What happened: Mike Tomlin outlined his theory for the NFL's historic Week 1 scoring surge during halftime of the Sunday Night Football broadcast. The former Pittsburgh Steelers coach pointed to reduced violence and fewer padded practices in modern training camps as the primary catalyst. He noted that contemporary team development focuses heavily on 7-on-7 drills and skill development rather than shedding blocks.

Why it matters: Tomlin believes this shift in practice methodology naturally lends itself to offenses starting faster than defenses early in the season. Defenses are entering Week 1 less prepared for the physical demands of live tackling compared to previous eras. The analyst expects scoring to normalize as defensive units gain game experience and hone their physicality.

What to watch: Upcoming weeks will test whether defensive units can close the preparation gap as they gain live tackling experience. The trend remains a focal point as teams adapt to the physical toll of the regular season.