Anyone else's interest for NFL football dwindling?

[Ricky Spanish]

I'm not talking about the Panthers. I've watched every game this season, as hard as they were to watch at times. I'm talking about the prime time games, and other games around the NFL. In years past I would always watch the Sunday and Monday night match-ups because it was entertaining and interesting. Even when I wasn't actively watching it I would put the game on in the background as I did other things. 

This year, other than Opening night with the Panthers, I haven't watched any prime time game at all. There has been no interest to watch anything. Maybe it's because I cut the cord last year, but the interest to watch these games just isn't there for me anymore. 

It feels oversaturated and unnecessary to have Thursday night games every week. For a league "so concerned about player safety", they really aren't doing jack poo. They are still marching the players out on limited rest every week without allowing bodies to heal. they still aren't doing enough to help with concussions. They are constantly reacting instead of being proactive. 

And the hypocrisy and inconsistency EVERYWHERE.

• Player punishments are ridiculous and inconsistent. Smoke weed? Suspended 10 games. Beat your fiance? 2 games - Wait, hold on, the public is mad, make it a year. Has the storm died down? OK, cool, the next guy gets one game because he's only a kicker... 
• This year guys can't even celebrate in the endzone? Like, OK, I get that the dunk can bend the goalpost and cause the game to be delayed until it's fixed. I can understand not having props because it's kind of distracting and can be excessive. But no dancing? What is the NFL, the town from Footloose? AB can't do three pumps when the cheerleaders are 20 yards away LITERALLY SHAKING THEIR ASSES ALL GAME, but that's alright? I'm not seeing the line of thought on this one. It makes no sense to me at all.
• "Player safety is so important, we care about our players". Cam proceeds to get assaulted on opening night, one flag thrown and it is offset because he threw the ball away to try and protect himself because the refs weren't... Oh and OBJ last year on Norman... Jesus Christ how was he not thrown out of the game? He literally went for Norman's head blatantly. He should have been gone for Multiple games.
• To tie the last two points together, Jimmy Graham was fined more for dunking the ball on a goalpost a few seasons ago, than Vontaze Burfict was when he tried to break the legs of both Cam Newton and Greg Olsen. Really concerned for that player safety there Roger. Especially when you knowingly downplayed the long-term and lasting effects concussions have on the players. Asshole.
• The referees are complete and utter poo these days. Am I wrong in this point or does it seem like Refs the past few years has been god awful and only gotten worse? They need full time refs. The guys they put out there are so inconsistent it's infuriating. What is a penalty one week, is completely allowed by another crew the next. It really feels like the refs are controlling the outcomes of games these days and it's making the NFL feel rigged. 
• To go along with the last point, what the fug is a catch these days? What the fug are the rules? Why are they changing so much year in and year out without thinking ahead? "Hey, let's move the Kickoff up so we get more touchbacks". "Hey, let's make the starting point on touchbacks the 25 instead of the 20, teams won't try mortar kicks, hurr durr". "Let's make the rules for defining a catch as convoluted as possible because fug you." 
• Commercials suck and are annoying. I get that they are needed, but there weren't as many commercials in years past as there are now. I remember when the NFL bumped the start of later day games from 4 to 4:30 "to allow less overlapping of the games" but all they did was insert more commercials and jack up game run times. Now they have the same problem because of how long they take for commercial breaks. poo's weak.
• This poo. They've come for our memes. 

There's plenty more, I just don't have the desire to rant about anymore. But am I alone in feeling this way? Has the NFL reached the oversaturation point for you guys as well or am I in the minority here?

[juliosantos]

I agree . Godell is an Idiot, hes making the game so soft but i love football way too much to ever stop watching.

[Jangler]

I watched less and less over the years. Why? Party, because I'd ont have time. I make time for Panther games, any other game seems like a luxury. But also, yeah, the NFL seems to be picking winners and losers. Bad refs, bad punishment. But also bad games on Thursday and Monday nights. 

Just bad all around. The world is going to sh!t everywhere you look tho...

[uncfan888]

They've sucked the fun out of it this year. Last year was the most fun I've had.. Right up until the end. 

[csx]

4 minutes ago, juliosantos said:

I agree . Godell is an Idiot, hes making the game so soft but i love football way too much to ever stop watching.

I dont like him but he doesnt make rules. The competition comittee does.

My interest in it is dwindling and its creeping in to my interest in the Panthers a little. The bitterness and negatively takes the enjoyment out of it for me.

[TheRumGone]

I haven't watched any other games besides the Panthers because of the Denver game.

it was just that sickening. And then on top of that they fine those two Broncos players the same day the NFL launches their 100 million dollar play smart, play safe campaign. I'm just not excited anymore, I don't know if losing the Super Bowl has something to do with it as well, but everything seems like a joke. 

[Jase]

There are some really bad teams with really good records so far this year.  No brady so far, no manning has taken a bite.  Yeah, it's been pretty bad.  Hopefully the NFL realizes that they need us to be good this year for ratings and throw some good officiating our way. :)

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

it's been a farce so far this year.  how overboard the league has gone with the celebration/taunting penalties in conjunction with the headhunting of cam going unflagged is nauseating.

[OneBadCat]

The biggest drawback for me is that I literally go into every game expecting the refs to screw us over. It's just happened too many times at this point. And not just us but around the league in general.

Then the officials are so pathetic that instead of reviewing a penalty and calling it back they'll just toss a cheap flag  on the other team the next play to make up for said mistake. It's disgusting.

I also don't like how the guys in charge of the time clock seem to have a lot of liberty. If you pay attention a lot time is wasted when in fact the clock should be stopped.

[Zaximus]

Yes.  I don't watch any other team's games.   It's almost a chore this season to watch the Panthers, and it's not because of the record, I watched every game when we won 2 games the whole season.    The biggest thing for me, is the refs, and I started looking at the sport as a whole.  

[Steve_Smith_Sr.]

Not really.  The Panthers starting out like crap is def taking away some of the fun, but I still watch.

I would like to see refs enforce rules equally, and I do think Cam is treated differently than other QB's which is BS.

I'm dreading the month of pink which is about to start.  I hate the way the NFL has become so PC and political - but it's still the best thing on TV to watch.

[truthjuice]

They have taken the fun away. 

[Jimmy]

Yes it has. Not because of Kaepernick kneeling or concussion protocols but because it has become excruciatingly boring to watch. Goodell and his regime have successfully sucked the life out of the sport. Dating back to the early 70s there was flare and excitement. By penalizing and fining players for celebrating has absolutely crippled the players on the field. $10,000 for the bow and arrow? Trai Turner $12,000 for jumping up and down? It goes on and on. 

[Adb6368]

I watch ever Panthers game but have quit watching primetime games because they have been unbelievably boring and noncompetitive.

However, I've actually started to enjoy college football more. There is something about 'amateurs' going out there and just playing as hard as they can. The Louisville and Clemson game was one of funnest games I have watched in a long time. You can't replicate atmospheres like that in the NFL.