It is now a 15 yard penalty in the NFL......

[Coverdatspred]

For an offensive player to lower his head on any play outside the tackle box. Does the NFL even understand what a cluster fuck this rule is? I can not even begin to wrap my head around this. How on earth is a back like Adrian Peterson going to change the way he has played the game his entire life? What is he supposed to do? Let the defensive player hit him in the neck? How would an all time great like Walter Payton have faired with this rule? Are they just supposed to now hook slide and avoid contact?

Imagine this scenario. 10 seconds on the clock in the Super Bowl and a running back has the ball. A linebacker stands between him and the end zone. The back lowers his heads and bowls over the linebacker a la Bo Jackson and Brian Bosworth to score the winning TD, but wait. 15 yard flag for lowering his head and the game is over.

This rule feels like a turning point in the game to me. Either people and players stand up against this shit or the game as we know it is finished.

 

[wadegarrett]

Terrible. A RB now can't finish a run.

 

[Coverdatspred]

Right Wade? I mean how the fuck do they even enforce this rule? There will be 15-20 chances for them to throw flags per game. This is a disaster.

Its a natural movement for a RB to lower their head, they can not drop their pad level to meet contact if they do not lower their head. I dont think these guys can possibly make the change in their styles.

 

[Lareux]

Right Wade? I mean how the fuck do they even enforce this rule? There will be 15-20 chances for them to throw flags per game. This is a disaster.

Its a natural movement for a RB to lower their head, they can not drop their pad level to meet contact if they do not lower their head. I dont think these guys can possibly make the change in their styles.

I guess they looked through all games from weeks 10-17 of last year, and there would have been 11 penalties called for this new rule. I'm not defending it by any stretch, I personally think it's a joke and they might as well hand out flags instead of helmets, but according the their research, there would have been about 1.5 calls per week league-wide, which doesn't sound like much.

Also, from what I understand, they can still use their head, just not the crown of the helmet. This rule doesn't prohibit the runners from using the facemask, or the hairline part of his helmet, according to quotes from Jeff Fisher. Again, I'm not defending it. This thing about them using the facemask or 'hairline part' of helmet would seem to only make the rule/call more convoluted.

 

[wadegarrett]

NFL will be unwatchable very soon with all these pussy rules.

Seriously like a RB who is tryig to finish a run has time to put his helmet in perfect position(facemask not crown) going full speed.
Idiotic

 

[Coverdatspred]

I guess they looked through all games from weeks 10-17 of last year, and there would have been 11 penalties called for this new rule. I'm not defending it by any stretch, I personally think it's a joke and they might as well hand out flags instead of helmets, but according the their research, there would have been about 1.5 calls per week league-wide, which doesn't sound like much.

Also, from what I understand, they can still use their head, just not the crown of the helmet. This rule doesn't prohibit the runners from using the facemask, or the hairline part of his helmet, according to quotes from Jeff Fisher. Again, I'm not defending it. This thing about them using the facemask or 'hairline part' of helmet would seem to only make the rule/call more convoluted.

Just what the NFL needs right? Another rule that is so subjective that its left up to each individual crew to decide what is and what isnt a penalty. BTW I know you didnt come up with the 1.5 calls per week league wide stat so Im not bashing you but I say that is complete bullshit. In watching games I see at least 5 plays a game where a runner leads with the helmet. The difference between the hairline and the crown is such a small area that this rule is going to be a clusterfuck.

 

[Lareux]

It's not just leading with the helmet though. It's only leading with the crown, an only outside the tackle boxes and 3+ TDs downfield. We're not talking about goal line or 3rd/4th and short carries. If its inside the tackle boxes, nothing is changing. At least that's my understanding. I certainly agree that the NFL doesn't need any more subjective rules, they need less ffs.

 

[Coverdatspred]

It's outside the tackle box or 3 yards downfield. This rule would pretty much have made Walter Payton an average running back.

To take it a bit further I wonder on how many plays last year AD did this exact thing either 3 yards down the field or outside the box?

 

[Coverdatspred]

I understand the "crown" thing. I just think its way too open to interpretation. I'd say that a RB leads with the crown way more than a defensive player leads with the crown.

 

[Lareux]

It's outside the tackle box or 3 yards downfield. This rule would pretty much have made Walter Payton an average running back.

To take it a bit further I wonder on how many plays last year AD did this exact thing either 3 yards down the field or outside the box?

I'm not sure, but would be interesting to see. I'm not sure it really happens as much as you think though...their number of 11 may not be right, but it can't be too far off of that. I guess it would make more sense if we could see video of a now illegal hit vs a legal hit (using the head still as well). Apparently they showed videos those at the owner's meetings before the vote, and it made more sense to them once they saw the exact play the NFL is/was talking about.

Again, I agree with you that there are already way too many rules in the NFL left open to interpretation, and it's hurt the game throughout the last few years as the officiating is horrific.

 

[ClubDirt]

I guess they looked through all games from weeks 10-17 of last year, and there would have been 11 penalties called for this new rule. I'm not defending it by any stretch, I personally think it's a joke and they might as well hand out flags instead of helmets, but according the their research, there would have been about 1.5 calls per week league-wide, which doesn't sound like much.

Also, from what I understand, they can still use their head, just not the crown of the helmet. This rule doesn't prohibit the runners from using the facemask, or the hairline part of his helmet, according to quotes from Jeff Fisher. Again, I'm not defending it. This thing about them using the facemask or 'hairline part' of helmet would seem to only make the rule/call more convoluted.

the problem is it's one thing for a group of them to watch plays, probably in slow motion, in a room and decide how many times a flag should be thrown. but on the field, this will be a monumental clusterfuck. i made a post about this at that other place. the refs will fuck this up possibly as much as the now second dumbest penalty in the nfl, which is the hit against a defenseless receiver 15 yard penalty. some of these rtules might sound ok on paper, but as bad as the refs are, the way they wil be applied will be terrible for the entertainment value of the league.

 

[Lareux]

the problem is it's one thing for a group of them to watch plays, probably in slow motion, in a room and decide how many times a flag should be thrown. but on the field, this will be a monumental clusterfuck. i made a post about this at that other place. the refs will fuck this up possibly as much as the now second dumbest penalty in the nfl, which is the hit against a defenseless receiver 15 yard penalty. some of these rtules might sound ok on paper, but as bad as the refs are, the way they wil be applied will be terrible for the entertainment value of the league.

Agree 100%. I'm one of the most vocal about the officiating in the NFL, as I think it's beyond horrible that a $9B/yr league trots out the officiating they do on a weekly basis. It's embarrassing for the NFL is what it is. Or at least it should be, doesn't seem like the NFL thinks it's officiating is an issue.

 

[BetCrimes1984]

Another particular rule change comes 12 years too late for the Oakland Raiders.

 

[ClubDirt]

Agree 100%. I'm one of the most vocal about the officiating in the NFL, as I think it's beyond horrible that a $9B/yr league trots out the officiating they do on a weekly basis. It's embarrassing for the NFL is what it is. Or at least it should be, doesn't seem like the NFL thinks it's officiating is an issue.

i got yelled at a lot on the forums but i was against ending the referee lockout. i thought it was a big mistake.

 

[Lareux]

i got yelled at a lot on the forums but i was against ending the referee lockout. i thought it was a big mistake.

My biggest thing with the NFL is that they don't have full time officials. How can you possibly make that much money a year, and not hire full time officials to make sure you're getting all of the calls right (or as close as humanly possible)? There is a ton of stuff the officials can do to get better in the off season, and there's no reason a freaking accountant, or attorney, or body builder should be out on the fields on Sundays officiated those games.

They can use ex players from college, and even those who flamed out in the NFL or even recently retired. Who knows the game better than guys who have recently played the game? They also wouldn't be 50+, and would be in much better shape to get into the correct positions on the field. Pay them $500k a year or even more, who cares....you make $9 BILLION a year.