WWTBAM Bored

Several rule changes, the most noteworthy of which is the revision to the catch rule.

-- It will now be considered a catch if the receiver controls the ball, establishes himself in bounds, and then makes a football move, such as a third step or a lunge. No more "surviving the ground."

-- There will be no PAT attempts on touchdowns scored on the game's final play unless the PAT could potentially affect the outcome of the game. That's the current college rule.

-- Lowering the head to initiate contact with the helmet will be a 15-yard penalty and possible ejection (they are still unclear about the full ramifications of this one).

-- The NFL command center can now eject players for non-football fouls that the referees don't see, like punching or fighting.

-- The kickoff touchback at the 25 yard line is now permanent.

A potential rule change that would make pass interference a 15 yard penalty (like college) was withdrawn.

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post ... -proposals

silverscreenselect wrote:Several rule changes, the most noteworthy of which is the revision to the catch rule.

-- It will now be considered a catch if the receiver controls the ball, establishes himself in bounds, and then makes a football move, such as a third step or a lunge. No more "surviving the ground."

I thought I read a little while ago that the receiver merely needs to have the ability to make a football move, not that he actually has to make one. --Bob

Correct.

silverscreenselect wrote: -- Lowering the head to initiate contact with the helmet will be a 15-yard penalty and possible ejection (they are still unclear about the full ramifications of this one).

-- The NFL command center can now eject players for non-football fouls that the referees don't see, like punching or fighting.

This will be the most controversial one. Subjective decision by someone not even on the field can decide the game.

Lowering the head can result in a penalty? Crap, why not put flags on them? I played nose guard or middle linebacker for six seasons and did a lot of head lowering while making tackles. That was football.

There's a proposed college rule that I hope doesn't pass.

A few years ago, they put in the rule where a touchback on a kickoff would move the ball to the 25 yard line instead of the time-tested 20 yard line. The logic was that more players would opt for the touchback rather than run the ball out of the end zone.

What happened at many schools is that, rather than blasting the ball into the end zone, they would kick it so it would come down about the two yard line, where a player catching it would have to run with it. (Of course, he could just let it hit the ground and hope it went into the end zone, but that carries its own risk.)

The proposed rule change is the if a player opts to fair-catch a ball in the field of play between the goal line and the 25 yard line, the ball would then be placed on the 25 yard line as if it were a touchback.

Heck, might as well have the captains meet in mid-field and play rock/paper/scissors to determine field position in lieu of a kickoff.