PFT: Force Out, Face Mask rules changed

[ZeroClub]

The new "no force out" rule is interesting. I like it, actually.

But it is going to change some sideline pass patterns ....

 

[Wolfpack]

Another rules change involves the opening coin toss, where the NFL will now adopt the college rule that allows the coach to defer his choice of kicking or receiving until the second half.


Hows that work?

 

[Next_years_Champs]

I agree but I have never seen a hand off considered an incomplete pass no matter where the QB was in relation to the RB. Also, the Shovel pass was always a pass since it counted as a TD pass for a QB when the back scored. I just never heard of a forward handoff.

Your right the only forward handoff I can think of is a delayed draw play, when the QB sets up for a pass and then reaches around and hands off to the RB positioned in front of him.

This is just a poorly written article, we'll have to find a better explanation.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

It's called playing football..why would it be dumb to be able to push a guy out of bounds so he doesn't catch a pass? Why should you be allowed to get a reception if you are pushed out of bounds with no feet touching in bounds? The rule never made sense. And the less rules the sport has that are subjective the better.

Because if you hadn't been pushed, your feet would've landed in bounds. Yes it's subjective and the defense could use some help from the rule makers for a change, but I bet this change will be the least popular among the fans.

 

[Dave the Sicilian]

That is my first impression... It seems as if the league is trying to close the gap as a result of the rules in favor of the offense.

I think the same too. They're trying to assist the defense after aiding the offence for years, even with the rule for the radio in the defense helmet. I think also these are almost good changes, I like the Face mask one, a little bit less the force out

 

[Boyzmamacita]

I think the same too. They're trying to assist the defense after aiding the offence for years, even with the rule for the radio in the defense helmet. I think also these are almost good changes, I like the Face mask one, a little bit less the force out

I'm just glad that apparently Marion Barber can still use his super stiff arm.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

Your right the only forward handoff I can think of is a delayed draw play, when the QB sets up for a pass and then reaches around and hands off to the RB positioned in front of him.

This is just a poorly written article, we'll have to find a better explanation.

From PFT?

Nah!

 

[Dave the Sicilian]

I'm just glad that apparently Marion Barber can still use his super stiff arm.

our Barber-ian

 

[Stash]

So, the league's answer to officials poorly judging force-outs is to eliminate them?

Brilliant.

Just brilliant.

Let's eliminate every other rule the officials can't get straight too.

 

[Carl23]

Another rules change involves the opening coin toss, where the NFL will now adopt the college rule that allows the coach to defer his choice of kicking or receiving until the second half.


Hows that work?

It used to be that if you won the toss and elected to kick, you would only get the ball to start the second half IF the other team chose to kick when the second half started. In other words, the winning team on the coin toss had the choice to kick or receive in the first half and the losing team had the choice in the second half. So, if you chose to kick in the first half, the other team would choose to receive in the second and end up with an extra possession.

Now, if you win in the first half, you can choose WHEN you want to use your choice (first or second half). This way...you may actually see people choose to kick when they win the toss...

 

[Danny White]

Another rules change involves the opening coin toss, where the NFL will now adopt the college rule that allows the coach to defer his choice of kicking or receiving until the second half.


Hows that work?

If you watch college football, many teams will "defer" which means they get to choose to start off the second half.

Most teams would rather start the second half off with the ball rather than the first, but under the old rules, there was no way you could choose to do that if you won the toss. Now you can.

So if you win the toss and defer, the other team gets the choice for the first half, and most often will choose to receive. Then you get to receive to start off the second half.

 

[Shady12]

Because if you hadn't been pushed, your feet would've landed in bounds. Yes it's subjective and the defense could use some help from the rule makers for a change, but I bet this change will be the least popular among the fans.

But you WERE pushed, so you weren't in bounds.

Analogy: If a player hadn't tackled you, you wouldn't be down..you would score. But you WERE tackled.

 

[Nightman]

The force-out rule was always the worst rule in the game. If the defender can prevent you from getting 2 feet in bounds, then he did his job. The official saying he would've come down in bounds is akin to saying a runner would've scored a TD if the defender didn't stop him at the goal line.

 

[Big Country]

Eh, that sounds like a horrible rule as written.

So, WR in dead middle of field jumps up to catch ball. Safety catches him in mid-air and carries him to the sideline before depositing the WR on the ground out of bounds, and suddenly it is an incomplete pass because nothing touched in bounds.

Obviously my hypothetical is extreme, but the rules would allow that. And when you start looking at the difficult calls on the sideline as is, then this strikes me as extraordinarily bad change.

Dude that's the same thing that ran through my mind... A DB could catch the WR he's defending... not just the the WR's whole body, but grab a leg under the knee so it wont touch the field of play and pitch him out of bounds. DBs are going to love this rule.

HUH????
That is a horrid decision.
You take a judgment call and make it a 15 yard difference? WOW!!

Yeah, the extreme cases and the slight ones wont be a problem for the refs... It is the middle of the road face mask infractions that will pose the biggest problems...

 

[Cajuncowboy]

But you WERE pushed, so you weren't in bounds.

Analogy: If a player hadn't tackled you, you wouldn't be down..you would score. But you WERE tackled.

To quote Dandy Don...

"If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas."

 

[Shady12]

Ha I love that quote.

And if a defender carried a guy out of bounds, wouldn't the whistle blow after awhile due to forward progress being stopped? I picture a guy carrying a guy 5 or 10 yards out of bounds under your scenario. If a receiver goes up high and is maybe a couple yards from the sideline I see no problem..as someone said the db would just be doing his job. I think the NFL is the only level of football that had a force out rule and I don't recall anything happening in college where a guy was held up in the air and carried out of bounds..funny mental picture though. I can see a receiver kicking his legs frantically trying to bust loose and get his feet on the ground as two defenders are carrying him to the sideline.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Five-yard facemask penalties have also been eliminated. Serious face masks involving grabbing or twisting the player’s helmet will remain 15-yard penalties, and minor face masks involving a player accidentally grabbing the mask and immediately letting go will not be flagged at all.

Holy grey area Batman!!!

 

[TwoCentPlain]

I don't get the new coin toss rule change.

Before, if you win the coin toss, you choose to kick in the first half and in the second half you receive the kickoff. Or, if you choose to receive to start the game then you kick off to start the second half. Seemed fair to me. If you won the coin toss and elected to kickoff to start the game, you get the ball to start the second half. Or if you elect to get the ball to start the game, you kickoff to start the second half. 99.999% of the teams winning the toss take the ball to start.

Now, you "defer." To whom? Defer what? I don't get it.

 

[Nightman]

I like the facemask rule change, if they call it correctly. There is nothing worse than seeing a defender sack the QB, but getting called for incidental facemask because the QB ducks his head and his facemask gets scraped.

 

[Bach]

I don't get the new coin toss rule change.

Before, if you win the coin toss, you choose to kick in the first half and in the second half you receive the kickoff. Or, if you choose to receive to start the game then you kick off to start the second half. Seemed fair to me. If you won the coin toss and elected to kickoff to start the game, you get the ball to start the second half. Or if you elect to get the ball to start the game, you kickoff to start the second half. 99.999% of the teams winning the toss take the ball to start.

Now, you "defer." To whom? Defer what? I don't get it.

You defer your decision to the second half. You could end up kicking off both times, but that's rare.