"Make it, take it" rule in effect tomorrow at Probowl as a test. (Onside kick alternative)
Eli Apple can draw a flag on that play 9 out of 10 times.
If this makes it to real football, teams are going to bank on a foul to bail them out on this play. Dumb rule idea.
This would be the golden key that allows the refs once and for all to decide the outcome of each and every game with nothing, not even chance to get in their way.
A team scores in the 4th quarter and takes the lead? That team uses the "take it" option. If they get the first down, nothing happens. If they don't, then there's a flag for some penalty that carries an automatic first down. Then everything goes back to normal where the refs allow the series to go to 3rd down without interfering. If the team doesn't make it on 3rd down, flag. They score and now take a bigger lead and chose the "take it" option. And continue with this cycle until the clock runs out without the opponent ever getting to play a down of offense.
A team is down 17 points at the end of the 3rd quarter. Same thing happens as above and that team has the ball the entire 4th quarter. They win the game without the opponent ever having a chance to answer or protect their lead.
Sure there's a controversy, but only the fans of that team care. A couple of NFLN or ESPN talking heads make a fuss about it, but the other talking heads laugh and cut up and tow the company line. In a few days it's all forgotten, until it happens to your team... you don't and won't care. And when it does, you look around and realize that nobody else cares and your team has no recourse.
Now, being Saints fans... in all of the above do you think we'd find ourselves on? If this makes it to the field, it'll be the final straw proving that the league wants 100% control of every outcome and that they WANT CONTROVERSY so bad that they're willing to completely change the game to create more controversy.