Proposed rule canges for NFL... WTF????

[waggy]

meh harsher rules is no big deal. most of them are not that bad. not even close to what some are acting like they are..

 

[JTsyo]

This is for illegal hits, like to the head. If you lead with your helmet and pop a QB in the chin while he's throwing (which was already a penalty) you'll get suspended instead of fined. This does not mean hitting a QB while throwing is now a penalty.



A bit over-the-top, but understandable. Something like 40% of all injuries occur on kickoff/return. By changing the kick location and TB rule, there will be more touchbacks, fewer returns, and fewer injuries. Less exciting overall, but safer. Same with reducing the distance coverage players run pre-kickoff and eliminating group blocking.



Wouldn't be surprised if most replay challenges occur on scoring plays. You take away a general challenge but make all scores replayed. Wouldn't be surprised if it's a wash. Of course, that doesn't change the fact that the NFL's replay system is HORRIBLE. Seriously, hire 16 reasonably intelligent people, give them the broadcast feed, and they could literally replay every down before the next snap.

Whatever

This is stupid. The rule is terrible and not applied consistently. It desperately needs to be changed.

Thanks for clearing that up. Think most people misunderstood. The key phrase is

NFL to be more aggressive with suspensions for illegal hits next season

 

[gimmewhitecastles]

Time to just change it to the NFFL. National Flag Football League.

you mean two hand touch? i can totally play that. sign me up for league minimum please and let me slave away.

 

[purbeast0]

The lack of understanding in this thread WRT "illegal hits" is astounding.

agreed

 

[bignateyk]

How is this different than what exists now? It already is a penalty to hit a defenseless receiver, hit the kicker/punter, hit the returner before he has a chance to catch the ball, etc...

 

[AstroManLuca]

How is this different than what exists now? It already is a penalty to hit a defenseless receiver, hit the kicker/punter, hit the returner before he has a chance to catch the ball, etc...

Exactly; that's what some people are saying. The "pussification of the NFL" crowd thinks (wrongly) that this will make it illegal to ever hit a QB while he's throwing. When all it's saying is that it will make hits that are already deemed illegal carry heavier penalties - suspensions instead of fines. Although the article is written pretty ambiguously; I can see why people are misinterpreting it.

I'll believe it when I see it. They said they'd increase suspensions last year instead of just fining players but they didn't actually do it.

As for the new challenge system, it's dumb. Drawing an arbitrary cutoff at scoring plays is just as bad as drawing an arbitrary cutoff at the 2-minute warning. A lot of times, the more important play is the 70-yard pass that sets up a 2-yard touchdown than the touchdown play itself.

Coaches shouldn't be docked a challenge if they succeed. Thus if the refs are constantly making mistakes and the coach successfully challenges their calls, he should be able to just keep doing that as many times as necessary. The college system is better - the booth decides when ALL challenges will happen. Sometimes the coach of a college team will call a timeout to give the booth more time to decide, and then they'll get their TO back if they rule in their favor, so it sort of works like in the NFL. But it also ensures more correct rulings.

I just hate to see the refs screw up so much that coaches decide not to challenge potentially important plays because they're afraid of using up their challenges too early.

 

[waggy]

i agree that the new challenge system seems dumb. i don't like the cutoff and i don't like how that even if they win they are still penalized (loseing a challenge that may be needed latter).

 

[HendrixFan]

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/26976/kevin-turners-road

You can find plenty of articles like this now, the NFL is killing players. The west coast offense and subsequent shift to all out passing attacks leaves most of the players on offense in vulnerable positions at all times. Mix in better training and diets, and of course PEDs and it is a dangerous cocktail.

Without any rule changes, the NFL will not exist in any way that resembles its current form. The sport is quite simply too deadly now. With these rule changes, and others down the road, the NFL can gradually change itself to something that will have more long term viability. The only other option for rule changes is an outright ban on PEDs with lifetime suspensions for first offenses and a no forward pass rule. I would think that these proposed rules are a better option.

 

[TheVrolok]

How about "None of the above"?

The listed items, 8 in all, are already illegal in certain circumstances. The proposed rule would change the penalty for such an illegal hit in those circumstances from a fine to a suspension. The proposed rule would not expand the circumstances in which a hit would be considered illegal.

Currently, if you hit a QB in the head or below the knee while the QB is dropped back to pass that is an illegal hit subject to a fine. If you hit a QB from the shoulder to above the knee while the QB is dropped back to pass or pretty much anywhere, including below the knee or in the head, while the QB is running it is not an illegal hit.

Under the proposed rule if you hit a QB in the head or below the knee while the QB is dropped back to pass that will be an illegal hit subject to a suspension. If you hit a QB from the shoulder to above the knee while the QB is dropped back to pass or pretty much anywhere, including below the knee or in the head, while the QB is running it will continue to not be an illegal hit.

Everyone here is acting like hitting the QB while passing under any circumstance will now be a penalty. That is not the case; the legal hits remain legal and the illegal hits just get a stiffer penalty.

So, the article isn't wrong and your understanding isn't perfectly fine.

This

 

[MotionMan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg6l3EQITYc&feature=fvsr

MotionMan

 

[a123456]

Coaches shouldn't be docked a challenge if they succeed. Thus if the refs are constantly making mistakes and the coach successfully challenges their calls, he should be able to just keep doing that as many times as necessary. The college system is better - the booth decides when ALL challenges will happen. Sometimes the coach of a college team will call a timeout to give the booth more time to decide, and then they'll get their TO back if they rule in their favor, so it sort of works like in the NFL. But it also ensures more correct rulings.

I just hate to see the refs screw up so much that coaches decide not to challenge potentially important plays because they're afraid of using up their challenges too early.

I hate the challenge system in the NFL. Tennis is good in that if you get it right, there are no consequences. But now, with the proposed changes, even if you get it right, you lose? That's terrible.

Even the current system isn't that great. If the refs just sucks it up, you still run out.

The other stuff won't go anywhere like mentioned. The stuff that's legal stays legal and the stuff that's illegal gets a more harsh penalty but that's never going to happen since you have guys like Harrison who will just whine and whine until the suspension gets rescinded anyway.