"Illegal Use of Hands," Past 5 Yards Is Going To Change The NFL

[BillsImpossible]

The NFL wants more offense, and more scoring for greedy reasons.

The higher the score, the better for everyone is the motto.

Are NFL secondaries going to get lit up in 2014 with the old/new rules?

Illegal use of hands past 5 yards was a rule on the books that was seldom enforced, but now the NFL is making a surge, and referees are throwing yellow hankies for this penalty more than ever before.

If NFL referees throw a flag every time a receiver is touched beyond 5 yards this season, scoring is going to explode and games are going to be 4 hours long.

NFL cornerbacks clutch, touch and grab wide receivers more than their wives.

Think of the Hail Mary attempt....lay a hand on the receiver, out comes the flag.

Where is the NFL going to go with this old but now new rule?

[DynaPaul]

Precisely why I didn't take Seattle's defense in my fantasy football draft.

[gebobs]

More penalties. Ugh. More defenses using the wing-the-ball-and-pray-for-a-penalty to move the chains. Ugh.

If Butch Byrd was dead, he'd be rolling in his grave.

[kishoph]

I think (hope) once the season starts we won't see it as much, especially if it starts slowing down the game. The rule has been ignored somewhat in the past, but what the refs were doing this preseason is ridiculous.

[swiper]

Much like the touted NHL cracking down on clutching & grabbing, this move will be fleeting.

[gebobs]

Much like the touted NHL cracking down on clutching & grabbing, this move will be fleeting.

As lousy as NFL officiating is, let's not compare it to the NHL. That's so unfair. :-)

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Precisely why I didn't take Seattle's defense in my fantasy football draft.

I haven't confirmed it, but i read that Seattle was the only team not to get flagged for illegal contact this pre-season.

[Ingtar33]

after the patriots beat the colts in back to back AFC playoff games by clutching and grabbing indy wrs... the league made this EXACT SAME RULE change... and it's not a change... the rule ALWAYS was 5 yards then no touching... they just declared they'd enforce the rule.

didn't matter, cause no ref will throw a flag on every possession... and since the wording of the rule hasn't changed they just have a new emphasis on calling it it will simply fade away by december.

[ServoBillieves]

Such a bad rule. If you impede the receivers ability to catch or attempt to make a catch on the ball, I understand the call, but simply having a hand on him to know his whereabouts shouldn't draw a penalty.

As stated before, this rule will cause offenses to simply chuck the ball in the area of a receiver and hope contact is drawn, thus sustaining a drive by way of the yellow freebie.

Ugh... The NFL might become unwatchable.