Updated Rules

[GloryDayz]

What rules might improve the league by being updated? I'll start..

1) No fair-catch..

2) If "#1" doesn't pass, if you throw up your hands for a fair-catch, the ball should either be live (if it hits the ground, the kicking team can recover it), or you're committing to the ball being dead at the spot of the first bounce. IOW, you can't fair-catch the ball 10 yards away from the landing point. That's girlie at best!

3) Intentional grounding. A) move the "tackle box" rule out to "within 5 yards of the sideline" (draw a line if need be), or B) if the QB is forced to scramble, the ball shall be placed at the spot of the pass if the pass is not completed.

4) To protect the QB, no QB can run the ball. It's either that or stop protecting them...

[GloryDayz]

#5 A facemask penalty goes both ways. If an offensive player stiff-arms a defensive player in the facemask, it's either a facemask or illegal hands to the face.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by jd1020

While creating an all together different helmet to helmet problem.

Polamalu would win...

[-King-]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Is that a major problem in college?

College players are stupid. And college still has stupid rules of its own.

Spot fouls are much better than the 15 yard penalties.

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

Polamalu would win...

I dont think you and I are on the same page.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I was thinking about something the other day. We have all these rules now to protect quarterbacks, and what position (other than kicker) now has the longest active playing streaks? Hint: Favre and Manning. It tells me that quarterbacks are overly protected right now compared to other players, so the rules need to ease up.

So first, get rid of that horrible allowed intentional grounding.

Second, it'd be fun to eliminate fair catches, but I doubt that'll happen. How about if, on a fair catch, the ball is dead, but either side can down it. That'd lead to some fun scrums on a punt that's getting a good bounce for the kicking team.

Third, kickoffs can no longer be downed in the end zone for a touchback. Run it out or it's a safety.

Fourth, any kickoff that goes out of the end zone and any punt that's downed in the end zone comes out to the 10, not the 20.

Fifth, during the last two minutes of the game, the clock doesn't start moving on a run until a gain is made if the offense is leading or tied. This will prevent kneeldowns, which add no value to the game of football. (I'm not sure you'd need a similar rule for passes. You could conceivably also use the rule for both teams and not just the leading team, but I'd need to think about the implications a little more.)

I like the idea of touch-backs resulting in the ball coming out to the 10 instead of the 20.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

I like the idea of touch-backs resulting in the ball coming out to the 10 instead of the 20.

What about the kneeldown rule? I think that's an obvious rule to prevent boring endings.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

What about the kneeldown rule? I think that's an obvious rule to prevent boring endings.

I think so. At least make them hand the ball off or take a hit of some sort.

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story/0...approach-to-ot


The added few days allow Smith, and every other team with a bye, to prepare for new overtime rules that were implemented this offseason, but not put into effect until the playoffs. The eight teams involved in this weekend's wild-card games have to cram in order to be ready for the possibility they get to overtime.

"This can influence decision-making, especially how you play the last couple minutes of a ball game, in terms of playing for the tie or win in regulation," Smith said. "There are a lot of situations that you have to coach differently in overtime."

Beginning Saturday, sudden-death as we know it is history -- until next regular season.

Unlike regular-season overtime rules that have been in place for years, both teams could have the chance to score in overtime, even if the first team with the ball kicks a field goal. Normally, the team to score first, regardless of how, wins.


Mark Humphrey / Associated Press
The Saints' victory in the NFC Championship last season was just one of three playoff games that ended with a field goal on the opening possession of overtime. The winners of two of those games went on to claim the Super Bowl title.

OT playoff games won with FG on first possession
Game Result
2009 NFC Championship Saints 31, Vikings 28
2002 AFC Divisional playoff Titans 34, Steelers 31
2001 AFC Divisional playoff Patriots 16, Raiders 13
If a field goal is made on the first possession of overtime, the other team gains possession. If that team scores a touchdown, game over. If it kicks a field goal to tie, then the next team to score wins. The only way the game ends on the first possession is if that team scores a touchdown or if the defense forces a safety or returns a turnover for a score.

The changes didn't sit well with coaches, especially since the first time they could encounter them could be with a Super Bowl berth on the line. Teams now have to add another layer of preparation to their practices, in the film room and on the field because of the variety of uncharted scenarios that could be presented.

The possibilities have had coaches trying to sort out every circumstance

[redgoldexpress]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

#5 A facemask penalty goes both ways. If an offensive player stiff-arms a defensive player in the facemask, it's either a facemask or illegal hands to the face.

I do agree with this. But, we all know the NFL likes to favor the offense. The one thing I do not understand is they continue to let to offensive players to make contact with the defensive players helmet, with no penalty. But if you are on defense and you barely graze a face mask of the offensive player it is a 15 yd. penalty. You can get serious damage from not only the violent hits of helmet to helmet contact but as well as sudden jerking of the neck as well which is what happens when a running back shoves his hand up into a tacklers facemask.

[JD10367]

The only rule I think needs tweaking is PI. They should have a "minor" (10-yard foul) and a "major" (spot of the foul). If a guy barely brushes someone, that shouldn't count as a "spot" foul. If it's an obvious takedown where the receiver clearly would've had it, then, yeah, spot of the foul.

I'd also like to see a record-keeping tweak: they should differentiate between "air yards" and "ground yards" on a reception. It pisses me off that a guy can throw the ball 2 yards, the receiver can run 98 yards with it for a TD, and the QB gets credited with 100 yards.

[Slainte]

So stupid...