NFL new rules and changes

[Coach Sal]

The NFL announced today that it has approved the following changes. (My own notes/commentary appear after each rule, which are all in bold):

--Eliminates the crowd noise procedure in the rulebook. With the advent of silent counts on offense, the league will no longer allow for stoppage of play due to excessive crowd noise.

This is really just officially eliminating a rule that was not being enforced anyway. It was enforced years ago, but definitely abused by visiting teams. It was a stupid rule anyway. It hurt home teams with big stadiums/loud crowds, like Buffalo.

--Makes spiking or throwing the ball after a play a five-yard penalty. This does not apply to out-of-bounds or end-zone spiking.

Rich McKay had an awesome and funny quote on this. He said: ``We were having celebrations on a three-yard slant play, where the receiver decided to get up and throw the ball 30 yards downfield in celebration of this great achievement.''

I agree - it was getting out of hand. But it did make for some stupid plays. Remember Plaxico Burress? What a dumbass.

--Permanently expands reviewable plays to include down by contact, and permanently reduces maximum length of officials’ review to 60 seconds.

I'm confused on this because normally, if a player is ruled "down by contact," the whistle blows - ending the play anyway. That can't change. Once the whistle blows the play is over. So, refs will really have to be careful to let the play play out, even if they rule the player "down by contact."

--Makes a block below the waist by an eligible receiver while the quarterback is in the pocket a 15-yard penalty instead of a 5-yard penalty.

I don't see this hapen all that often anyway. But anything to protect players from stupid stuff like this is fine with me.

--Eliminates the foul for unintentional touching of a forward pass by an interior lineman.

So, if JP throws a screen pass and Derrick Dockery gets in the way too early and the ball hits him, there is no penalty. That wasn't the case before. However, if Dockery actually tries to catch the pass, the flag will fly.

This rule change makes it the same as the college rule now.

--A defensive player is allowed to extend his hands after a quarterback releases the ball. In the past a defender was called for roughing the passer if he pushed the quarterback after the ball was passed.

Good rule change - but let's face it: until refs start getting more consistent in their calling of "roughing the passer," we'll all still be screaming at our TV's every Sunday.......and players will still be confused as to what goes and what doesn't.

--Kicking balls can be rubbed down prior to the game for 45 minutes, up from 20 minutes in the past. Kicking balls will be numbered from 1-12, and the No. 1 ball will be used for the entire game in kicking situations, or until that ball is lost or unusable.

Haha. Kickers can't use the excuse that they had a different ball late in the game anymore and that it cost them or the holder. They could do that before, because any of the balls could be used.

As far as rubbing balls down for 20 minutes........no comment.

--The league also will adopt a new injury-report system, with the old probable, questionable, doubtful and out categories -- previously released Wednesdays -- moved to Fridays. In their place will be a practice report that will state whether players were available for full, limited or no participation.

Bettors everywhere are pissed.

But at least Belichick can't list Tom Brady as "questionable" every week anymore just because he hurt his big toe stepping on a sex toy his newest supermodel girlfriend forgot to put back in the drawer.

--Approved a second window of interviews for assistant coaches on teams in the Super Bowl.

They're calling it the "Ron Rivera Rule." He was basically penalized for having to wait when he was allegedly up for the Pittsburgh Steelers' job.

However, The rule applies only to coaches who were up for jobs in the first window of interviews during the week after the regular season ends.

--The goal line no longer extends "around the world." The BALL must not only break the plane of the goal line to be a TD, it must now also touch at least a piece of the pylon (even if it is "touching" it in the air).

Okay, remember the Michael Vick dive-for-TD two years ago, when he extended his body over the goal line, but the ball never actually crossed? The ball was in his outside hand and was out-of-bounds all the way through the goal line, never actually going over the pylon in the air. That was a legitimate touchdown under the old rule. It will no longer be under the new rule.

For a better understanding, think of it the same way as a baseball which hits in fair territory, but then lands foul behind first base. If it actually crossed over 1B in the air, it is fair (a TD). If not, it is foul (no TD).

[Dr. Lecter]

Permanently expands reviewable plays to include down by contact, and permanently reduces maximum length of officials’ review to 60 seconds.

I'm confused on this because normally, if a player is ruled "down by contact," the whistle blows - ending the play anyway. That can't change. Once the whistle blows the play is over. So, refs will really have to be careful to let the play play out, even if they rule the player "down by contact."


As I understand it, this was technically in place last year. It is involves "continuous acts". So if Ronnie Brown is fumbling while being tackled and the ball is recovered by Kyle Wiliams, the play can be reviewed even if the whistle was blown. The Bills can't advance the ball, but a bad call can be reversed and they can recover the fumble.

[Coach Sal]

As I understand it, this was technically in place last year. It is involves "continuous acts". So if Ronnie Brown is fumbling while being tackled and the ball is recovered by Kyle Wiliams, the play can be reviewed even if the whistle was blown. The Bills can't advance the ball, but a bad call can be reversed and they can recover the fumble.

OK. Makes sense and I agree.

However, the part I just highlighted is what I have a problem with.

It still depends on WHEN the whistle blows if the ball can be recovered by the other team or not......or reviewed and given to the other team. If the whistle blows as his knee hits the ground (or when the ref believes his knee hit the ground) - everything that happens after that point does not matter. Because you cannot tell players to keep playing after the whistle blows.

The onus is on the officials to wait until the ball is recovered by one team or the other - or the play plays out completely - before blowing the whistle.

If they blow it before the ball comes free - or as the ball is on the ground - it must be given back to the offense, because the whistle always ends the play.

[Scumbag College]

No "around the world goalline" makes sense to me. I always hated it when a guy was jumping out of bounds in the corner near the goal and just reached out and got a TD.

[BADTHINGSMAN]

Good changes, more importantly, how will these rules help out the Patriots??

[BILLSROCK1212]

The NFL announced today that it has approved the following changes. (My own notes/commentary appear after each rule, which are all in bold):

--Eliminates the crowd noise procedure in the rulebook. With the advent of silent counts on offense, the league will no longer allow for stoppage of play due to excessive crowd noise.

This is really just officially eliminating a rule that was not being enforced anyway. It was enforced years ago, but definitely abused by visiting teams. It was a stupid rule anyway. It hurt home teams with big stadiums/loud crowds, like Buffalo.

--Makes spiking or throwing the ball after a play a five-yard penalty. This does not apply to out-of-bounds or end-zone spiking.

Rich McKay had an awesome and funny quote on this. He said: ``We were having celebrations on a three-yard slant play, where the receiver decided to get up and throw the ball 30 yards downfield in celebration of this great achievement.''

I agree - it was getting out of hand. But it did make for some stupid plays. Remember Plaxico Burress? What a dumbass.

--Permanently expands reviewable plays to include down by contact, and permanently reduces maximum length of officials’ review to 60 seconds.

I'm confused on this because normally, if a player is ruled "down by contact," the whistle blows - ending the play anyway. That can't change. Once the whistle blows the play is over. So, refs will really have to be careful to let the play play out, even if they rule the player "down by contact."

--Makes a block below the waist by an eligible receiver while the quarterback is in the pocket a 15-yard penalty instead of a 5-yard penalty.

I don't see this hapen all that often anyway. But anything to protect players from stupid stuff like this is fine with me.

--Eliminates the foul for unintentional touching of a forward pass by an interior lineman.

So, if JP throws a screen pass and Derrick Dockery gets in the way too early and the ball hits him, there is no penalty. That wasn't the case before. However, if Dockery actually tries to catch the pass, the flag will fly.

This rule change makes it the same as the college rule now.

--A defensive player is allowed to extend his hands after a quarterback releases the ball. In the past a defender was called for roughing the passer if he pushed the quarterback after the ball was passed.

Good rule change - but let's face it: until refs start getting more consistent in their calling of "roughing the passer," we'll all still be screaming at our TV's every Sunday.......and players will still be confused as to what goes and what doesn't.

--Kicking balls can be rubbed down prior to the game for 45 minutes, up from 20 minutes in the past. Kicking balls will be numbered from 1-12, and the No. 1 ball will be used for the entire game in kicking situations, or until that ball is lost or unusable.

Haha. Kickers can't use the excuse that they had a different ball late in the game anymore and that it cost them or the holder. They could do that before, because any of the balls could be used.

As far as rubbing balls down for 20 minutes........no comment.

--The league also will adopt a new injury-report system, with the old probable, questionable, doubtful and out categories -- previously released Wednesdays -- moved to Fridays. In their place will be a practice report that will state whether players were available for full, limited or no participation.

Bettors everywhere are pissed.

But at least Belichick can't list Tom Brady as "questionable" every week anymore just because he hurt his big toe stepping on a sex toy his newest supermodel girlfriend forgot to put back in the drawer.

--Approved a second window of interviews for assistant coaches on teams in the Super Bowl.

They're calling it the "Ron Rivera Rule." He was basically penalized for having to wait when he was allegedly up for the Pittsburgh Steelers' job.

However, The rule applies only to coaches who were up for jobs in the first window of interviews during the week after the regular season ends.

--The goal line no longer extends "around the world." The BALL must not only break the plane of the goal line to be a TD, it must now also touch at least a piece of the pylon (even if it is "touching" it in the air).

Okay, remember the Michael Vick dive-for-TD two years ago, when he extended his body over the goal line, but the ball never actually crossed? The ball was in his outside hand and was out-of-bounds all the way through the goal line, never actually going over the pylon in the air. That was a legitimate touchdown under the old rule. It will no longer be under the new rule.

For a better understanding, think of it the same way as a baseball which hits in fair territory, but then lands foul behind first base. If it actually crossed over 1B in the air, it is fair (a TD). If not, it is foul (no TD).the only rule i dont like is the last one other than that it is all good

[Coach Sal]

Good changes, more importantly, how will these rules help out the Patriots??

:roflmao:

[G. Host]

Good changes, more importantly, how will these rules help out the Patriots??

It will help them because their rule book lawyers and coaches will have made plans to take advantage of every loophole knowing that NFL referees will look favor at their arguments.

[mybills]

But at least Belichick can't list Tom Brady as "questionable" every week anymore

Sweet!

[mybills]

the only rule i dont like is the last one other than that it is all good

I like the last one. I've seen the Squeelers win sort of the old way, only worse. :down:

[MikeInRoch]

A question about the "aroud the world" play - what if the ball is held outside the pylon, but is brought into the side of the endzone past the pylon? Is it a TD (if the player never hit out of bounds, of course) because the ball is actually in the endzone? Is it out of bounds, and if so where? There is no other place on the field where it's considered to be out of bounds if it is held outside the field (with no contact with the ground outside of the field).

[Earthquake Enyart]

Great to see a real coaches take on technical rule changes.

[Coach Sal]

A question about the "aroud the world" play - what if the ball is held outside the pylon, but is brought into the side of the endzone past the pylon? Is it a TD (if the player never hit out of bounds, of course) because the ball is actually in the endzone? Is it out of bounds, and if so where? There is no other place on the field where it's considered to be out of bounds if it is held outside the field (with no contact with the ground outside of the field).

From the way it was explained, the ball must actually cross over the pylon (even if it touches a tiny bit of the corner of the pylon in the air) from sideline to sideline. It cannot be brought back into the endzone through the side from out of bounds.

As far as being able to do it on every other play, I agree that would be a contradiction to the normal field of play rule. So, maybe this is something they did not consider. I don't think we'll find out the true answer until it actually happens. But, again, as it was explained, your example would not be a TD.

[MikeInRoch]

So if it's not a TD, where is the ball spotted? At the one inch line?

[mybills]

sure. it'd be too hard to spot it from where the body left the ground. :;

[Coach Sal]

So if it's not a TD, where is the ball spotted? At the one inch line?

I would say wherever the ball crossed the out of bounds (sideline) mark originally. Just like a spot when a player is reaching for a first down at the sideline.

[Mad Bomber]

Good changes, more importantly, how will these rules help out the Patriots??
Don't worry, these guys will figure out how...

[dolphan117]

--Makes spiking or throwing the ball after a play a five-yard penalty. This does not apply to out-of-bounds or end-zone spiking.

Rich McKay had an awesome and funny quote on this. He said: ``We were having celebrations on a three-yard slant play, where the receiver decided to get up and throw the ball 30 yards downfield in celebration of this great achievement.'' Man, its about time. That was starting to really grate on my nerves. A receiver runs a quick, unspectacular route, gets thrown a perfect ball and :Gasp: makes the catch like he is getting paid to do. What an unbelievable play!!!!!

[Michael82]

[/I]Man, its about time. That was starting to really grate on my nerves. A receiver runs a quick, unspectacular route, gets thrown a perfect ball and :Gasp: makes the catch like he is getting paid to do. What an unbelievable play!!!!!
Takeo Spikes and London Fletcher are going to be upset about that rule. Both of them always celebrated a simple tackle.