Which Proposed Rule Change (1 Viewer)

[Artifact]

Which proposed rule change, if passed, will have the most effect on the game? There is the hair issue, the increase of roster issue, the automatic replay of FGs issue, the incidental face mask penalty being elimanated making all 15 yarders issue, the force out rule on receivers elimanted, now requiring the wr to have two feet in bounds no matter what issue, the mic in the defensive player helmet issue, and the playoff seeding issue

I think the force out rule being elimanted would have the most impact on the game. It basically narrows the field of play by a couple of yards. By this I mean that to make the same catch and keep two feet in bounds while also being shoved out will require much more space to work with. Offensive production will drop. 3rd down effeciency will drop. Two minute drives with litlle time or timeouts left will be more difficult to work the clock. Scoring will drop. Player stats will suffer. Defensive backs will look better.

On a lesser known proposal by Bruce Allen , GM of the Bucs, is for the teams active game day roster to be increased from 45 to 46 and also a 47th player designated only for deep snappers. This would be great for the Saints as Houser is not a position player yet is an excellent specialt (and longest tenured team member) as a deep snapper. This may effect other teams more negative if their deep snapper is position player for depth or worse someone that actually sees position snaps on the field also. That team would either forfit the 47th or would have to limit that player to deep snapping only.

Several proposals on the table at the owners' meetings

ESPN - Crowded agenda includes proposal to reseed playoffs - NFL

Several proposals on the table at the owners' meetings

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[MSUSousaphone]

I think its crazy that the NFL is actually helping out the DBs with the force out thing. In recent years, its been all about helping the O but hurting the D.

I think the biggest thing to come out of this year will be a defensive captain (or two) being allowed to have a head set in their helmet. Obviously it would be like the offensive one (cuts off with 15 seconds on the clock, so they can't say what the other team is doing to change up a play at the LoS) but a coordinator will still be able to communicate changes betweem plays and no more spying.

With Vilma, this could be real nice for us.

 

[geauxtigers72]

I agree with MSU SOusaphone. It's about time they help out the D. Another one that may really impact is the facemask rule. If somebody is intentionally throwing people down by their facemask. Thats a 15 yard flag, but if when they are going to make the tackle and their hands slip onto the facemask, it's a different story.

 

[VVextreme]

I like the facemask penalty as is...

The penalty I think they need to change are any viscious illegal hits that places a players life in jeopardy, or meant to hurt them in a long-term/permanent way. You are just going to give the team a couple of yards in a game for potentially eliminating one of their best players for the year if not forever? Bogus... they need to eject them, suspend them and fine them. (And then maybe the college game will follow-suit.)

I like the defensive player getting the headset. I don't see a problem with communication in a team sport.

I do like the force out rule, and hope they keep it as is. I don't care how good a player is, they can't fly. And if they are jumping up in the air, then they have no chance to land inside the line if someone throws them out the field. And what happens if a defender actually catches a guy while he is in the air, and then carries him over to the sideline and throws him out of bounds? That would be pretty hilarious to watch though... Imagine someone like Welker or even Reggie Bush who are pretty small, and then some big defender just grabs them and brings them to the side and tosses them out of bounds. Besides it provides more drama and closer to the edge play. Offensive production = thumbs up.

 

[saintsfan1]

The force out rule is a stupid rule as it relies on the judgment of the same incompetent refs that most people hate. Offenses are helped enough with illegal contact, liberal passing interference calls, and the ridiculous notion of face guarding. It's not a question of being exciting, but one of fairness and efficiency.

 

[TenTwo]

Well, making players cut their hair seems over the top to me. Leave the rule as it is.

Face masks? I haven't seen too many face masks calls that I disagreed with. The refs seem to get it right when judging a 5 yarder and a 15 yarder. I can't say I have a very good arguement opposing the change however.

I don't think the force out will be changed. If anything they should make it reviewable.

I'm all for expanding the rosters, but not just by 1 or 2. They should change it so no one has to be inactive. I don't see the benefit of having inactive players.

 

[brianw37]

the hair rule is bogus, its the players hair and their responsiblilty. if they get pulled down by it then so be it, but they shouldnt be forced to cut it.



on the force out issue i think this one should be approved. if you dont make the catch in bounds then so be it. or if your close enough to the side lines that u can be pushed out then so be it the offense already has too much going for them, its time to give back to the d. besides the force out rule rarely comes into play so its not that big of a deal.

the face mask should deff get approved, the 5 yard one is kinda lame. i mean if its just a quick grab and let go then let it go. but i do agree that the personal foul face mask should be punished more harshly. pulling or twisting someone down by the facemask could cause serious injury so the punishment should be serious. 15 yards aint enough.


i undersrtand the active roster limits so i dont think this will change but just to allow 1-2 more specialist on the field i dont see a problem with a change here.


the defensive player having an in helment or wrist ban signal caller should be and prolly will be allowed. if the o gets one so should the d.

other than that the leauge should stay stat quo with everything else. whats scary is that the leauge might opt out of the cba and we would go back to no salary cap. thats kind scary.

 

[cruize]

Why hit a guy catching near an out of bounds spot? That's a stupid rule. The inactive list also has to go. Players on the roster should dress.

 

[skymike]

--- The hair rule is dumb. Leave em alone. I'd vote *no.

--- Force out rule: I think you're messing with the balance of things. *no

--- Face mask rule should definitely be left alone. *no.

--- Roster expansion hurts teams like us, and helps money teams. Thats a big *no.

--- Defensive player having a helment radio seems fair, but somehow I see this being used for evil, not good. Ala---Patriots. vote: *abstain THIS one would have most effect.

--- The wildcard team record rule is definitely good. It still doesnt affect truly good teams. *yes


AND NOW, here are my rule changes to improve the NFL, which clearly make sense, and would make the world better:

1. Eliminate 4 commercial breaks. I'll give TV 5 extra minutes for halftime, which gives me time to get back from the snack bar, but you must use 75% of your broadcast time to give the home audience HIGHLIGHTS from around the league, and NO news, celebrities/ political extremists, or anything stupid.

2. STOP the damn CLOCK! when a player goes out of bounds. Un-do the rule that took a large chunk of actual football from our game. Rules 1 and 2 give you more meat in your football sandwich. This one Im SERIOUS about.

3. Everybody take a 10% pay cut! Lower the salary cap. And pass the savings on to ticket holders. We're gonna tighten up more next year, so get a vasectomy, and sell one of your Lamborghinis. Give those people working in the stadium a raise. Get the money in line, or there will BE no NFL.

4. Make the Chargers wear yellow, the Broncos wear Orange, and the Patriots wear Red, the Jags wear that ghey greenie-blue. Stop all this Black/dark Blue nonsense. I have color tv now for a reason. This would make the NFL prettier, and help ease the gang violence problem too.

Also stop those Cirque-du-Soleil uniforms of the Vikings & Cards, etc. Normal football stripes are what built America. I dont like monochrome or black on black either, but I dont want to become a dictator here.

5. Nobody needs 15 minutes to make a draft choice. Make the draft more like the "speed-round" of a game show: "We'll take Glenn Dorsey! Ding! Saints take Glenn Dorsey, ok, 10 seconds, Jets.... uh.... um? Oh...." BUZZZZZ! "Awww... sorry, you hit a whammy!"

6. Bring back NFL PRIMETIME exactly like it was. Chris Berman, and all.

Vote me for Commissioner.

 

[Overseas_Saint]

I can't believe they are even thinking about changing the force out rule. As many of the posters above me stated, no one can fly and what if a defender just carries someone out before his feet hit the ground. This will look stupid.

I think defensive mics will be good and the face mask rule should remain as is since sometimes the players are not intentionally grabbing the mask or not even being a dangerous play.

They should look at increasing the roster as well and I think it is a good idea for teams and for more players to join the NFL.

 

[MrSt0nEd]

Why hit a guy catching near an out of bounds spot? That's a stupid rule. The inactive list also has to go. Players on the roster should dress.

+1

 

[St. Geezy]

The inactive list is there so that both teams have close to the same number of bodies going into a game. It would be unfair if one team has their full allotment of bodies available for a game and their opponent has 5-6 less.

I also hate the playoff re-seeding idea. For one thing it doesn't take into account that a team with say a 9-7/10-6 type overall record may have been playing in an ultra-competetive division. Also, what this rule would in effect do is make having divisions pretty pointless. You could just list the conference standings from now on and not even break it down by division.

The reward for winning your division should be a home playoff game regardless of your record IMO. If you are a wildcard team that believes you are that good, winning on the road should not be that hard to do.

 

[St. Geezy]

I can't believe they are even thinking about changing the force out rule. As many of the posters above me stated, no one can fly and what if a defender just carries someone out before his feet hit the ground. This will look stupid.

I actually heard that if the player is carried out then it will be ruled a "force out." The new rule is strictly regarding sideline shoves.

 

[bergeaux]

I think the rule change that will have the most impact is the force out rule. As others have stated your going to see a lot more attempts by defenders to knock players out of bounds if this rule goes away.

I agree that it sucks that it's subjective, but the stem of the reason it is being discussed is because of the instant replay issue. Sometimes, when it is ruled a catch, the officials failed to call a force out and upon review it should have been a catch due to a force out, but they cannot call the penalty afterwards and it's not ruled a catch. That means that forced out catches that should have been kept, are lost. The head of NFL referees (I forget his name at the moment) discussed this on NFL Total access last year. He said "We're going to have to do something about this". So you take the force out rule completely away? I'm not sure that's the right approach.

Maybe the right approach is to allow a penalty to be called on what would have been a force out. OR even better. JUST CALL THE FORCE OUT. Even if the ref thinks it's a catch, but sees the force out, just call the force out and be done with it.

 

[Tapxe]

the hair rule is bogus, its the players hair and their responsiblilty. if they get pulled down by it then so be it, but they shouldnt be forced to cut it.

The league isn't going to mandate short hair. The specific rule change as discussed on Total Access is that the players will not be allowed to have hair that covers the numbers or name on the jersey. I agree with the rule change as it is important for the referee's to be able to identify players by number in some instances and therefore it is in the best interest of the game to make this change. At any rate, the players will be allowed to keep long hair as long as they can keep it in the helmet.