Thoughts of possible new rules in the NEAR future...

[Vapster]

The NFL is all for experimenting in the 2022 Pro Bowl, an exhibition meant to gauge interest in potential rule changes for the league going forward. The league will experiment with this year's iteration of the game, abolishing the kickoff and using an alternative method for the winner of the coin toss.

Here's what the NFL has in store to replace the kickoff. The head coach or captain of the visiting team will call "heads" or "tails," and the winner of the "toss" will choose one of two options:

• Spot: Place the ball on the field for the first play of the first quarter, including the designation of direction OR
• Choose: Decide whether to start on offense or defense from the other team's designated spot or direction.

Privilege "A" will be exercised before privilege "B," so the selection to play offense or defense will be made after the starting field of play is chosen. To start the second half, the loser of the start of the game "coin toss" has the option to chose one of the two privileges -- while the other team gets the other one.

The Pro Bowl will also keep the onside kick alternative for the third straight year. The scoring team may elect to give the ball to its opposition at their own 25-yard line, or it may elect to take the ball at its own 25 for a fourth-and-15 play. If it is successful, it will maintain possession as normal, and if not, the result is a turnover.

The Pro Bowl will also feature a 35/25 second play clock instead of the normal 40/25 second clock. After an incomplete pass, the game clock will start on the official's signal, except inside the last two minutes of the first half and the last five minutes of the second half. In a normal NFL game, the game clock does not start after an incomplete pass.

The changes make the Pro Bowl interesting, even if the league has yet to make any of the proposals live in an official game.

 

[Gandolf]

Any rule changes involving actually tackling in the Pro Bowl?

 

[B.A.R.]

Fine with the spot/choose.

Not okay with anything that speeds up the game clock. Leave as is. You can reform replay if worried about long games.

 

[cubsker]

Shortening the play clock would be a good idea. Doesn't the clock not even run except when the ball is in play in the CFL the last two minutes?

 

[jedi ninja]

Fine with the spot/choose.

Not okay with anything that speeds up the game clock. Leave as is. You can reform replay if worried about long games.

I can't imagine the running clock after an incomplete pass would ever be seriously considered. There is no way the league wants to give up advertising opportunities by shortening the game time and chance to get commercial breaks. Zero chance. Less than zero is that's possible.

 

[RetroVK]

They need to do something to make holding more common on pass plays and less common on run plays.

 

[RetroVK]

they also need some sort of rule about having to identify as a pussy in order to play

 

[Tin&Lint]

Pet peeve, not significant, but I hate where the runner goes out of bounds & the ref makes a judgement on whether he was going forward or backwards and decides whether or not to run the clock.

No one understands it, and it’s stupid.

If the runner makes it to the white paint before going down, stop the clock. Defense wants clock to keep running … bring your man to the ground!

 

[Vapster]

Pet peeve, not significant, but I hate where the runner goes out of bounds & the ref makes a judgement on whether he was going forward or backwards and decides whether or not to run the clock.

No one understands it, and it’s stupid.

If the runner makes it to the white paint before going down, stop the clock. Defense wants clock to keep running … bring your man to the ground!

Agree 100% @Tin&Lint

 

[skanless13]

Hate all these rules trying to make the game “safer.” It’s fucking FOOTBALL. It’s vioyby nature. When people choose to play it, they know what they are getting into. Soon the game is going to be unrecognizable. Eliminating the kickoff is so stupid. It can be one of the most exciting plays. Why don’t we just eliminate all plays where violent collisions might happen. Let’s get rid of punting, it’s similar to kickofffs, sometimes even more violent. The passing game? That’s pretty dangerous sometimes, let’s get rid of that. Sometimes running backs get tackled hard or run over other players, let’s get rid of that. Running can cause injuries, we should probably stop that. Everyone can only walk from now on and has to ask permission before gently tackling. Wait, tackles are pretty violent, let’s do flags…,

Bottom line, if you’re not willing to assume the risk, don’t play the damn game. Get into another sport. Geez.

Ok, rant over.

 

[skanless13]

The funny thing is, most players HATE all these rule changes. My brother in law played arena and semi pro. Thinks these changes are a joke, and same with his teammates

 

[Gandolf]

I don’t get the spot/choose thing without a kickoff. At what point does a team say, no we don’t want the ball? I don’t think they ever would.

 

[KJ]

The funny thing is, most players HATE all these rule changes. My brother in law played arena and semi pro. Thinks these changes are a joke, and same with his teammates

I wouldn't look at it from the player's percpective, CTE has clearly shown to be a detriment to others in society. Player safety is code for "we don't want to get sued when concussions cause violence off the field".

Of course every football player doesn't give a rip about getting concussed.

 

[KJ]

Shortening the play clock would be a good idea. Doesn't the clock not even run except when the ball is in play in the CFL the last two minutes?

You don't think it's fair now? Starting immediately and after an incomplete pass, you need the receiver(s) who ran deep to have time to get back to the huddle, by then it seems like 15-20 seconds are already off the play clock. Would love for something to speed everything up just not really sure what else can be done other than as Reno said, do something about the replay system. No reason a ref needs to go under the hood, the second the challenge is thrown or a turnover/score happens, someone somewhere needs to be reviewing it and relay their findings to the head ref.

 

[cubsker]

You don't think it's fair now? Starting immediately and after an incomplete pass, you need the receiver(s) who ran deep to have time to get back to the huddle, by then it seems like 15-20 seconds are already off the play clock. Would love for something to speed everything up just not really sure what else can be done other than as Reno said, do something about the replay system. No reason a ref needs to go under the hood, the second the challenge is thrown or a turnover/score happens, someone somewhere needs to be reviewing it and relay their findings to the head ref.

I just hate the running out the clock shit. Manipulating the clock is probably the most important skill of half of the games now. Makes the sport dumb.

 

[KJ]

I just hate the running out the clock shit. Manipulating the clock is probably the most important skill of half of the games now. Makes the sport dumb.

I think CFL requires positive yardage to keep the clock running which would make it impossible to do knees

 

[jedi ninja]

I don’t get the spot/choose thing without a kickoff. At what point does a team say, no we don’t want the ball? I don’t think they ever would.

If the “spot” team picks inside the 10 yard line, many teams would probably choose defense.

It’s a pretty interesting concept.

 

[Gandolf]

If the spot team choose inside their own 10 yard line, the other team will want the ball for a 1st and goal, If the spot team chooses inside the other teams 10 yard line, the other team will want the ball so they don't get stuck defending a 1st and goal. I still don't get it.

 

[jedi ninja]

If the spot team choose inside their own 10 yard line, the other team will want the ball for a 1st and goal, If the spot team chooses inside the other teams 10 yard line, the other team will want the ball so they don't get stuck defending a 1st and goal. I still don't get it.

The choice is between the 1 and the 50. The team who takes the ball is always in their own end to begin the drive.

They aren’t choosing their own or opponents 10, as nobody has the ball yet. They’re simply choosing a spot where the offense will start on their own side of the field.

 

[Gandolf]

The choice is between the 1 and the 50. The team who takes the ball is always in their own end to begin the drive.

They aren’t choosing their own or opponents 10, as nobody has the ball yet. They’re simply choosing a spot where the offense will start on their own side of the field.

Ok, that makes a little more sense. I think it falls flat though, especially in a game that usually has little defense.

 

[jedi ninja]

Ok, that makes a little more sense. I think it falls flat though, especially in a game that usually has little defense.

Apparently they’ve done a study or survey and determined that the 17 yard line is the threshold where a team would choose defense as opposed to offense. 1-17 yard line, choose defense. 18-50 yard line, choose offense.

 

[skanless13]

I wouldn't look at it from the player's percpective, CTE has clearly shown to be a detriment to others in society. Player safety is code for "we don't want to get sued when concussions cause violence off the field".

Of course every football player doesn't give a rip about getting concussed.

I get that put I think that lawsuit shit is stupid. Our country is forgetting about the idea of personal responsibility. If u choose to play football, which is violent by nature, you are choosing to assume the inherent risks. Just like boxing. If you don’t want to assume the potential harm of getting hit in the head, don’t box. That’s on you, not the league.

 

[KJ]

I get that put I think that lawsuit shit is stupid. Our country is forgetting about the idea of personal responsibility. If u choose to play football, which is violent by nature, you are choosing to assume the inherent risks. Just like boxing. If you don’t want to assume the potential harm of getting hit in the head, don’t box. That’s on you, not the league.

So when the player from KC went on the rampage and killed his girlfriend then committed suicide, her family shouldn't name the Chiefs and the NFL in the lawsuit after it was found that he had so much brain damage? Her choice?

Naw, gotta be better than that.

 

[skanless13]

So when the player from KC went on the rampage and killed his girlfriend then committed suicide, her family shouldn't name the Chiefs and the NFL in the lawsuit after it was found that he had so much brain damage? Her choice?

Naw, gotta be better than that.

Nope. That’s on him and him only. He chose to play the game. It’s called personal responsibility. The Chiefs didn’t force him to play. That’s on him.

 

[KJ]

Nope. That’s on him and him only. He chose to play the game. It’s called personal responsibility. The Chiefs didn’t force him to play. That’s on him.

So they should sue him and his estate but not the NFL or the Chiefs?

That's not how civil law works in any facet of life lol. It's not frivolous to name the organization and the league in a civil lawsuit. You're a bona fide idiot getting terrible advice if you don't.

 

[skanless13]

Yeah, I don’t get it. I think it’s all about personal responsibility. But that’s an idea they had gone by the wayside in our society. No one forced the dude to play football. It’s his choice. He assumed the risk involved. He and only he is responsible for the consequences and his actions. Sounds like we not going to agree on this one.

 

[KJ]

Yeah, I don’t get it. I think it’s all about personal responsibility. But that’s an idea they had gone by the wayside in our society. No one forced the dude to play football. It’s his choice. He assumed the risk involved. He and only he is responsible for the consequences and his actions. Sounds like we not going to agree on this one.

That's my point. It wasn't her choice. If he only harms himself it's one thing. But that obviously wasn't the case, when it starts to have a societal effect, and lawsuits should and will happen to put the onus on the league to take action to the best of their ability. Football as we know it is a very new sport, nothing close to what it was 50 years ago with size/speed etc and long term effects of brain injuries are showing to be ugly. So you either adapt the game by choice or get forced to by people who didn't sign up for some dude's poor choices.

And let's be honest, they can do a bunch of things to promote safety but we also will likely see it be a lot worse 20 years from now. Just like anything it's trial and err.

 

[skanless13]

That's my point. It wasn't her choice. If he only harms himself it's one thing. But that obviously wasn't the case, when it starts to have a societal effect, and lawsuits should and will happen to put the onus on the league to take action to the best of their ability. Football as we know it is a very new sport, nothing close to what it was 50 years ago with size/speed etc and long term effects of brain injuries are showing to be ugly. So you either adapt the game by choice or get forced to by people who didn't sign up for some dude's poor choices.

And let's be honest, they can do a bunch of things to promote safety but we also will likely see it be a lot worse 20 years from now. Just like anything it's trial and err.

Yeah. I still don’t think that’s on the league. That is 100% on him and only him. I get that the league is making these changes to protect themselves, but they shouldn’t have to.

 

[Inspekdah]

Fine with the spot/choose.

Not okay with anything that speeds up the game clock. Leave as is. You can reform replay if worried about long games.

Yeah clock running on incomplete is insanity

 

[Inspekdah]

The 4 and 15 concept makes sense but puts entirely way too much power in the hands of officiating when it comes to PI which will likely be involved in some question in half of these plays.

 

[2daBank]

Fine with the spot/choose.

Not okay with anything that speeds up the game clock. Leave as is. You can reform replay if worried about long games.

For this particular game I say speed it up fast as possible! Lol