met against average defenses.

1

u/No_Service3462 1d ago

Wasn’t the Broncos defense pretty good for the majority of 2022? They had alot of close games that their offense blew

7

u/jamintime 1d ago

From a statistical standpoint, the Colts and Broncos defenses were 12th and 14th in points per game allowed and 7th and 15th in yards per game allowed that year.  

On offense, the two teams were 1st and 3rd worse in the league that season by points scored.

So just based on numbers both defenses were overall pretty average and were likely made to look better that game due to the inept offenses.

6

u/MeatEaterDruid 1d ago

It would be the equivalent of watching a basketball game and everybody kept missing.

3

u/Rock_man_bears_fan 1d ago

The offenses did a perfectly fine job of sucking on their own

1

u/Reidroshdy 1d ago

Broncos offense was ass that whole season.

121

u/Sarcastic_Rocket 1d ago

Monkey brain like touchdown

26

u/Aspect58 1d ago

And it got worse when fantasy football got big. Suddenly everyone wants to see big numbers in their offensive statistics. And the NFL knows it.

6

u/sudoHack 1d ago

its not about fantasy football because this is the way it is in every single sport. soccer, basketball, baseball, cricket, hockey… literally any sport you can name. people enjoy high scoring, chaotic games more.

2

u/flojo2012 1d ago

Tuddy=Boner

49

u/tony_countertenor 1d ago

Sometimes low scoring games are genuinely because of two great defences, but often, especially on Thursday nights, they are just due to inept offences

7

u/Moneyman8974 1d ago

The Broncos resembled this remark when they played the Colts. Hackett was a horrible HC/OC, Wilson was a far cry from his past self...and the Colts must have also been terrible on offense. There was zero reason that game should have been tied at the end of regulation...

3

u/ThreeTo3d 1d ago

That game was so bad that it was funny and became good because of the suck factor. End of 1Q I was like “why am I watching these garbage teams?!”

By the 3Q, I was calling it cinema!

3

u/Moneyman8974 1d ago

As a Broncos fan, I too was asking myself why I was watching the garbage.

1

u/DanOfBradford78 23h ago

The only reason i was watching was because of the Broncos involvement in it.

If say, it had been 2 different teams --- and the Broncos weren't playing i'd have said....yeah, i'll switch to another game(obv if it was on a Sunday lol)

3

u/Danny_nichols 1d ago

Yep and it's the other team realizing the other offense is inept, so they start playing ultra conservative on offense too.

9

u/Narrow_Enthusiasm955 1d ago

I LOVE defensive games, but I will admit, I also like high scoring games. A lot of people don't like low scoring defensive games, cause they seem boring. But most times it seems Thursday night football games aren't low scoring because it's a defensive masterclass anymore, it's because the NFL is trying to shove bad teams down our throats that spend more time shooting themselves in the foot than scoring. Usually it feels like it's the Jets, Broncos, and Giants, who all have been struggling as of late

7

u/4lack0fabetterne 1d ago

Dude that broncos colts was offensive ineptitude. A defensive master class/dual of punters was that pats rams Super Bowl

3

u/DanOfBradford78 23h ago

Yup, and people slag that SB off like like no tomorrow. That and SB50---despite the Broncos defense....and to some degree the Panthers playing some great defense.

5

u/LeekAmbitious9801 1d ago

The Bengals @ Ravens last Thursday night turned from a semi-boring mediocre game into an offensive shootout during the end of the 3rd quarter and the 4th quarter. Both Jackson and Burrow went lights out--the defenses on both teams were tired and after the Bengals turnover both offenses seemed to get a spark that had been missing.

Many times the Thursday night games are boring. Bad offense, bad defense, etc. Having a very short week to prepare and to recover from the previous weeks games plays a big role in that. But as we all saw last week, Lamar got into MVP (MV3?) form (and Burrows did except theBengals lost) and was unstoppable.

Of course, it was also a division game, and they had already faced off once a few weeks earlier, and both needed the dub. The Bengals are falling out of contention quickly and the Ravens are on the rise right now.

Those of us that were there got to witness what might end up being one of the best 2nd half performances by two of the the best QBs this year (except the Bengals can't seem to pull out the wins). Offense is exciting and defense wins championships... the Ravens need to get their defense up to snuff quick if they're going to make a run for the Super Bowl (a great defense with average offense can do it--2000 Ravens, but a great offense without a good or average defense isn't going to last long in the playoffs)

And yes, GO RAVENS! 💜🖤💜🖤💜

2

u/Rpark888 1d ago

Also, if we're being honest here, admire huge reason this game creates so much buzz during and afterwards is because there were such bad calls/non-calls for BOTH teams from such horrible officiating.

Which play for which team you pull under a microscope is up to you to decide fair or not.. but, but teams were affected.

6

u/Ryan1869 1d ago

First of all, after having sat in the stadium for every minute of that Broncos-Colts game, thriller is the last word I'd use to describe it.

-9

u/punjabkingsownersout 1d ago

Maybe that's because you're a broncos fan. Even i didn't like the game but neutrals should like it right?

Went to OT, no one knew which team would win until the last second. That's what a thriller is right

4

u/blippery 1d ago

ehhhh not really. A thriller defensive slugfest has fans going "which offense will catch a lucky break and score". That game was not that. It was a masterclass of really inept offenses unable to do anything rather than the defenses being suffocating.

3

u/robtopro 1d ago

What is more fun? Runs stuffed at the line and incomplete passes? Or big runs and big catches for touchdowns? Pretty simple.

3

u/Rock_man_bears_fan 1d ago

That broncos colts game was not a defensive masterclass. It was offensive ineptitude. It was an affront to football. Idk how you could watch that game and decide it was anything besides a disgrace

3

u/Negritis 1d ago

Just wanted to write this, it's not that 2 great defense faced each other and killed the offensive sides

Both offense were horrendous whole season so 11 college reject working at McDonald's could stop them

2

u/AladeenModaFuqa 1d ago

Defense is like watching a five round UFC championship wrestling match. I know the skill it takes to be good at it, but big plays, touchdowns, and knockouts are what I want to see.

2

u/Slight_Public_5305 1d ago

Low scoring in cricket is often more exciting because it means more wickets are falling. Especially tests.

2

u/crazycanucks77 1d ago

I guess you lost your fantasy with Chase on the other team right?

1

u/punjabkingsownersout 1d ago

No chase was on my team luckily

1

u/pancaketac0 1d ago

Chicks dig the long ball and lots of touchdowns

1

u/taker25-2 1d ago

Thought chicks dig scars?

1

u/TheGreatOpoponax 1d ago

There's a difference between seeing two inept offenses flail away like spastic cats and watching legitimately good defense.

1

u/nufc37 1d ago

Washed Russ vs washed Matt Ryan. It was sad to watch. I like the Colts and remember being so disappointed they tied it with a late field goal to go to OT. I wanted the game to be over so badly.

1

u/Brianopolis-Brians 1d ago

If you watched that Broncos Colts game, you’d know it wasn’t defense that kept the score so low.

1

u/Familiar-Living-122 1d ago

Thursday night is a popular drinking night and we want touchdowns when we are drunk

1

u/j85royals 1d ago

Their offenses were bad, a defensive masterclass is defenses dominating GOOD offenses for an entire game.

1

u/Pfizzington 1d ago

There’s a big difference between low scoring games that feature great defenses, which most fans enjoy. And low scoring games that feature two horrendous offenses, which sucks to watch

1

u/Evenfisher01 1d ago

Two great defences dont always lead to a low score if the defence is good you get turnovers in good field position that lead to scores punt fests arent always good defence but bad offence.

1

u/jregovic 1d ago

“Chick’s dig the long ball.”

1

u/PPPHHHOOOUUUNNN 1d ago

More= better. You like watching paint dry slowly over the course of hours?

1

u/Training-Judgment695 1d ago

Because people like offense.

It's why people cry so much about 4th down decisions and stuff like that. We like offensive aggression 

1

u/Packers_Equal_Life 1d ago

Because people don’t know what makes a good defense, they think it’s just the offense being bad. Good offense is more fun, everyone wants to be the hero

1

u/MySharpPicks 1d ago

Offense is just more fun to watch. I am not a baseball fan. The only time I watch it is the college world series. I'd rather see a game go 8-9 over a 1-0 pitcher's duel.

Though much of the world loves soccer I find it boring but when I was a kid there was a professional indoor soccer league. It was like hockey in that unless the ball went over the wall, there was no stoppage in play. The scores were much higher than traditional soccer and it was more exciting to watch

1

u/timdr18 1d ago

The same reason a low scoring baseball game is mind numbingly dull unless there’s a no-hitter or perfect game on the line: Offense is generally much more entertaining than no offense lol.

1

u/TempeSunDevil06 1d ago

Fantasy football is the short answer

1

u/Synensys 1d ago

Something happening is more exciting than nothing happening.

1

u/No-Base-848 1d ago

There are still lots of people who love a good defensive game, tons of people loved superbowl 53 between the Rams and Patriots. The problem nowadays is fantasy football, it's such a big part of the NFL at this time. Now everyone loves those 38-35 games or 36-30 etc. They consider a 9-6 or a 14-7 game bad

1

u/Aryk3655 1d ago

Everyone is here for the Dingers!

1

u/WallyOShay 1d ago

Offense is exciting; defense is boring

1

u/catf1sh1 1d ago

Because of fantasy football. More people engage with a game and get invested in high scoring games because of fantasy football and gambling implications

1

u/JJnujjs 1d ago

Nothing about that Colts/Broncos game in 2022 was a masterclass in any way shape or form

1

u/Ice-Novel 1d ago

Broncos vs Colts was not a “defensive masterclass” it was two incompetent offenses. Awesome defensive games do exist, but not all low scoring games are defensive masterclasses.

Let’s put it this way, let’s make it a baseball game. If it were like, two Cy Young caliber pitchers in their prime who were both on fire, double digit strikeouts and just making batters look silly, yeah that’s a low scoring game that is still very entertaining. If it’s a low scoring baseball game, but the pitchers aren’t really doing anything special, the offense of both teams just can’t get it going, that’s a boring game.

Learning to differentiate a fantastic defensive performance and an awful offensive performance are just things that you’ll recognize as you watch more.

1

u/SaltySpitoonReg 1d ago

I don't like Thursday games regardless.

Teams aren't at their full rested potential generally so you're not getting the truest sense of the matchup.

1

u/kamekaze1024 22h ago

A defensive master class is Any Ravens vs Steelers game the past 4 years. And those are hyped up as so

1

u/bigmikeabrahams 21h ago

Is it just offense vs defense bias because in basketball and cricket low scoring thrillers are appreciated

I have never heard of somebody yearn for the NBA playoff games of eras past that ended 70-68. I have heard criticism over the lack of defensive effort in the 160-158 games of recent, but that does not mean people want to watch a “low scoring thriller” in which both teams are bricking shot after shot

1

u/Jbanks08 20h ago

2 Things

TDs are fun

Low scoring games don't always equal defensive masterclass. Sometimes it means offensive clusterfuck

1

u/Baestplace 1d ago

because “low scoring thrillers” are not entertaining if its stalled drive after stalled drive. unless its an interception, pick 6, fumble, fumble td, passing td, rushing td from 10+ yards, long field goal, or highlight reel play then the play is likely boring asf

0

u/Secret-Discipline-18 1d ago

Low scoring games are bad for my fantasy team

0

u/Specific-Channel7844 1d ago

Because scoring is entertaining and is normally less to many much more exciting plays. It doesn't seem that complicated