NFL Competition Committee Endsorses Six Proposed Rule Changes for 2021 Season

[chongli]

24 votes from the owners are still needed to pass these. Voting takes place later this month. [Sorry, I don't have a lot of time to comment, but wanted to post this since it might be of interest to readers here. I didn't see this posted elsewhere after a search and looking at the first two pages.]

 

Here is the article and the endorsements:

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31177555/more-video-review-potential-rule-changes

 

• Expansion of the scope of information that replay officials could provide to on-field officiating crews during games. Replay officials -- as well as other members of the league's officiating department -- would be able to advise on possession, a completed or intercepted pass, whether a player is down by contact and the position of the ball relative to a line or boundary.

• The elimination of overtime in preseason games.

• Allowing a maximum of nine players in the "setup zone," the 15-yard area behind their restraining line when set up for a kickoff return. This proposal could make it a bit easier to recover onside kicks, a challenge that has grown harder since the NFL's 2018 revamp of the kickoff. The Philadelphia Eagles proposed a more radical change, giving teams an option for one play to gain 15 yards to keep possession after a score, but similar suggestions have failed to receive enough votes in previous years.

• A significant restriction on blocking below the waist beyond 5 yards of the line of scrimmage and 2 yards outside of the offensive tackle.

• Prohibiting playoff teams from signing players who had been cut by teams whose seasons were complete.

• Requiring teams to report tryouts and visits to the league office throughout the year.

Edited April 1, 2021 by chongli

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

I definitely don't need overtime in the preseason lol

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

10 minutes ago, chongli said:

24 votes from the owners are still needed to pass these. Voting takes place later this month. [Sorry, I don't have a lot of time to comments but wanted to post this since it might be of interest to Bills fans. I didn't see this posted elsewhere after a search and looking at the first two pages.]

 

Here is the article and the endorsements:

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31177555/more-video-review-potential-rule-changes

 

• Expansion of the scope of information that replay officials could provide to on-field officiating crews during games. Replay officials -- as well as other members of the league's officiating department -- would be able to advise on possession, a completed or intercepted pass, whether a player is down by contact and the position of the ball relative to a line or boundary.

• The elimination of overtime in preseason games.

• Allowing a maximum of nine players in the "setup zone," the 15-yard area behind their restraining line when set up for a kickoff return. This proposal could make it a bit easier to recover onside kicks, a challenge that has grown harder since the NFL's 2018 revamp of the kickoff. The Philadelphia Eagles proposed a more radical change, giving teams an option for one play to gain 15 yards to keep possession after a score, but similar suggestions have failed to receive enough votes in previous years.

• A significant restriction on blocking below the waist beyond 5 yards of the line of scrimmage and 2 yards outside of the offensive tackle.

• Prohibiting playoff teams from signing players who had been cut by teams whose seasons were complete.

• Requiring teams to report tryouts and visits to the league office throughout the year.

 

How about actually enforcing ineligible man downfield?  

[PrimeTime101]

22 minutes ago, chongli said:

24 votes from the owners are still needed to pass these. Voting takes place later this month. [Sorry, I don't have a lot of time to comments but wanted to post this since it might be of interest to Bills fans. I didn't see this posted elsewhere after a search and looking at the first two pages.]

 

Here is the article and the endorsements:

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31177555/more-video-review-potential-rule-changes

 

• Expansion of the scope of information that replay officials could provide to on-field officiating crews during games. Replay officials -- as well as other members of the league's officiating department -- would be able to advise on possession, a completed or intercepted pass, whether a player is down by contact and the position of the ball relative to a line or boundary.

• The elimination of overtime in preseason games.

• Allowing a maximum of nine players in the "setup zone," the 15-yard area behind their restraining line when set up for a kickoff return. This proposal could make it a bit easier to recover onside kicks, a challenge that has grown harder since the NFL's 2018 revamp of the kickoff. The Philadelphia Eagles proposed a more radical change, giving teams an option for one play to gain 15 yards to keep possession after a score, but similar suggestions have failed to receive enough votes in previous years.

• A significant restriction on blocking below the waist beyond 5 yards of the line of scrimmage and 2 yards outside of the offensive tackle.

• Prohibiting playoff teams from signing players who had been cut by teams whose seasons were complete.

• Requiring teams to report tryouts and visits to the league office throughout the year.

I actually don't have a problem with any of this

[Doc Brown]

Some thoughts:

-The obsession with making the onsides kick easier is annoying to me.  You played poor enough to be down double digits late in the 4th and it should be a miracle for you to come back.

-Two preseason games (one at home, one away) along with a couple of scrimmages with other teams should be more than enough.

-The more replay expands the more frustrating and confusing it gets.  I'm not a fan of the "replay officials" (really sky judges) type proposal they're putting out there.  It just puts more on the coach on what to and what not to challenge.

Edited April 1, 2021 by Doc Brown

[scuba guy]

Where is the one that hurt Cleveland in the playoffs. A fumble in the ends zone gives the ball to the defense on the 20 yard line, that is the worst rule ever

[Doc Brown]

1 minute ago, scuba guy said:

Where is the one that hurt Cleveland in the playoffs. A fumble in the ends zone gives the ball to the defense on the 20 yard line, that is the worst rule ever

Don't fumble the ball by stretching for the pylon.  I kind of like the high risk/high reward type play there.

[WhoTom]

4 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

The obsession with making the onsides kick easier is annoying to me.  You played poor enough to be down double digits late in the 4th and it should be a miracle for you to come back.

 

I think they're trying to restore the recovery rate to what it was before they changed the rule in order to make onside kicks safer.

[Rochesterfan]

5 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

I think they're trying to restore the recovery rate to what it was before they changed the rule in order to make onside kicks safer.

 

Eliminate it completely- win on the field - trying to find a way to get a few percentage points back is stupid.

 

If it is dangerous - eliminate it.  
 

I would prefer it to be either very, very rare or truly penalize the team trying it.

 

For example - if the decide to go to the 4-15 attempt as an onside kick - make it 20 or 25 yards and from their own 5 - so you are really risking something.  A team that has been behind all game and gets some late scores should not have more opportunity to find ways to win.
 

I get it the league prefers close games, but at some point they are going to get caught just like in hockey where a hot mic catches the ref using make up calls as an excuse to help keep it close.  Just let it play out.

[JMF2006]

1 hour ago, 2020 Our Year For Sure said:

I definitely don't need overtime in the preseason lol

 

Oh man they are ruining the game

 

I looked forward to all those nail biting pre season overtime games

 

Has there ever been one in the modern era?

 

Most coaches purposely avoid a scoring tie by going for 2 or something. 

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

3 minutes ago, JMF2006 said:

 

Oh man they are ruining the game

 

I looked forward to all those nail biting pre season overtime games

 

Has there ever been one in the modern era?

 

Most coaches purposely avoid a scoring tie by going for 2 or something. 

I feel like there was one in the last few years because I remember being surprised to learn they'd play it out.

[Inigo Montoya]

1 hour ago, chongli said:

• A significant restriction on blocking below the waist beyond 5 yards of the line of scrimmage and 2 yards outside of the offensive tackle.  
 

This sounds like another highly subjective penalty similar to the arbitrarily enforced “Crack back block” rule and is going to end up costing teams games.  This one is going to be a mess.

[billsfan89]

I would have OT in the preseason come down to a coin toss and the winning team gets to go for two points, if they miss the conversion the other team gets two points and wins. It's super gimmicky but it gets you a winner while only adding one play (so not a big injury risk.) And it adds a lot of excitement for the real diehard fans that actually stayed for the last plays of a pre-season game. The rest seem like pretty good small changes.

[BillsfaninSB]

So does this mean the one helmet shell rule stays for another year?

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

*
 

 

 

 

*The aforementioned changes do not pertain to the New England Patriots.

[Bookie Man]

I don't think it needs to be made an official rule, but the officials should be counseled to not call ticky tacky penalties, especially away from the play. And no borderline holding/contact/PI penalties, only the obvious kind. And less time reviewing plays. At home, we can usually tell after 10 seconds which way the call should be. How annoying is it to have to wait for the referee to watch the same replay for 3 minutes. Have a small team upstairs review the plays and just buzz the call down to the ref so he doesn't have to jog all the way to the sideline then all the way back to the center of the field to tell everyone the call. Referees should not be able have as much impact on the game as they do. One, it's usually not fair. And 2, watching the game is a much better experience when there is less referee involvement. Teams play more physical and the flow is 5x better. Less is more when it comes to officiating. It's really that simple. 

[BuffaloBill]

2 hours ago, 2020 Our Year For Sure said:

I definitely don't need overtime in the preseason lol

 

 

But don’t you enjoy the anxiety of not knowing who will win? 

[RiotAct]

8 hours ago, 2020 Our Year For Sure said:

I definitely don't need overtime in the preseason lol

yeah... I figured there already wasn’t overtime in preseason.

[RyanC883]

7 hours ago, BillsfaninSB said:

So does this mean the one helmet shell rule stays for another year?

 

hate that. 

[UConn James]

7 hours ago, BillsfaninSB said:

So does this mean the one helmet shell rule stays for another year?

I really don’t think that’s part of the Competition Committee’s area. When the one-shell rule was ‘revealed’ to the media, it was with the then Tampa Bay coach saying that the Bucco Bruce Orange creamsicle set would not be worn in an upcoming game, as had been planned prior in the offseason / ramp-up to the season in ~July, when these uni schedules have recently started to be officially released by teams. I expect that call was made by a safety committee in conjunction with the docs involved with CTE studies.

 

The UniWatch’s Paul Lucas & Sports Logo forum’s Chris Creamer started a podcast a couple of months ago and a recent one had the one-shell rule as a main topic. There has been a rumor that the one-shell rule will be ending. They don’t know if this year or next; nor is it for certain, as is the nature of rumors. But it has been a kinda persistent one. But so far, I don’t think there’s been any leaks from any clubs about any possible second helmet color. Perhaps at the draft? Perhaps there will be an announcement later into the offseason? Or perhaps, in the same manner as its inception, a team will just show up with a different helmet.