Tag: rule change

Cowboys have been on both sides of ‘worst rule in football’ that may be up for change

From @ToddBrock24f7: Nothing sparks debate like a player fumbling the ball through the end zone. Dallas has been on both sides of it; now the rule may change.

Last season’s playoff run ended for the Cowboys with some controversy surrounding the circumstances that forced running back Tony Pollard out of the game with a devastating injury. There was talk after 49ers safety Jimmie Ward’s “hip-drop” tackle on Pollard- a technique that resulted in a fractured fibula and high ankle sprain for Pollard- that the NFL Competition Committee would at least consider banning the move, much like they did the horse-collar tackle in the mid-2000s.

That change to the NFL rulebook hasn’t come about (yet), but the next one that might is another that Cowboys fans are intimately familiar with.

During Sunday’s AFC divisional-round matchup between the Chiefs and Bills, Kansas City wide receiver Mecole Hardman fumbled the ball at the Buffalo 1-yard-line. The ball bounced into the end zone… and then out of bounds.

By rule, the ball was turned over to the Bills on their own 20. And every Chiefs fan in America immediately bemoaned the so-called “worst rule in football.”

Here’s how it reads in the rulebook:

“If a ball is fumbled in the field of play, and goes forward into the opponent’s end zone and over the end line or sideline, a touchback is awarded to the defensive team.”

According to several outlets including the Washington Post, the league had already planned to discuss amending the rule this offseason. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported following Sunday’s instance that there’s a “good chance” a change will be made, with “momentum behind [the] NFL correcting” the rule that many consider to be “too harsh.”

Maybe.

If you’re the fumbling team, it does seem too punitive. Your offense has driven down the field and is in a position to score a touchdown simply by breaking the plane of the goal line. If the ball squirts free and rolls out before the pylon, no harm. It’s still your ball; line up and try again. But if that ball travels an extra few inches and rolls out behind the pylon, it’s an automatic turnover and a loss of 20 yards of field position.

One side loves to shout from the mountaintop: Then protect the ball, especially near the goal line.

The other side points out that a turnover/touchback is a disproportionately huge reward for a defense didn’t even recover the loose ball (and didn’t even necessarily cause the fumble in the first place).

That was the argument from Cowboys Nation in Week 17, when CeeDee Lamb had the ball punched out of his hands a yard away from the end zone. It shot forward and then out of bounds after the goal line. Detroit’s ball on the 20, and what looked like it was about to be a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter instead stayed a 7-3 affair going into halftime and eventually became the closest finish Dallas would play all season.

The Cowboys were the beneficiaries of the rule late in the 2017 season, when a timely shove from Dallas safety Jeff Heath caused Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to lose the handle just shy of the goal line. Instead of winning the game on a touchdown scramble in the final 30 seconds, Carr’s fumble through the end zone allowed Dallas to take a knee on the next play- safely on the 20- and walk off victorious.

Any new debate around the touchback rule will likely be spicy. Yes, the ball should be protected at the goal line. Yes, there are probably already too many rules that benefit the offense.

But while simply giving the offense another play from the spot of the fumble feels wrong, so does taking the ball away from them entirely when the defense didn’t actually make a recovery.

Some analysts and observers feel the compromise may be moving the ball back to the 20 but allowing the offense to retain possession with a loss of down, sort of a “reverse touchback.”

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Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports notes that, in looking over rule-change proposals submitted by the competition committee over the past decade, “not one team has offered to change” the current touchback rule and “a league source believes no team has ever put forth a proposal.”

According to a source, per Jones, the committee did discuss the rule after the 2017 season, with Carr’s costly Week 15 miscue still fresh, but they “did not believe a rule change was necessary, believing that it is an exciting play that rewards the defense for an offensive error.”

The latest implementation of the touchback rule, on Sunday in Buffalo, did not ultimately change the outcome of the game, with the Chiefs going on to win despite Hardman’s fourth-quarter fumble through the end zone. But the fact that it happened at all- in a monster playoff showdown that drew over 50 million viewers- could finally force the NFL to address one of the most controversial and quirkiest stipulations in its entire rulebook.

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Chiefs TE Travis Kelce thinks NFL’s new fair catch kickoff rule is ‘absolutely stupid’

On the latest episode of “New Heights”, #Chiefs TE Travis Kelce ranted about the NFL’s new kickoff rule change taking the excitement out of the game’s opening play.

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce is the latest to speak out against the NFL’s new fair catch rule on kickoffs. This comes after both Tommy Townsend and Andy Reid weighed in, expressing valid concerns over the new rule. Townsend’s frustration came from the NFL passing a rule that players and coaches were against. Reid thinks the change is a slippery slope that could lead to the league playing “flag football.”

If you’re unfamiliar with the rule change, the league is disincentivizing kickoff returns in the name of player safety. In 2023, they’ll allow any fair catch on kickoffs of drop-kicks to act as a touchback and be placed at the 25-yard line.

Travis Kelce discussed the change with his brother Jason Kelce on the latest episode of their “New Heights” podcast. Neither brother likes the change, but Travis was particularly harsh in his evaluation. His primary concern — taking the excitement out of the opening play of the game.

“I think this is absolutely stupid,” Travis said. “I don’t think this is making the game safer. I think it’s making it more boring and taking a lot of excitement out of the game’s opening play.

“Boo. It’s whack and it’s taking away from the excitement of a kickoff. I love watching opening kickoffs.

“It just deflates the excitement of the first kickoff. Everybody used to like. . . *imitate crowd noise* . . . and it’s exciting and then you see that first like contact. You hear it. Everybody is just running full speed at each other. Heads are banging. Guys are running full speed at each other and then a guy gets close-lined and does a backflip. And you’d like, ‘FOOTBALL! THIS IS ELECTRIC.’ and you’re just going to ****ing turn it into, ‘Bloop, place the ball at the 25-yard line. Let’s get the quarterback out here.'”

The Kelce brothers seem to think that if you’re going to make this change the NFL might as well just get rid of the kickoff altogether. The reality is that could be the next step, especially if the NFL doesn’t see the results they’re hoping to see with this one-year trial run of the rule on kickoffs.

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NFL rule change could impact what the Lions do at QB on game days

A new NFL rule change could impact what the Lions do at QB on game days

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The NFL owners adopted a new rule regarding game rosters that should pay immediate benefits for the Detroit Lions.

In their latest owner’s meetings, the league passed a rule that allows teams to keep a third quarterback active for a game without counting as a roster pot toward the game limit.

The rule effectively allows teams to dress the third quarterback for a game without having him soak up a roster spot. Using the Lions as an example, it would allow current reserves Hendon Hooker and Nate Sudfeld to remain on the 53-man roster and active for games. However, only one of them would count toward the active gameday roster.

Instead of having to perhaps keep Hooker active as the No. 3 in Week 1 and deactivate another position player who might actually play outside of emergency circumstances, now that choice doesn’t need to be made. Hooker can stay active, and the Lions can also keep an extra defensive back or running back healthy.

It gives the Lions (and other teams) more gameday roster flexibility to handle a rash of injuries at one position group. This can help the Lions deal with Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow being perennially questionable with his toe injury. Detroit can now keep an extra offensive lineman active without the risk of having to play without a quarterback if both Jared Goff and Sudfeld were rendered incapable of playing.

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Here is the NFL’s official rule explanation via NFL.com,

One hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff, each club is required to establish its Active List for the game by notifying the Referee of the players on its Inactive List for that game. Each club may also designate one emergency third quarterback from its 53-player Active/Inactive List (i.e., elevated players are not eligible for designation) who will be eligible to be activated during the game, if the club’s first two quarterbacks on its game day Active List are not able to participate in the game due to injury or disqualification (activation cannot be a result of a head coach’s in-game decision to remove a player from the game due to performance or conduct). If either of the injured quarterbacks is cleared by the medical staff to return to play, the emergency third quarterback must be removed from the game and is not permitted to continue to play quarterback or any other position, but is eligible to return to the game to play quarterback if another emergency third quarterback situation arises.

A club is not eligible to use these procedures if it carries three quarterbacks on its game day Active List [47- or 48-players in 2023].

It’s a smart reversion to what was the standard NFL rule from 1991-2010.

Editor’s note: A portion of this was deleted after the interpretation of the rule was incorrect

NFL owners approve third QB rule for 2023 season

NFL owners have approved a new bylaw allowing teams to dress a third quarterback on gameday without the player counting against the roster.

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The spring league meetings are officially underway and NFL owners on the competition committee have already approved a significant change for the 2023 NFL season.

According to multiple reports, the league has approved what will be known as the “Third QB Rule.” Teams will now be permitted to have an emergency quarterback dress for action on gameday without that player counting against the team’s gameday active list.

This rule would be beneficial to a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, who carried three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster a season ago, but made Shane Buechele inactive every week. It’d allow Buechele or another quarterback to dress for gameday, just in case.

NFL PR chief Brian McCarthy shared the full proposal on Twitter.

This comes after both Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson were injured for the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, leading to a lopsided win for the Philadelphia Eagles. This actually almost came into play for the Chiefs in the AFC’s divisional round game when Patrick Mahomes went down with a high ankle sprain against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Had Chad Henne been injured during that game, the team’s emergency backup quarterback would have been Jerick McKinnon.

Now, under the new rules, the team wouldn’t have to play someone out of position if their top two quarterbacks got hurt. There are stipulations about how the third QB can be utilized:

“Activation cannot be a result of a head coach’s in-game decision to remove a player from the game due to performance or conduct.”

Essentially, this rule only comes into play in case of emergency with injuries or otherwise.

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Tony Pollard Rule? NFL to consider rule change after RB injury

The “hip-drop” tackle that left Pollard with a high ankle sprain and fractured fibula wasn’t illegal, but the NFL may look at making it so. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The play that ended Tony Pollard’s postseason had huge ramifications on the Cowboys offense in their divisional-round loss to San Francisco last Sunday.

It may ultimately have an effect on every defensive player in the league moving forward.

The NFL Competition Committee is expected to consider looking into the “mechanics of the tackle” during their offseason discussions and could perhaps even ban so-called “hip-drop” tackles like the one employed by 49ers safety Jimmie Ward.

On the play, Ward corralled Pollard around the waist from behind and then threw out an anchor by swinging his hips, pulling Pollard down while dropping his own body to the turf. Pollard’s leg got twisted underneath Ward’s midsection, resulting in a high ankle sprain and fractured fibula.

A similar tackle in Kansas City earlier in the weekend sent Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to the locker room during their playoff game versus Jacksonville. Mahomes was able to return, though his movements were visibly limited. He will likely play through his high ankle sprain when Kansas City hosts the Bengals in the AFC title game.

Pollard had ankle surgery this week; the fibula will be left to heal on its own. He is expected to be fully healthy before training camp, but had the Cowboys won Sunday’s game, they would obviously have been without their 1,000-yard-rusher’s services for a conference championship appearance.

It’s important to note that both tackles were perfectly legal under the current rules. No flags were thrown, and it’s highly improbable that any punishment or fine is coming for Ward or Jaguars linebacker Arden Key.

The Washington Post notes that Australia’s National Rugby League banned hip-drop tackles after they “saw an increased occurrence of these types of tackles, some of which resulted in serious injuries to attacking players including a broken ankle, ACL tear, and many high-ankle sprains.” Starting in 2020, the NRL even imposed mutligame suspensions for players who used the technique.

To identify a hip-drop, that league looks for an “unnatural” movement that lets the tackler “drop or swing their hip[s] around.” The goal is not to ban lower-body tackles, but to discourage defenders from “trapping the legs/ankles of [ballcarriers] by dropping their body weight through their hips, legs, or buttocks.”

If the NFL does adopt a “Tony Pollard” penalty that outlaws the hip-drop, it would be far from the first time a Cowboys player has given birth to a new rule.

Most famous is the “Roy Williams Rule,” the one that made the horse-collar tackle illegal after the Cowboys safety made a habit of using it during the early part of his career. In 2005, wide receiver Terrell Owens, then with the Eagles, suffered a high-ankle sprain and broken fibula when Williams tackled him on a play that eerily resembled the Pollard incident.

The hip-drop is essentially a horse-collar tackle without the grasping of or reaching into the ballcarrier’s jersey at the neckhole, but the finishing movement is the same and presents the same danger to the player being dragged to the ground.

And it may soon be against the rules on an NFL field.

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NFL approves rule allowing teams to interview coaching candidates 2 weeks early

Teams no longer have to wait to interview coaching candidates until the conclusion of the regular season

On Wednesday, the NFL agreed to a proposal that could have a large ripple effect on the coaching carousel process in the league. The proposal, which will be implemented on a one-year trial basis, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, allows teams to interview coaching candidates two weeks before the end of the regular season. According to previous rules, teams had to wait until the end of the regular season to reach out to potential candidates.

Here’s the catch: Pelissero reports that in order for teams to interview coaches early, they must no longer employ the coach who began the season in the role (or at least have provided notice of termination to the coach).

What this means is that teams will now have an incentive to fire coaches before the conclusion of the regular season, which previously didn’t serve much of a purpose. This could have potential impacts on Jacksonville, as one of the main arguments in favor of retaining coach Urban Meyer at least until the end of the season was the inability to get a head start on the search. Now, that is no longer the case.

If owner Shad Khan decides to make a change in Year 1, that change could come sooner rather than later. It’s also worth noting that, as Pelissero points out, this could add a second “Black Monday,” the day immediately following the conclusion of the regular season when most head coaching changes are made, to the calendar.

This change, if permanent, could also have an impact on college football coaching searches in the future. Considering most college coaching changes are made after the regular season on Thanksgiving weekend (or even earlier for universities that don’t wait), NFL coaches have been historically difficult for schools to target because their regular season ends in January. It’s unclear if the new rule applies to colleges, as well, or just NFL franchises, but if it does, the impacts could reach beyond the professional ranks.

Per Pelissero, teams can formally request interviews beginning at 8 a.m. EST on Dec. 28, though teams retain the right to deny requests. Considering Jacksonville could be looking at its second coaching search in as many years, this rule could have an immediate impact on the team’s strategy in the coming weeks.

Door opens for Chargers to wear throwback uniforms in 2022

The Los Angeles Chargers might be set up to don their classic uniforms.

The Chargers have arguably the best uniforms in the NFL, but the threads that the team wore back in the day still ranked near the top.

It just so happens that Los Angeles might be able to bring them back as early as 2022, thanks to a new rule change.

The NFL sent a memo that said the league will allow teams to wear two different helmets starting in 2022. This changes a rule that previously prevented teams from wearing more than one type of helmet.

Now, with the league allowing two helmets per player, it provides more variety in jersey and helmet options.

Therefore, could we possibly see these in two seasons?

Lions punter Jack Fox offers kickoff scoring proposal

With NFL rule change proposals on the docket, Jack Fox offers a kickoff scoring proposal that may help reinvigorate special teams.

With the various amount of rule changes to special teams like pushing the kickoff line forward, no running start at the kickoff, and making onside kicks almost impossible to covert, players and teams are trying to bring back some of the luster special teams used to have in the NFL.

The NFL announced a handful of rule change proposals during the recent owner’s meetings. Some focus on special teams like improving the odds on onside kicks, where the opposing team is only allowed to have nine players instead of 10 or 11 between 10 to 25 yards of the kickoff spot. A fourth-and-15 alternative over the onside kick gained some popularity after the XFL instituted this alternative.

Either way, as you can see, special teams is one of the hot topics to breathe some life into what some believe to be a dying aspect to the overall game. One player has an idea that could make games interesting if it ever gets adopted.

Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox proposed a kickoff scoring idea. If the kicker can get the ball through the uprights on the kickoff, the team should be awarded one point.

The logistics of accomplishing such a feat would extraordinary in itself. Not only are we talking close to an 80-yard bomb, but the kickers will have to have some accuracy to get the ball through the uprights at that distance. Out of the kickers, who attempted at least 60 kickoffs last year, only three averaged at least 70 yards: Tampa Bay P Bradley Pinion (72.4), Kansas City Chiefs K Harrison Butker (70.7), and Carolina Panthers K Joey Slye (70.2).

Now you wonder where Fox ended up on the list? He was second-to-last with 63.5 yards per attempt, barely behind Dan Bailey with 63.4 for last.

I wouldn’t put much blame on Fox, considering he was able to flip fields with his towering punts, so it was not a question of strength, but more on the previous coaching staff’s philosophy in relying on their special teams to make stops instead of giving the ball at the 25. Due to this scheme, Fox had the highest return rate, where 65% of his kickoffs were returned.

Surely most Lions fans would have no doubt Fox could boot through the uprights without any help, but between penalties or other variables, this could make this situation a little more interesting. Instead of an 80-yard attempt, it could easily turn into a 65-yard attempt, and with a running start, most kickers could make that.

Former Colt punter and special teams advocator Pat McAfee talked about it on his show, and it would be awesome and electrifying, especially for a game-winning situation. Even though he knows this would likely get shot down, he did add some wrinkles they could add, like teams starting at the 35 if they miss, or add blockers at the end zone to help justify the rule.

It would be fun to see teams utilize their punters and kickers differently than we are accustomed to seeing and adding a new dynamic to scoring. There is something about a kicker kicking the ever daylights out of the ball, and it would be exciting to see if it counted for something. Even though it’s just a single point, it could make the difference between a win, a loss, or a potential playoff spot.

NCAA proposes a change to overtime rules

The NCAA is proposing a new rule that would change how overtime is played in college football. It would likely shorten the length of games.

One of the most common discussions in college football outside of college football playoff expansion is the overtime rules. Currently teams alternate possessions starting at the 25-yard line. Once it reaches the third overtime period teams must attempt a two-point conversion following touchdowns. A new rule proposal could shorten the overtime period, meaning a four-overtime game like the one in the Red River Rivalry is less likely to happen.

“Under the proposal, teams would be required to run a two-point conversion play after a touchdown when a game reaches a second overtime period,” the release said. “If a game reaches a third overtime, teams will run alternating two-point plays, instead of starting another drive at the opponent’s 25-yard line. This rules proposal is being made to limit the number of plays from scrimmage and bring the game to a conclusion.

“Teams can still choose whether to kick the point after touchdown or run a two-point conversion play in the first overtime. All rules changes must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to discuss football rules recommendations April 22. The rationale for making the recommendation is to lessen the number of plays it takes for a winning team to be determined.

Currently, the alternating two-point conversions begin in the fifth overtime period but the new rule proposal would begin two periods earlier. This would be a step in the right direction. Now if the NFL would adopt a similar rule set and get rid of the opportunities for tie games.

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NFL’s new playoff format could be good news for Broncos

Under the NFL’s proposed new playoff format, it will be easier for the Broncos to get into the postseason.

The new collective bargaining agreement being negotiated between NFL owners and the NFLPA includes changes to the league’s playoff system. Under the current system, six teams from each conference make the playoffs each year.

Under the proposed new CBA, seven teams from the AFC and NFC would reach the postseason — four division winners and three Wild Card teams. Under such a format, only the No. 1 seeds would have first-round byes.

The new format could be in place in time for the 2020 season.

Increasing the number of teams in the playoffs could be good news for the Broncos, who haven’t won the AFC West since 2015. Denver went 9-7 in 2016 and barely missed the postseason. Under the new rule, nine wins will likely give a team a better chance to reach the playoffs than in previous years.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes will help Kansas City stay in contention to win the division every year. Now the Broncos, in addition to competing for the AFC West, can also compete for seed Nos. 5-7 in the AFC.

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