In the old days, first downs were few and far between, and the punting was a key part of moving the ball. The goal posts were on the goal line, so field goals could be attempted ten yards farther back than they could in their present rear-end-zone place. Field goals were the main means of scoring, and the field position game was crucial to strategy. Also, it was competing with basketball, ice hockey and baseball among ball games, and soccer not so much. Compared to them, it is a far more foot-oriented game. The important thing when assessing issues is their context. It might not make sense to call it football compared to soccer, but this is America and f*** soccer. Armball isn't really a good name for a sport where the best passer in the league never wins the Super Bowl, and running the ball is the bedrock on which offense is built. Arguably a defense could function without any bodyparts aside from their feet.