Two NFL rule changes I would like to see

[Red Dragon]

1. Challenges should be allowed any time at any point during the 60 minutes of a game. What is the purpose of prohibiting coaches from challenging during the last 2 minutes of a half? That is often the most critical time of a game, where the most critical plays (and the most critical overlooked errors) take place.



2. When a quarterback spikes the ball backwards in such a way that the ball lands behind him - let's say, a yard behind the QB's feet - it should count as a lateral and a live ball. Yes I know, I'm being an unreasonable stickler to the rules. But technically if the QB spikes the ball backwards so that it hits the turf behind him and continues to roll backwards behind him, it's a lateral and should be treated as one.

 

[jimmy40]

1. Ok

2. Did that happen last night and I missed it? Can't say I've ever seen it happen.

 

[rkell87]

1. Ok

2. Did that happen last night and I missed it? Can't say I've ever seen it happen.

Yeah I was wondering what prompted the second one as well

 

[Reverend Conehead]

1. Challenges should be allowed any time at any point during the 60 minutes of a game. What is the purpose of prohibiting coaches from challenging during the last 2 minutes of a half? That is often the most critical time of a game, where the most critical plays (and the most critical overlooked errors) take place.



2. When a quarterback spikes the ball backwards in such a way that the ball lands behind him - let's say, a yard behind the QB's feet - it should count as a lateral and a live ball. Yes I know, I'm being an unreasonable stickler to the rules. But technically if the QB spikes the ball backwards so that it hits the turf behind him and continues to roll backwards behind him, it's a lateral and should be treated as one.

I agree with both your rule changes. My third would be to repeal the infamous bump and run of 1978 rule. Prior to that year a defender could touch/rough up a receiver all he wanted as long as he didn't hold until the ball was in the air. That was better. The game should not be handicapped in favor of the offense. The defense has just as much right to the ball as the offense. The league is of the attitude that only offensive successes are exciting, and I strongly object to that POV. Pick sixes, sacks, forced fumbles are all exciting plays too. Ever since '78 the league has been handicapping the game for the offense, and this policy stinks to high heaven.

 

[links18]

The defense has just as much right to the ball as the offense.

Except its a victory for the defense when the pass is incomplete.

 

[links18]

[quote="Red Dragon, post: 5237734, member: 26906"

2. When a quarterback spikes the ball backwards in such a way that the ball lands behind him - let's say, a yard behind the QB's feet - it should count as a lateral and a live ball. Yes I know, I'm being an unreasonable stickler to the rules. But technically if the QB spikes the ball backwards so that it hits the turf behind him and continues to roll backwards behind him, it's a lateral and should be treated as one.[/quote]

Are you sure its not a lateral already? In any case, for this to make any difference would require players smart enough to try to recover the ball.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

1. Challenges should be allowed any time at any point during the 60 minutes of a game. What is the purpose of prohibiting coaches from challenging during the last 2 minutes of a half? That is often the most critical time of a game, where the most critical plays (and the most critical overlooked errors) take place.

This is actually supposed to help the coaches, FYI. Has there ever been a major case where it didn't?

 

[Deep_South]

This is actually supposed to help the coaches, FYI. Has there ever been a major case where it didn't?

Just out of curiosity, how does not being able to challenge a bad call against their team in the last two minutes of a half help the coaches? Marinelli certainly didn't look like he thought the rule helped him last night.

 

[FiveRings]

I think a players entire body should enter the endzone to constitute a score. It doesn't make sense how in ten yards of endzone, all you need is the tip of the ball to cross the edge of the line.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

Just out of curiosity, how does not being able to challenge a bad call against their team in the last two minutes of a half help the coaches? Marinelli certainly didn't look like he thought the rule helped him last night.

It helps you because you can run out of challenges. That's why I asked, has there ever been a notable case where it did not go to the booth in the final 2 minutes when it should have? Usually the crowd groans at the scoreboard, the coaches wave their arms and the play usually will be reviewed.

 

[jimmy40]

I think a players entire body should enter the endzone to constitute a score. It doesn't make sense how in ten yards of endzone, all you need is the tip of the ball to cross the edge of the line.

This one drives me crazy, not as bad as that stupid forced out rule they had for years but yeah, be in possession of the ball in the endzone.

 

[Laundry fan]

Just out of curiosity, how does not being able to challenge a bad call against their team in the last two minutes of a half help the coaches? Marinelli certainly didn't look like he thought the rule helped him last night.

not 100% on this! but I believe that they went to booth reviews in the final 2 minutes of each half because coaches could be out of challenges at the most crucial times and the league didn't want games to be wrongly determined because of that.

 

[Cowboys22]

1. I think the point of the rule is that anything and everything that is questionable will already be reviewed in the last two minutes. If you don't do it that way, then teams without any challenges left can get seriously hurt if they can't challenge.

2. I definitely think it should be a lateral and a live ball.

The other rule change I would like to see is to make it a 15 yard penalty for tackling a player who has lost his helmet. With the new rule making it a deal ball at the spot the helmet comes off, it makes no sense to allow the defenders to take shots at the player anyway, especially because safety is the reason for the rule. Go ahead and fully protect the player with no helmet. Who cares if he runs all the way to the end zone, it's coming back anyway and the defense should not be allowed to clobber him after an obvious dead ball situation has been created.

 

[Derinyar]

1. I think they should allow for the coach to throw the flag and use a challenge up during that time to prevent the we're going to hustle up to the line and run a play before the replay judge can call down for a replay. I'm sure it was the right call yesterday but the fact that basically the Commanders got advantage out of a sack because the refs had blown a pretty obvious call is a pretty big failing.

 

[Deep_South]

It helps you because you can run out of challenges. That's why I asked, has there ever been a notable case where it did not go to the booth in the final 2 minutes when it should have? Usually the crowd groans at the scoreboard, the coaches wave their arms and the play usually will be reviewed.

There probably isn't a notable case because we don't keep track of things that didn't happen. There certainly are numerous times we see something that doesn't look right, but there is no call on the field and no replay from the network.

It is ironic that the automatic review is supposedly to help teams that don't have challenges in the final two minutes, but doesn't allow a team that does have a challenge to use it.

 

[Cowboys22]

Yeah, I think if you still have a challenge, you should be able to throw it to guarantee exactly what you want reviewed is looked at and to prevent the hurry up crap to prevent a review.

 

[TheKey]

Yeah, I think if you still have a challenge, you should be able to throw it to guarantee exactly what you want reviewed is looked at and to prevent the hurry up crap to prevent a review.

My rule change:

There is no unnecessary roughness if the QB is headed vertically downfield when he goes out of bounds. He must make a clear and definite lateral movement out of bounds to be protected.

No more of this RGIII waiting for the defense to commit then moving a foot out of bounds for the penalty.

 

[Hoofbite]

You'd have teams throwing challenge flags just to get a 90 second breather and to slow down the opposition's 2 minute drill.

I'll pass.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Well that challenge rule is in place to prevent coaches from just challenging something for the sake of stopping the clock, especially if they're out of timeouts.

 

[Red Dragon]

It helps you because you can run out of challenges. That's why I asked, has there ever been a notable case where it did not go to the booth in the final 2 minutes when it should have? Usually the crowd groans at the scoreboard, the coaches wave their arms and the play usually will be reviewed.

I think the call of a fumble by Kurt Warner in the last seconds of Super Bowl XLIII should have been worth a challenge. In my opinion, there was a very good case to be made that it was an incomplete pass rather than a fumble.

The call of a fumble sealed the win for Pittsburgh. If it had been ruled an incomplete pass instead, I think the Cardinals would have had time for 2 more shots at the end zone.

But it was within the last two minutes and therefore not challengeable.