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If there’s one image that’s indelibly etched into the Bucs 2024 season, it’s the reaction of Baker Mayfield losing the overtime coin toss to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on Monday Night Football.
Mayfield leaned back and stared at the heavens, resigning himself to the fact that the Bucs would probably never possess the football again.
Indeed, Mahomes needed 10 plays to lead the Chefs to a game-winning touchdown.
But there may be some solace for the Bucs and Mayfield.
NFL owners are considering a proposal to change the overtime rules to where both teams will have a chance to possess the football. Teams that won the overtime coin toss had a 75% chance of winning last season.
There are several rules proposals that may have a big impact on the 2025 season being considered at the league’s annual meeting in Palm Beach, beginning Sunday.
The Bucs defense has had some success stopping the Tush Push, the Eagles’ version of the quarterback sneak.
But it’s a play that has been virtually unstoppable for the rest of the NFL. Helping push the tush of quarterback Jalen Hurts are tight end Dallas Goedert and running back Saquon Barkley.
The Packers drafted a proposal to ban the controversial play, perfected mostly by the Eagles and Bills. It’s among several things that could be voted on at the owners meetings.
But Bucs coach Todd Bowles is pushing back, saying no team should be punished for perfecting a play.
“I think there’s a rugby element, but at the same time, when a team gets something that they’re good at, I don’t think the first thing that you can do is try to take it out of the ball game,” Bowles said. “That takes away the creativity of everyone trying to do everything else.
“Better learn how to stop it. I mean, they’re going to continue. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. It’a a good challenge for defensive coaches. They’ve just got to figure it out.”
Banning the Tush Push is among the five playing rules, five bylaws and two resolutions owners must vote for.
A number of the proposals, if passed a year ago, could have had a profound impact on the outcome of the 2024 season for the Bucs.
The Tush Push not necessarily among them.
“The thing that nobody likes about this discussion is the idea that the rule is directed toward two teams,” said Falcons CEO Rich McKay, who sits on the league’s competition committee. “We’ve had many rules over the years come in about some play or some tactic or something that was just never contemplated that all of a sudden is introduced and all of a sudden there’s a rule put up that says maybe we shouldn’t have that tactic or that play.
“I don’t think there’s any of us that like the fact that there’s teams associated with this particular rule proposal. I think you have the teams that supported it.”
Owners also will vote on a proposal tweaking the new kickoff rules.
After making significant changes a year ago, there were 332 more kickoffs returned in 2024, more touchdowns but also fewer injuries. According to McKay, the previous kickoff procedure had twice as many injuries as a run-pass play and up to four times the rate of concussions.
The reason for the kickoff rule change a year ago was to discourage touchbacks.
“So we could get to a place where we could have a kickoff play reintroduced into our game that was kind of going away from our game and I think they did that very successfully,” McKay said. “We left the touchback line at the 30 because we knew that there were teams that had some trepidation, that wanted to see it in operation, see how they liked it, see how it operated. See how to make returns, if you will, that’s why the return numbers ended up where they were.”
But Play Rule Proposal No. 1 would move the football to the 35-yard line after every touchback, creating a 7-yard difference between the touchback line and what the average return was last year.
“We think that gives a lot of motivation for teams to kick the ball in play and get returns into the game, which we like,” McKay said.
Another proposal by the Lions may have impacted the Bucs the last several years.
Detroit has floated that the division winner with the conference’s best record would still receive the No. 1 overall seed. But after that, teams would be seeded by records, regardless of whether they won their division or received a wild-card berth.
The Bucs have won the NFC South with 8-9, 9-8 and 10-7 records.
The Competition Committee wants to amend the rules to expand instant replay’s ability to advise the onfield officials on specific, objective aspects of a play and/or address administration issues when there is clear and obvious video evidence present.
That would include an obvious facemask penalty, like the one they missed on running back Bucky Irving in an Oct. 3 overtime loss to Atlanta when he ran for 7 yards late in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay instead was called for holding on the play and was forced out of field-goal range. That allowed quarterback Kirk Cousins to rally the Falcons to a win.
• • •
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Mayfield leaned back and stared at the heavens, resigning himself to the fact that the Bucs would probably never possess the football again.
Indeed, Mahomes needed 10 plays to lead the Chefs to a game-winning touchdown.
But there may be some solace for the Bucs and Mayfield.
NFL owners are considering a proposal to change the overtime rules to where both teams will have a chance to possess the football. Teams that won the overtime coin toss had a 75% chance of winning last season.
There are several rules proposals that may have a big impact on the 2025 season being considered at the league’s annual meeting in Palm Beach, beginning Sunday.
The Bucs defense has had some success stopping the Tush Push, the Eagles’ version of the quarterback sneak.
But it’s a play that has been virtually unstoppable for the rest of the NFL. Helping push the tush of quarterback Jalen Hurts are tight end Dallas Goedert and running back Saquon Barkley.
The Packers drafted a proposal to ban the controversial play, perfected mostly by the Eagles and Bills. It’s among several things that could be voted on at the owners meetings.
But Bucs coach Todd Bowles is pushing back, saying no team should be punished for perfecting a play.
“I think there’s a rugby element, but at the same time, when a team gets something that they’re good at, I don’t think the first thing that you can do is try to take it out of the ball game,” Bowles said. “That takes away the creativity of everyone trying to do everything else.
“Better learn how to stop it. I mean, they’re going to continue. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. It’a a good challenge for defensive coaches. They’ve just got to figure it out.”
Banning the Tush Push is among the five playing rules, five bylaws and two resolutions owners must vote for.
A number of the proposals, if passed a year ago, could have had a profound impact on the outcome of the 2024 season for the Bucs.
The Tush Push not necessarily among them.
“The thing that nobody likes about this discussion is the idea that the rule is directed toward two teams,” said Falcons CEO Rich McKay, who sits on the league’s competition committee. “We’ve had many rules over the years come in about some play or some tactic or something that was just never contemplated that all of a sudden is introduced and all of a sudden there’s a rule put up that says maybe we shouldn’t have that tactic or that play.
“I don’t think there’s any of us that like the fact that there’s teams associated with this particular rule proposal. I think you have the teams that supported it.”
Owners also will vote on a proposal tweaking the new kickoff rules.
After making significant changes a year ago, there were 332 more kickoffs returned in 2024, more touchdowns but also fewer injuries. According to McKay, the previous kickoff procedure had twice as many injuries as a run-pass play and up to four times the rate of concussions.
The reason for the kickoff rule change a year ago was to discourage touchbacks.
“So we could get to a place where we could have a kickoff play reintroduced into our game that was kind of going away from our game and I think they did that very successfully,” McKay said. “We left the touchback line at the 30 because we knew that there were teams that had some trepidation, that wanted to see it in operation, see how they liked it, see how it operated. See how to make returns, if you will, that’s why the return numbers ended up where they were.”
But Play Rule Proposal No. 1 would move the football to the 35-yard line after every touchback, creating a 7-yard difference between the touchback line and what the average return was last year.
“We think that gives a lot of motivation for teams to kick the ball in play and get returns into the game, which we like,” McKay said.
Another proposal by the Lions may have impacted the Bucs the last several years.
Detroit has floated that the division winner with the conference’s best record would still receive the No. 1 overall seed. But after that, teams would be seeded by records, regardless of whether they won their division or received a wild-card berth.
The Bucs have won the NFC South with 8-9, 9-8 and 10-7 records.
The Competition Committee wants to amend the rules to expand instant replay’s ability to advise the onfield officials on specific, objective aspects of a play and/or address administration issues when there is clear and obvious video evidence present.
That would include an obvious facemask penalty, like the one they missed on running back Bucky Irving in an Oct. 3 overtime loss to Atlanta when he ran for 7 yards late in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay instead was called for holding on the play and was forced out of field-goal range. That allowed quarterback Kirk Cousins to rally the Falcons to a win.
• • •
Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.
Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on Instagram, X and Facebook.
Continue reading...
