2008 NFL Rule Changes

[Dragon]

NBC Blog Link

 

Rules Changes In: Force Out, Coin Toss Will Change

Posted by Tom Curran: Wednesday, April 2, 2008 10:06 AM

PALM BEACH - If a receiver jumps to catch a pass and gets shoved out of bounds before landing, call that man out of bounds. The league's 32 teams today voted to do away with the forceout rule, one that many believed was too subjective to call properly.

 

Other changes that passed include ...

 

1) The ability to use replay to review field goal attempts and illegal forward handoffs

 

2) The ability of the team that wins the coin toss to defer to the second half and then have the option to kick or receive.

 

3) Illegal forward handoffs past the line of scrimmage are now fumbles as opposed to dead balls.

 

4) Incidental face mask infractions in which the mask is grasped and released will not be penalized.

 

The playoff reseeding proposal was tabled for now. It was put to a straw vote and didn't appear to have close to the 24 votes it would need to pass.

 

[Treehugger]

If a receiver jumps to catch a pass and gets shoved out of bounds before landing, call that man out of bounds. The league's 32 teams today voted to do away with the forceout rule, one that many believed was too subjective to call properly.

 

WHOO HOO! I always hated that rule! No more penalising the D for good play.

[BIGBLUE01]

NBC Blog Link

 

Rules Changes In: Force Out, Coin Toss Will Change

Posted by Tom Curran: Wednesday, April 2, 2008 10:06 AM

PALM BEACH - If a receiver jumps to catch a pass and gets shoved out of bounds before landing, call that man out of bounds. The league's 32 teams today voted to do away with the forceout rule, one that many believed was too subjective to call properly.

 

Other changes that passed include ...

 

1) The ability to use replay to review field goal attempts and illegal forward handoffs

 

2) The ability of the team that wins the coin toss to defer to the second half and then have the option to kick or receive.

 

3) Illegal forward handoffs past the line of scrimmage are now fumbles as opposed to dead balls.

 

4) Incidental face mask infractions in which the mask is grasped and released will not be penalized.

 

The playoff reseeding proposal was tabled for now. It was put to a straw vote and didn't appear to have close to the 24 votes it would need to pass.

 

#2- I didnt know you could do that.

 

#4-I like this one. Too tick tacky.

 

[boohyah]

#2- I didnt know you could do that.

 

#4-I like this one. Too tick tacky.

 

 

If facemasks were accidental, then you wouldn't be "grasping' it. If you're reaching to tackle and you hit the mask by accident, then yes, but if you grab and release quickly, then you should get 5 yards.

 

The forceout rule, if it's subjective then shouldn't it simply fall under the replay category.

 

What about the stupid situation about icing the kicker?

 

Playoff reseeding wouldn't be necessary if they didn't have 4 stupid divisions per conference. Reduce the number of divisions and it's not as big a problem.

[Lubeck]

Playoff reseeding wouldn't be necessary if they didn't have 4 stupid divisions per conference. Reduce the number of divisions and it's not as big a problem.

 

They should also get rid of some teams. Raise the talent level across the board.

 

How?

 

Create a rule that if your team can't win a playoff game in 15 years they are disestablished.

[BleedinBlue]

NBC Blog Link

 

1) The ability to use replay to review field goal attempts and illegal forward handoffs

Good rule I suppose. Does that mean they can be challenged or does it just mean the review booth can change it if a bad call is made? It's only a matter of time until laser beams are installed on the posts that light up a signal that the kick is good.

 

2) The ability of the team that wins the coin toss to defer to the second half and then have the option to kick or receive.

I like. Adds a little more strategy to the game, but not a big difference

 

3) Illegal forward handoffs past the line of scrimmage are now fumbles as opposed to dead balls.

Huhhh????? Makes no sense at all. How is it a "fumble" unless it's actually fumbled? And if it's fumbled, hasn't it always been a fumble?

 

4) Incidental face mask infractions in which the mask is grasped and released will not be penalized.

Good rule....too many bad calls on incidental face masks. Outcome of games shouldn't be at the discretion of zebras. They already have too much control over who wins the games. however, since the Giants penalties are way down this past season, I'm not that worried about it.

 

[Dragon]

If facemasks were accidental, then you wouldn't be "grasping' it. If you're reaching to tackle and you hit the mask by accident, then yes, but if you grab and release quickly, then you should get 5 yards.

 

The forceout rule, if it's subjective then shouldn't it simply fall under the replay category.

 

What about the stupid situation about icing the kicker?

 

Playoff reseeding wouldn't be necessary if they didn't have 4 stupid divisions per conference. Reduce the number of divisions and it's not as big a problem.

That'll never happen because the NFL thinks that it has a perfect scheduling system in place and changing the amount of divisions would screw that up. If anything (and I'm not for this because it would tarnish rivalries) I would say redo the divisions to increase the competition level in each of them. Tampa Bay tanked the last few weeks of the season an won the NFC South with a 9-7 record. Now compare that to the NFC East where you had 3 playoff teams (for the 2nd year in a row). The lowest seed was 9-7, the Redskins, the #1 seed and NFC East Champions at 13-3 the Cowboys, and the Super Bowl Champions, the Giants. If the divisions were reorganized (again I'm not for this... just putting it out there) it would balance out the high level competition (NFC East) with the low-to-mediocre competition (The rest of the NFC).

[BIGBLUE01]

If facemasks were accidental, then you wouldn't be "grasping' it. If you're reaching to tackle and you hit the mask by accident, then yes, but if you grab and release quickly, then you should get 5 yards.

 

The forceout rule, if it's subjective then shouldn't it simply fall under the replay category.

 

What about the stupid situation about icing the kicker?

 

Playoff reseeding wouldn't be necessary if they didn't have 4 stupid divisions per conference. Reduce the number of divisions and it's not as big a problem.

 

Agreed. Thats what the rule is saying though, right? Im reading that as you will still get five if you grasp it.

[Dragon]

Agreed. Thats what the rule is saying though, right? Im reading that as you will still get five if you grasp it.

From what I heard on NFL Live there are no more 5-yard Facemask penalties. If you get called for a facemask it's automatically 15-yards.

[boohyah]

That'll never happen because the NFL thinks that it has a perfect scheduling system in place and changing the amount of divisions would screw that up. If anything (and I'm not for this because it would tarnish rivalries) I would say redo the divisions to increase the competition level in each of them. Tampa Bay tanked the last few weeks of the season an won the NFC South with a 9-7 record. Now compare that to the NFC East where you had 3 playoff teams (for the 2nd year in a row). The lowest seed was 9-7, the Redskins, the #1 seed and NFC East Champions at 13-3 the Cowboys, and the Super Bowl Champions, the Giants. If the divisions were reorganized (again I'm not for this... just putting it out there) it would balance out the high level competition (NFC East) with the low-to-mediocre competition (The rest of the NFC).

 

I say 2 divisions of 8. I know it seems a lot, one east, one west in each conference. Then the NFL could go to the 8 team playoffs out of each conference, which is something they are going to do anyway in a few years.

 

The top 2 division winners in each conference get homefield throughout as a reward for winning the division, then the next 6 teams get in based on record regardless of division.

 

Oh and for teams that decide to tank games. Teams draft based on the fact that even though they did not get into the playoffs, the fact that they have the best record of the non playoff teams mean they get the first picks in the draft.

[Storm]

wow am i glad a lot of you guys on here aren't making rules.

[Virginia Giant]

WHOO HOO! I always hated that rule! No more penalising the D for good play.

They made up for it with changing the face mask penalty. You'll now see a lot more 15 yard penalties called.

[Nesta]

If facemasks were accidental, then you wouldn't be "grasping' it. If you're reaching to tackle and you hit the mask by accident, then yes, but if you grab and release quickly, then you should get 5 yards.

 

I don't agree with that. You can see it a 1000 times every year.

When you're attempting to make a tackle, you instinctively grasp at everything.

When they grab the facemask, it takes a moment to realize what your grabbing sometimes.

If it's let go, without a tug, what's the harm?

[Treehugger]

They made up for it with changing the face mask penalty. You'll now see a lot more 15 yard penalties called.

I don't have a problem with that really. If you're grabbing facemask you have a shitty tackle technique. You shouldn't be anywhere near the head. The 'push-out' rule penalised defenders for GOOD technique. It was a horrible, horrible rule.

[Tempest]

What if you're 6'4 trying to grab a guy who is 5'8 from behind who is starting to pull away from you? Its very easy to accidentally grab a face mask while trying to wrap up high. Sure its shitty technique but I'll take a shitty tackle over a missed tackle any day.

 

I'll miss the push-out rule because that now takes away a number of great sideline catches and endzone touchdowns.

 

I don't have a problem with that really. If you're grabbing facemask you have a shitty tackle technique. You shouldn't be anywhere near the head. The 'push-out' rule penalised defenders for GOOD technique. It was a horrible, horrible rule.

[mws44]

They should also get rid of some teams. Raise the talent level across the board.

 

How?

 

Create a rule that if your team can't win a playoff game in 15 years they are disestablished.

 

Couldn't let that go by without a nod.

[Treehugger]

What if you're 6'4 trying to grab a guy who is 5'8 from behind who is starting to pull away from you? Its very easy to accidentally grab a face mask while trying to wrap up high. Sure its shitty technique but I'll take a shitty tackle over a missed tackle any day.

 

I'll miss the push-out rule because that now takes away a number of great sideline catches and endzone touchdowns.

I'm a 6'4" rugby player and I have zero sympathy for anyone who has made it to the NFL and can not execute a proper tackle, and there's a whole lot of them. You should never be trying to 'wrap high'.

 

As to the sideline catches and back-of-the-endzone TDs it's the primary objective of any play to stay in bounds. As the rule stood before there was basically a undefendable zone surrounding the field in which a receiver could make a play without paying any regard to the primary objective of that play; keeping it in bounds. The rule was initially brought in to protect receivers but it hasn't stopped one single push-out. In fact the defender had to hit the receiver even harder as the only way to defend the catch was to try to force a dropped ball.

[UK-Giantsfan]

what really annoys me is when a timeout is called just one millisecond before the winning field goal is attempted ....such that it happens almost simultaneous with the snap .......then we have to repeat the whole thing again ! ......this should be banned . Icing the kicker is bad enough ....but this is a total joke

[JayD]

They should also get rid of some teams. Raise the talent level across the board.

 

How?

 

Create a rule that if your team can't win a playoff game in 15 years they are disestablished.

 

 

That gives the cowboys 4 more years

[Lubeck]

That gives the cowboys 4 more years

 

That was the point.

[BIGBLUE01]

That gives the cowboys 4 more years

 

Fuck the cowboys.

 

I dont have anything substantial to add, so I'll just do one of my favorite things, curse the cowboys.

[Virginia Giant]

What if you're 6'4 trying to grab a guy who is 5'8 from behind who is starting to pull away from you? Its very easy to accidentally grab a face mask while trying to wrap up high. Sure its shitty technique but I'll take a shitty tackle over a missed tackle any day.

 

I'll miss the push-out rule because that now takes away a number of great sideline catches and endzone touchdowns.

I agree, say goodbye to at least half the side line catches. I don't like the rule change.

[TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt]

I agree, say goodbye to at least half the side line catches. I don't like the rule change.

 

Yeah it is going to change the modern game to its detriment. They should just bring back the bump and run and allow the d-backs the chance of actually defending a play.

[boohyah]

I don't agree with that. You can see it a 1000 times every year.

When you're attempting to make a tackle, you instinctively grasp at everything.

When they grab the facemask, it takes a moment to realize what your grabbing sometimes.

If it's let go, without a tug, what's the harm?

 

Name a team sport, where the idea of making a proper tackle is grabbing or pulling someone down by the head?.

 

He wouldn't be instinctively grabbing the facemask if he tackled properly, if you hit a guy in the face with your shoulder in hockey, it's a penalty also. The face in most sports is off limits and rightfully so.

 

Plus if you grab something that's moving, you're instinct will be to hold on, not let go, and that's when its dangerous. One day some poor fuck is going to be running and is going to have hit neck broke cause some guy pulled his facemask too hard.

[Nesta]

Name a team sport, where the idea of making a proper tackle is grabbing or pulling someone down by the head?.

 

He wouldn't be instinctively grabbing the facemask if he tackled properly, if you hit a guy in the face with your shoulder in hockey, it's a penalty also. The face in most sports is off limits and rightfully so.

 

Plus if you grab something that's moving, you're instinct will be to hold on, not let go, and that's when its dangerous. One day some poor fuck is going to be running and is going to have hit neck broke cause some guy pulled his facemask too hard.

 

lol, you aren't really interpreting what I said correctly boo. An incidental 'grab' is not the same as pulling someone down by their head. In fact, I said if you tug AT ALL, it should be a penalty.

And that is exactly what this new rule is stating.

 

And it's not just an issue with tackling but blocking as well.

Like I said, you can see incidental facemask contact over a 1000 times every season. So if they're not going to call them all, they shouldn't call any of them.

 

No tug, no flag.

 

Good idea.