Tag: Rules

Thomas Morstead on adjusting life in the NFL to COVID-19 challenges

New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead is pleased with the adjustments to COVID-19 that the NFLPA won, but knows things will get tougher.

[jwplayer pkyqon32-ThvAeFxT]

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the NFL to get to work during a public health crisis, uniquely dangerous among professional sports due to football’s high-impact nature. And while he understands that not everyone is happy with the situation, New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead was glad to lend a hand during negotiations as the team’s NFL Players Association representative.

“Look, I’m personally thrilled with where we ended up,” Morstead said during a recent media conference call. “I know there are always going to be people that don’t agree with what the end result is. For players that want to opt out, they have that right. We’ve tried to provide the ability for someone to do that if they feel like that is the right decision for them and that family, but also at the same time, I think it is important that players don’t knock other players that decide they want to play, they want to take on the risk.”

So far, just two of Morstead’s Saints teammates have opted out of the 2020 season due to health concerns (backup tight ends Cole Wick and Jason Vander Laan). But with the NFL deadline to opt out rapidly approaching at 3 p.m. CT on Thursday, Aug. 6, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if more players decide it’s best to wait until 2021.

As for the changes to his daily grind: Morstead says he honestly hasn’t noticed much disruption to his routine, with most of the hassle put on those around him. And he’s careful to recognize the work others do to support him.

“I don’t know that there has been a tough adjustment (for me). I think the tough adjustment is in all the staff, it’s all of the trainers,” Morstead continued. “I think for us (players), it’s just wear the mask and socially distance yourself when you’re able to do that. I don’t sense my day has gotten more strenuous or tougher to do. I still can do everything I need to do. Be mindful of a few things, but it’s really, I’d say that the burden is on the staff and the people that are assisting us and so we’re really appreciative of that.”

When asked whether he’s confident the NFL can pull off the upcoming season as things currently stand, Morstead replied, “That’s above my paygrade. All I know is that we’ve done everything we can to provide as safe a working environment as possible. I don’t think anybody’s under the delusion that people aren’t going to get COVID. The idea with the testing is that we’re hopefully going to catch it before guys have a chance to spread it.”

That’s been the same line from Saints coach Sean Payton, who has stressed that the goal isn’t to prevent infections altogether — that’s inevitable in a contact sport where people are lined up, shoulder-to-shoulder and breathing on each other three or four hours. As Payton explained it, and to which Morstead agrees, all of their efforts are about mitigating risk as much as possible.

To help, the Saints bought out four floors of rooms at a French Quarter hotel, where they plan to house players, coaches, and other employees throughout training camp. Morstead plans to stay there as often as possible, but with a family of four school-aged children at home for his wife to contend with, he isn’t sure how often he can stay away from the house. Just like everyone else, he’s making the best that he can of a difficult situation.

[lawrence-related id=36404,36713,36716,36685,36677]

[vertical-gallery id=36181]

Report: Support seems to be growing for change to NFL’s onside kick rule

The NFL will consider allowing teams to attempt a fourth-and-long situation in place of a traditional onside kick, up to two times a game.

NFL teams might soon have an alternative option to traditional onside kicks.

The NFL announced seven rule change proposals on Thursday and the most notable is a proposal to attempt a fourth-and-long scenario in place of an onside kick. The rule was proposed by the Philadelphia Eagles:

By Philadelphia; to amend Rule 6, Section 1, Article 1, to provide an alternative to the onside kick that would allow a team who is trailing in the game an opportunity to maintain possession of the ball after scoring (4th and 15 from the kicking team’s 25-yard line).

It’s important to note that if this rule goes through, teams would only be allowed to attempt this two times a game, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The league changed onside kick rules two years ago, no longer allowing players to get a running start. That has made onside kicks even more difficult to recover.

The Denver Broncos will likely support this rule proposal given that they suggested a similar change last year. The Broncos’ proposal included a 4th-and-15 from the attempting team’s own 35-yard line, available to use just once per game.

Denver’s proposal was shot down by owners last year. Support for a revised onside kick scenario seems to be growing, according to Pelissero, so Philadelphia’s proposal might generate more support than the Broncos’ did.

[vertical-gallery id=639134]

NFL will allow teams to open facilities on Tuesday with several restrictions

NFL will allow teams to open facilities on Tuesday with several restrictions

There will soon be activity at 76 Lou Groza Blvd. in Berea at Cleveland Browns headquarters. The NFL is prepared to allow team facilities to open as early as this Tuesday, with several restrictions. The league outlined the permitted activities in a memo sent to every team this week.

Facilities for all 32 NFL teams have been mandated to be closed since mid-March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Teams have been working remotely ever since.

From the memo distributed to clubs and made public via the AP,

“Clubs may reopen their facilities beginning on May 19 if they are permitted to do so under governing state and local regulations, are in compliance with any additional public health requirements in their jurisdiction, and have implemented the protocols that were developed by [NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills] and distributed to all clubs on May 6.”

However, there are several restrictions on who can be in the facilities. Among those limits:

  • Only players who are undergoing medical treatment or injury rehab are allowed, along with strength and conditioning staff to work with them. That would permit Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry and others into the building.
  • No more than 50 percent of the staff may be in the facility at any time, with a cap of 75 total people.
  • Coaches cannot return until all 32 teams are on equal footing and allowed to attend via local rules. That means Kevin Stefanski will not report for duty
  • Front office personnel, administration staff, equipment people, medical and nutritionist staff are allowed.

Ohio’s recent easing of interpersonal contact and business restrictions should allow the Browns to comply.

NFL might be closing the ‘Belichick loophole’ which was used against him in the playoffs

Bill Belichick found a rule loophule, and then Mike Vrabel used it against him. The NFL is reportedly going to shut it down.

Last season, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick took advantage of a rule loophole to run time off the lock against the Jets during the regular season.

That same loophole was used against him by Titans coach (and former Patriots staffer) Mike Vrabel in the playoffs, in Tennessee’s win over New England.

When the Patriots did it against the Jets, Belichick conceded that the league should probably address the loophole, and it appears they will be doing so now.

First: The rule. Basically, to try and prevent teams from getting essentially a free timeout late in games on fourth down, the rules currently state that any penalty committed with less than five minutes remaining on fourth down would cause the clock to continue running.

The rule was written to prevent teams, desperately losing, from just committing a cheap five-yard penalty in order to stop the clock and give themselves time to organize a fourth down play.

What Belichick realized, however, was this could be a way for a winning team to run valuable time off the clock. Commit a penalty on fourth down, back up five yards, the play clock resets and the game clock keeps running.

Against the Jets, leading 33-0, the Patriots first let the play clock run out for a delay of game penalty. After it was declined, the Patriots’ Brandon Bolden appeared to intentionally jump for a false start with one second left. Again, the clock kept running. (Bolden was smiling huge after the penalty was called, as was Belichick.)

The Patriots were able to run 90 seconds off the clock in that game.

In the Titans game, Mike Vrabel used the same strategy.

Via CBS:

The Titans had a fourth-and-5 from the Patriots’ 36-yard line with just 6:33 left to play. Due to the weather, Vrabel didn’t want to kick a field goal, so he decided to punt the ball, but not until after his team took a delay of game penalty, which took the clock down to 5:52. Following that penalty, the Titans got a fresh 25-second play clock, and they let the new clock tick down to zero before taking a false start penalty, which didn’t sit well with Belichick.

Now it appears the league will be addressing this, as there is reportedly an amendment to the rule being considered by the NFL Competition Committee. At that point, we’ll get a real “Bill Belichick rule” in the rulebook, which I look forward to.

[lawrence-related id=909880]

[jwplayer pTfXEBzC-q2aasYxh]

NFL will add 2 extra playoff teams starting this season

Starting this season, two extra NFL teams will make the playoffs.

NFL owners have voted in favor of an expanded playoff format, the league announced Tuesday. Beginning this season, the NFL will have two extra teams make the playoffs — one from the AFC and one from the NFC.

Instead of the usual 12 teams reaching the postseason, 14 teams will now qualify. Players agreed to the expanded playoffs in the new collective bargaining agreement with owners.

“Players and clubs both recognized that nothing energizes fans like the chance to see their team qualify for the playoffs and compete for the Super Bowl,” the league said in a statement.

Instead of the top two seeds in each conference earning a bye week, only the No. 1 seed in the AFC and NFC will have a playoff bye now.

CBS, NBC, Telemundo and Nickelodeon will air the additional Wild Card games. The Nickelodeon broadcast will be “tailored for a younger audience,” according to a press release from the NFL.

This marks the first time since 1990 that the NFL has expanded the playoff format. Thirty years ago, the playoffs increased from 10 teams to 12.

[vertical-gallery id=632547]

The Basketball Tournament, the 64-team, …

The Basketball Tournament, the 64-team, $2 million winner-take-all summer tournament entering its seventh season, will change the rules to reduce the chances of a game ending on free throws, tournament officials told ESPN. If a team commits a foul while in the bonus during the Elam Ending — which has teams play to a target score rather than to the end of a clock — the other team will get only one foul shot, rather than two, and retain possession of the ball, said Jonathan Mugar, TBT’s founder and CEO.

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.

[vertical-gallery id=632883]