Why is NFL so slow?

Question

Why is the play clock 40 seconds? Coming from Australia I'm used to faster sports although I do like American and Canadian football. Why doesn't the NFL have 25 seconds like in college football? Surely 25 seconds is long enough to make a play?

Yeah baseball really really does suck.

Answer 1

Good question, I guess so the quarterback has more time to audible.

Answer 2

The timing in College vs NFL are different all around. College football stops until the ball is placed but the NFL runs from the end of the last play. So, the NFL clock runs while the refs retrieve the ball, move the down markers and set it in place. So, depending on how long that takes, the NFL teams sometimes have less time to get the play off.

Answer 3

Well I think if they go from the time the ball is set then yeah they should be able to use 25 seconds. I think that the QB would be FINE figuring out what to do. Oh and Belichick has 3 rings because BRADY. Stop being a fanboy and look at his WHOLE career as a coach. Tell me where the "genius" was when he was coaching Cleveland and when he was coaching Bledsoe in New England. Personally I think the NFL needs to use more College rules when it comes to time, like the clock not stopping so dang much. Nothing more annoying then a clock being stopped and teams just holding the ball for like 20 seconds. I can understand when the clock is moving and you want to "milk" the clock.

Answer 4

I am not sure of the history or reason for the difference. However, there is a procedural difference in the use of the play clock between the NCAA and the NFL.

In the NCAA, the play clock is not started until the spot of the ball has been set. However, in the NFL, the play clock is started almost immediately after the tackle.

Also note that in the NFL, the play clock starts at 25 after a timeout. Based on this it would appear that the difference would simply be due to the time period when it is started (i.e. after a play compared to the ball being spotted).

Answer 5

The reason is that in the NFL all the players on the field are in absolute top physical condition and most are the best that the country has to offer at their position. So consequently, the offense needs a little more time than the 18 to 22 year olds in college football. Peyton Manning wouldn't be able to do what he does without that other 15 seconds. Bill Belichek wouldn't be a three time champ without it either.

Answer 6

That isa good question. I think it has to do with both offense and defense having time to make substitutions and call plays. It results in better quality play, in my view, as each play is of quality and can be thought out on both sides. The use of 2 minute offenses and the no huddle illustrate the need for the defense to make substitutions and adjust to the upcoming play, and yet often leads to costly mistakes by the offense.

As slow as it might seem, it is still far faster than baseball (might as well watch paint dry...lol)!

Answer 7

I've watched American football and Australian football and both last about 3 hours including breaks. Australian football is slow enough to have all those waterboys and other people all over the field while the ball is still in play so it's not as fast as you think it is.

I think the Raiders tried something like that one season and they couldn't do it.

Answer 8

More plays would not improve the quality of the plays. The NFL knows what it is doing

Answer 9

because in college football defenses aren't as good so there are more plays to choose in the nfl defenses can be undefeatable so they have to come up with very smart plays.

Answer 10

Give 'em a break there are some big boys out there. If they had to move too much faster you'd see an epidemic of on-field heart attacks.