Passing touchdowns are down across the NFL through Week 2 this season, as the league has only seen 69 passing touchdowns, which is way down from 86 over the first two weeks last season and 105-110 every year from 2019-2022.
There are a number of theories as to why this is happening, but Pittsburgh Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw revealed why he believes passing TDs are declining so far.
In a behind-the-scenes clip shared by the FOX Sports social media team, Bradshaw said “The reason touchdowns are down is now with the shortened preseason, coaches aren’t playing their stars, especially the quarterbacks and their star wide receivers and running backs.”
Our guy Terry Bradshaw explains why there has been a drop off in passing touchdowns so far this season ⬇️
Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/d5rmmnWylQ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 19, 2024
Bradshaw added that teams are using the first few weeks of the regular season as preseason games and pointed out that only two quarterbacks threw for 300 yards in Week 2, but he believes business will pick up as teams continue to knock off the rust.
It’s a perfectly valid theory as teams in recent years have started benching their quarterbacks entirely in preseason instead of easing them into action.
Another theory is that offensive line play is getting worse while defenses are getting faster and better at adjusting to high-octane passing attacks.
Regardless of how you look at it, quarterbacks are having a tough time so far, but after so many years of offenses having every rule advantage and defenses constantly having to play catch-up, it’s nice to see passing attacks have to fight for once.
Hopefully, the NFL doesn’t ban the two-high safety look as Mel Kiper Jr. suggested, because defenses need to have their moment so we can see how offenses adjust.
