New NFL rule changes approved

[PDXChris]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3325273

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- NFL owners concluded their annual meeting owners with quick passages of several proposals and by tabling the re-seeding idea for the playoffs.

Without the necessary 24 votes to pass a re-seeding plan to give wild-card teams the chance to host playoff games, the Competition Committee tabled the concept to a later meeting, most likely May.

Among the proposals that were passed:

• A recommendation to eliminate force-out decisions on pass completions near the sidelines was approved. Now, officials will only have to decide whether a receiver landed in bounds or not. The intended result is more consistency.

• The "Phil Dawson field goal rule" change passed. Now, certain field goals can be reviewed by instant replay, including kicks that bounce off the uprights. Under the previous system, no field goals could be replayed.

• Coaches can now defer a decision on the opening coin toss. This is similar to the college rule. Previously, the winner of the coin toss could only choose to receive or kick off.

• A direct snap from center that goes backward will now be treated as a fumble. Previously, it was ruled a false start.

• The 5-yard face mask penalty was eliminated. Now, only the serious face mask will be called (and will be assessed as a 15-yard penalty). The major foul will involve twisting or grabbing the face mask.

On Tuesday, the league tabled a Kansas City Chiefs' proposal to prohibit hair hanging over the back of jerseys to the nameplate.

It passed a rule to allow defensive players to wear radio helmets on Tuesday.

 

[PDXChris]

A direct snap from center that goes backward will now be treated as a fumble. Previously, it was ruled a false start.

I am a bit confused about this one.

 

[SuperSpck]

I am a bit confused about this one.

I'm hoping they meant "forward" instead of "backward". Last time I checked, the ball was supposed to be delivered backward by the center.

 

[SuperSpck]

The defensive radios were long overdue and I'm excited to see if this has a major impact.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

• A recommendation to eliminate force-out decisions on pass completions near the sidelines was approved. Now, officials will only have to decide whether a receiver landed in bounds or not. The intended result is more consistency.


Hate, hate, HATE this rule.

Near the sideline, grab the player and throw him out of bounds. It's not a catch of two feet don't come in bounds.... Ugh.

 

[joeshmo]

The defensive radios were long overdue and I'm excited to see if this has a major impact.

It is about time they did it. Teams wont have the ability to steal signs anymore. I am sad though becuase we will no longer see the DC's of the league doing funny little dance on the sidelines getting their signals into the defense.

 

[PDXChris]

A recommendation to eliminate force-out decisions on pass completions near the sidelines was approved. Now, officials will only have to decide whether a receiver landed in bounds or not. The intended result is more consistency.

I hate this one, this will only take away from the game. Recievers will be forced out like it is going out of style.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I hate this one, this will only take away from the game. Recievers will be forced out like it is going out of style.

I bet this rule gets changed back after one year.

 

[joeshmo]

• A recommendation to eliminate force-out decisions on pass completions near the sidelines was approved. Now, officials will only have to decide whether a receiver landed in bounds or not. The intended result is more consistency.


Hate, hate, HATE this rule.

Near the sideline, grab the player and throw him out of bounds. It's not a catch of two feet don't come in bounds.... Ugh.

They do say in the rule that you can push them out but you cannot carry them out. I like the rule myself it is more black and white this way, leaves less room for the officials to make a judgement call which is always a good thing. It will make it harder in the red zone for offenses though and put a higher priority on OL and RB play in the league. It also gives a little something back to the CB's and Defense since most of the rules in the league today make it harder on them more then the offense.

 

[Totally_Red]

• A recommendation to eliminate force-out decisions on pass completions near the sidelines was approved. Now, officials will only have to decide whether a receiver landed in bounds or not. The intended result is more consistency.


Hate, hate, HATE this rule.

Near the sideline, grab the player and throw him out of bounds. It's not a catch of two feet don't come in bounds.... Ugh.

It definitely hurts a pass-oriented offense like the Cardinals. This must be initiated by Minnesota and/or Cleveland.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

It definitely hurts a pass-oriented offense like the Cardinals. This must be initiated by Minnesota and/or Cleveland.

Not Cleveland. I think that they had a pretty good argument against us when Winslow caught that ball in the end zone. I was kinda surprised they didn't call a force out.

 

[joeshmo]

It definitely hurts a pass-oriented offense like the Cardinals. This must be initiated by Minnesota and/or Cleveland.

I think it makes Boldin and Fitz more important. Both can work the middle of the field. Also makes it even more important for the Cards to fix their run game.

Another side effect of this will be that it will be harder for teams to work the sidelines when time is running out and tyring to make a comeback. Teams will have to take much better care of the clock, take better care of their timeouts, work more on getting a play in and executing it faster, and just overall better time management. We will see fewer comebacks this year IMO.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Another side effect of this will be that it will be harder for teams to work the sidelines when time is running out and tyring to make a comeback. Teams will have to take much better care of the clock, take better care of their timeouts, work more on getting a play in and executing it faster, and just overall better time management. We will see fewer comebacks this year IMO.

I agree with this.

 

[MadCardDisease]

They do say in the rule that you can push them out but you cannot carry them out. I like the rule myself it is more black and white this way, leaves less room for the officials to make a judgement call which is always a good thing. It will make it harder in the red zone for offenses though and put a higher priority on OL and RB play in the league. It also gives a little something back to the CB's and Defense since most of the rules in the league today make it harder on them more then the offense.

I totally agree.

 

[Lorenzo]

I'm a bit shocked by the rule, but there are pros and cons for both sides. I think with all of these rules the nfl has looked at contreversy surrounding these types of scenarios that have happened in games. the officials have had a horrible time with this paticular rule and the scenario doesn't happen often, but for whaterver reason it has happened during the most crucial moments of a game. I think the hair thing is for the players saftey, we all agree that the defensive communication is long overdue. We all know that it's going to happen though. we are going to see one of our favorite WR's jump up for the ball at the sidelines and get pushed out of bounds. then we'll just have to see how often this happens.

 

[football karma]

I think it makes Boldin and Fitz more important. Both can work the middle of the field. Also makes it even more important for the Cards to fix their run game.

.

However, it will make defending the fade pattern in the endzone much easier

From a db's point of view -- playing the ball on a fade doesnt matter, playing the body so if the WR leaves his feet, a strong push to get them out of bounds will suffice

 

[DakotaCardsFan]

Teams will have to take much better care of the clock, take better care of their timeouts, work more on getting a play in and executing it faster, and just overall better time management.

We're doomed!

However, it will make defending the fade pattern in the endzone much easier

From a db's point of view -- playing the ball on a fade doesnt matter, playing the body so if the WR leaves his feet, a strong push to get them out of bounds will suffice

They still have to play the ball to some extent. A push before the ball arrives is still going to get a PI call.

 

[Stout]

They do say in the rule that you can push them out but you cannot carry them out. I like the rule myself it is more black and white this way, leaves less room for the officials to make a judgement call which is always a good thing. It will make it harder in the red zone for offenses though and put a higher priority on OL and RB play in the league. It also gives a little something back to the CB's and Defense since most of the rules in the league today make it harder on them more then the offense.

A shocker...I agree with Joe!

 

[D-Dogg]

• A recommendation to eliminate force-out decisions on pass completions near the sidelines was approved. Now, officials will only have to decide whether a receiver landed in bounds or not. The intended result is more consistency.


Hate, hate, HATE this rule.

Near the sideline, grab the player and throw him out of bounds. It's not a catch of two feet don't come in bounds.... Ugh.

The guy has to have the ball, or it is PI.

I love, love, LOVE this rule. You catch it on the sidelines, and AW blows the crap out of you, you lose.

 

[daves]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3325273
• A direct snap from center that goes backward will now be treated as a fumble. Previously, it was ruled a false start.

I'm hoping they meant "forward" instead of "backward". Last time I checked, the ball was supposed to be delivered backward by the center.

Nope - the quoted article doesn't have a very thorough explanation, but they meant "backward".

This page has a pretty good explanation. I'm pretty sure their speculation regarding the reason for the erstwhile rule is accurate.

I wonder whether we'll now begin to see trick plays where the ball is deliberately snapped between the QB's legs to another player?

...dave

 

[Southpaw]

The defensive radios were long overdue and I'm excited to see if this has a major impact.

Where, in the article does it say anything about defensive radios?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

The guy has to have the ball, or it is PI.

I love, love, LOVE this rule. You catch it on the sidelines, and AW blows the crap out of you, you lose.

I see many more players getting injured because defensive players are going to be playing more like Blitz, than going for the ball.

 

[Spielman]

• A recommendation to eliminate force-out decisions on pass completions near the sidelines was approved. Now, officials will only have to decide whether a receiver landed in bounds or not. The intended result is more consistency.
I don't know what to think about this one. It'll eliminate controversy, sure, but I'm not all that sure that controversy over judgement calls is necessarily a bad thing. It gets people talking, at least. Now, the first time somebody gets pushed out/borderline carried out on a catch where they clearly would have come down in bounds, the league will have people swearing directly at them instead of at the game officials. Is that better?
• The Phil Dawson field goal rule change passed. Now, certain field goals can be reviewed by instant replay, including kicks that bounce off the uprights. Under the previous system, no field goals could be replayed.
A victory for common sense.

• Coaches can now defer a decision on the opening coin toss. This is similar to the college rule. Previously, the winner of the coin toss could only choose to receive or kick off.
No big deal, but I like this change. I remember an old story, and I have no idea who it happened to, or when, about a team sending out a new captain to midfield to call the coin toss. The coach gave him the instruction, "We'll kick to the clock," assuming that the player knew he had to choose to receive if he won the flip, and just telling him which direction he was to choose if he lost the flip. The player won the flip, tried to tell the ref they wanted to kick to the clock, and was told that he couldn't choose both, and to pick one. He chose to kick. The other team got to call direction and the ball, and then got the ball for the beginning of the second half too, all because the new team captain didn't know the rules.

• A direct snap from center that goes backward will now be treated as a fumble. Previously, it was ruled a false start.
Had to know this was coming after it came into play a couple of times last year. A lot of the other rules making a distinction between a T-Quarterback and a QB in the shotgun will probably get changed in the coming years as well.

• The 5-yard face mask penalty was eliminated. Now, only the serious face mask will be called (and will be assessed as a 15-yard penalty). The major foul will involve twisting or grabbing the face mask.
Odd. I'd always seen the 5 yarder as an attempt to make sure that players were always in the habit of not grabbing at the ballcarrier's head, period. I don't think this is great for safety. Also, we're going to see some grabbing and yanking that doesn't get called at all because the official, at game speed, didn't think it was worthy of 15 yards and just lets it go. I'm not in favor of this one, and it'll probably take a freak neck injury to get it changed back.

On Tuesday, the league tabled a Kansas City Chiefs' proposal to prohibit hair hanging over the back of jerseys to the nameplate.
Good. The NFL has too much of a tendency to try to make everything as monotonous as possible. I like seeing the Al Harris's and the Troy Polamalu's of the game.

It passed a rule to allow defensive players to wear radio helmets on Tuesday.
Great. I don't think this will be as earth shattering as some people do, but it's only fair.

 

[Spielman]

Where, in the article does it say anything about defensive radios?

At the end. Last sentence.

 

[Stout]

• A direct snap from center that goes backward will now be treated as a fumble. Previously, it was ruled a false start.
Had to know this was coming after it came into play a couple of times last year. A lot of the other rules making a distinction between a T-Quarterback and a QB in the shotgun will probably get changed in the coming years as well.
[/I]

I still have no idea what this rule is referring to. What the heck is a T-Quarterback?