Some interesting rule changes will be implemented coming into this year’s 2008 NFL season. Curious as to what you guys think of these new changes made. The following rule changes were passed at the league’s annual owners meeting in Palm Beach, Florida during the week of March 31.
1) One defensive player will be allowed to wear a radio similar to the one worn by the quarterback to communicate with the coaching staff.
2) The “force-out” rule on catches made near the sidelines has been eliminated. A receiver now must come down with the ball and both feet in bounds for a pass to be ruled complete; previously, passes would be ruled complete if the receiver was pushed by a defender while in the air and the official judged that he would have come down in bounds had he not been pushed. However, if a receiver is wrapped up in mid-air by a defender and carried out of bounds before both feet touch the ground, the official can still rule the play a completion.
3) The 5-yard incidental grabbing of the face mask penalty has been eliminated; incidental contact will not result in a penalty, though intentional grabbing of the face mask will remain a 15-yard personal foul.
4) Teams that win the opening coin toss now have the option to defer the decision until the start of the second half, the same as in college football.
5) Field goal attempts that bounce off the goal post are now reviewable under instant replay. This change followed a decision during the previous season during a Browns-Ravens game when Phil Dawson’s game-tying field goal hit an upright, then the crossbar and the back of the goal post.
6) Legal forward hand offs that touch the ground and attempted snaps when the ball hits the ground before the quarterback touches it are now considered fumbles; previously, forward hand offs were treated as incomplete passes, while a snap that hit the ground before the quarterback touched it was a 5-yard illegal procedure penalty.
Definitely some changes that should have impact on the game. Positively or negatively? You tell me.
the changes made to the force-out rule could make it harder for teams to mount last minute comebacks. if a defensive back just pushes him out of bounds every time the QB tries for the sideline, then the team will be forced to use plays that use the rest of the field, potentially costing time. in the end, it forces the quarterback to be more accurate with his throws. in a league bereft of talented quarterbacks, this could be disastrous to the lower-tier teams.
i’m glad they got rid of the 5-yard incidental face mask penalty. it was stupid because it was always accidental and i don’t think it hurt anyone like the 15-yard facemask did.
I like all the rules except the force out rule. I guess it cuts down on the question of whether a player would have staying inbounds or not, though.
I’m still ticked the No Fun League added the punitive rules for celebration. those were fun.
- Freddie Footballer
Personally I think rule #3 is garbage. Incidental or not, grabbing at a face mask can cause serious neck injuries and is the reason that rule was implemented in the first place was to prevent those types of injuries.
It makes no sense to do away with that because it will make defenders start to go for the mask again as a way to leverage when they tackle.
I like most of those new rules. I question the forceout. That means a linebacker in pass coverage can just toss receivers or tightends in the air into the stands. It will cause more ints. for sure cause QBs will have to throw further inbounds, and lower passes.
i think the defensive player getting a radio is a good idea since the defenses were at such a big disadvantage in hurry-up offenses. the force-out rule makes it even harder for teams to comeback late in games without timeouts. i was hoping the NFL would change the play clock to 25 seconds in the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter so teams cannot run out the clock as easily when winning a game