Major Rule Changes In Store For NFL
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Major Rule Changes In Store For NFL
Paul Domowitch, Daily News NFL Columnist
Lockout or no lockout, decertification or no decertification, the NFL will hold its annual March meeting next week – albeit an abbreviated 2-day version – in New Orleans.
In between discussions of its labor situation, the league’s owners will vote on 3 major playing-rules proposals by the competition committee. Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay, the chairman of the competition committee, was on a conference call this morning, along with NFL discipline czar Ray Anderson, and announced the 3 rule proposals.
The first is an expansion of the defenseless player rule. The committee has proposed that a receiver be protected until he can either protect himself of clearly becomes a runner.
``We’re try to expand that window to prevent that player from getting hit in the head or getting hit by the head,’’ McKay said.
McKay said the competition committee has proposed standardizing protection for all 8 defenseless-player categories, which include: a quarterback in the act of or just after throwing a pass, a receiver attempting to catch a pass, a runner who already is in the grasp of a tackler and his forward progress has been stopped, a punt returner or kickoff returner who is attempting to field a kick in the air, a player on the ground at the end of play, a punter or kicker during a return, a quarterback anytime after a change of possession, and lastly, a receiver who receives a blindside block.
The committee also has proposed adding a category that will prohibit illegal launching. It would essentially prohibit players from leaving their feet, springing forward and upward and delivering a blow with any part of his helmet or facemask.
The 2 other playing-rule proposals by the completion committee:
--Major modifications to the kickoff, including moving the kickoff line up to the 35-yard line from the 30, not allowing anybody on the kickoff team other than kicker to line up more than 5 yards from kickoff line and moving touchbacks from the 20 to the 25. Kickoffs that go out of bounds would still be placed at the 40-yard line. Also, all forms of the wedge block would be eliminated, including the 2-man wedge.
``The injury rate on kickoffs continues to be a real concern for us,’’ McKay said.
--Two modifications of instant replay, including the elimination of the third coaches’ challenge and confirmation by a replay official in the booth on all scoring plays, which already is the case in the last 2 minutes of both halves and overtime.
Anderson, who got a lot of attention last season for all of the fines he levied on players around the league for illegal hits, said he will continue to crack down on illegal hits and won’t hesitate to issue suspensions to repeat offenders. He also said coaches and clubs will be held liable for the actions of their players.
``The competition committee was fully supportive of the way discipline was handled,’’ Anderson said. ``But we always know there are ways to improve. We plan to do that with more communication in advance with players, clubs, coaches in regard to what is expected. But (the competition committee) fully supported aggressive protection of defensless players, and aggressive protection of unnecessary hits to the head and neck area and illegal helmet hits.
``There will be strong support in 2011 season for making sure that players understand that when warranted, suspensions will be an effective discipline for us. We don’t want to go there, but if we must, we’re prepared to do that. Because these rules are meant to protect everybody on the field.
``There is a clear acknowledgement that we need to be aggressive in disciplining, and we will give very clear advance notice to all players and all clubs to what that could potentially entail.’’
Memo to Asante Samuel: You'd better learn how to tackle, dude. Or you’re going to be watching some games from the sideline next year.
Rule proposal #4: no tackling. The NFL will move to 2 hand touch rules.
Make all the rules you want, but the interpretation on the field is the key. If Peyton Manning has his helmet touched by a lineman's finger and a 15 yard flag is thrown the league will continue to bleed fans.— Mike in LA- Make all the rules you want, but the interpretation on the field is the key. If Peyton Manning has his helmet touched by a lineman's finger and a 15 yard flag is thrown the league will continue to bleed fans.— Mike in LA
- Can't touch Peyton with a finger, but you can deck Michael.....hmmmm, sounds like the rules make sense but he REF's don't.....— nuggett
- I agree with Mike in LA. It's pretty clear: the NFL has jumped the shark! What the hell is this now? No tackling receivers until they start running away from you? HAHA awesome!— sla6yer
- Glare at the ball handler and they can then fall down, now you can't hit a quarterback on an interception? so he should not be allowed to try and tackle then— faf72
- Rule #1: Settle the damn labor dispute.— P-Dub 11
- Launching yourself like a missile is not tackling. None of the players in the NFL ever tackle properly. I nearly choked when one of the announcers in the players commended Ed Reed for a perfect form tackle...while he was staring at the grass.
- I agree wit fan72. Your either a football player or your not.— Joe at the shore
- I hope your new proposed rule changes fail, most of them are a joke...— phigglesfan75
- So I guess the devastating block Avant laid on the NY Giants punter to spring Jackson for the epic game-winning punt return would be illegal.
If you are able to make a play on the ball handler, you should be open game to be blocked. Otherwise, the QB on an INT should walk off the field, as well as a punter after he kicks the ball.— beren682 
Just change it to call your own fouls.— Elbarad
It's a pure disgrace!— Justicek- Everyone bemoaning the lack of hitting should read the latest profile on Kevin Turner found here: http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/26976/kevin-turners-road
Solid tackling does not have to mean launching yourself at someone's head.— jhutt75 - Quarterbacks should be forced to wear bubble wrap. "a punter or kicker during a return, a quarterback anytime after a change of possession." Great. Then what SHOULD happen is that the QB and Punter shuld not be allowed to tackle or participate in the tackle either. Period. You want them safe, declare them uneligible to stop a player who just intercepted them. Here is a thought on the punter and Kicker. Add another player during the kickoff and have the kicker only kick the ball and get out of the way of the men.
— SlinkTMP
