The Washington Post

Scoring is soaring in the NFL, with the league coming off its highest-scoring weekend ever. The rate at which points are piling up undoubtedly delights the game's rule-makers, who rarely have hidden their conviction that fans want to see passing wizardry, electrifying offense and lots and lots of points.

But some observers are beginning to wonder: Is the sport starting to flirt with legislating away good defense?

"They've intended it to be this way," said Hall of Fame linebacker Sam Huff, a longtime radio broadcaster for the Washington Redskins. "All these guys who go to the league meetings and make the rules are offensive coaches. I said to Sonny (Jurgensen, a fellow Hall of Famer and Redskins radio analyst) on a broadcast: 'When was the last time they made a rule since we've been out of the game to benefit the defense?' There was complete radio silence from Sonny on that one."

Before the 2004 season, the NFL moved to get rid of clutching-and-grabbing tactics in the secondary by making illegal contact with a receiver beyond five yards from the line of scrimmage a point of officiating emphasis.

This season, the league is stressing player safety by handing out hefty fines for hits deemed illegal. Many of those fines have been given to defenders for hits on quarterbacks .

So by some interpretations, in the past five years the league has made it tougher for defenders to cover receivers in the secondary, and tougher for defenders to hit quarterbacks without being penalized or fined.

"I don't think the rules have made it impossible to play defense, but the rules have definitely aided the offenses in scoring," former NFL safety Eugene Robinson said. "I know a lot of players are complaining about the fines for the hits. ... It's been headed this way for a few years ."

According to the league, the 837 points scored in last weekend's 16 games broke the mark of 788 points that had been accomplished three times, most recently last December .

The leaguewide average this season, through last weekend's games, was 45 points per game. The highest-scoring average since the 16-game schedule was put into effect in 1978 is 43.7 points per game in 1983. Last season's average was 43.4 points per game.

"Offense sells tickets," former Buffalo Bills safety Mark Kelso said. "There's no question about that. It's a game that's now geared toward putting points on the board."

It seems clear that the NFL isn't turning back, not at a time when the competition for consumers' entertainment dollars is fiercer than ever . So even those inclined to favor rugged defense appear to be realizing that they had better come around and start enjoying this brand of Football.

Kelso said: "Being a former defensive player and still coaching defense in high school, I love a good defensive game. But in the broadcast booth, it's a lot more interesting to call a great offensive game."

scoring on the rise Until this season, the league scoring record since the 16-game schedule was put in place in 1978 was 43.7 points per game, set in 1983. A look at the numbers, through last weekend's games.

2003 | 41.7

2004 | 43.0

2005 | 41.2

2006 | 41.3

2007 | 43.4

2008 | 45.0

Source: NFL

Scoring Trends: Up, Up and Away//

(c) 2008, The Washington Post

Until this season, the league scoring record since the 16-game schedule was put in place in 1978 was 43.7 points per game, set in 1983. A look at the numbers, through last weekend's games.

2003: 41.7

2004: 43.0

2005: 41.2

2006: 41.3

2007: 43.4

2008.: 45.0

-0-

Source: NFL