The dumbest rule in the NFL: New rule change

[Warriorspikes51]

So this means a player can just catch a kickoff at the 3 yard line, signal fair catch and it comes to the 25?

[DQW87]

It's pretty dumb, but not nearly the dumbest rule.  That trophy has to go to the no coachs challenges in the last two minutes of a half.  You actually have to hope the NFL decides to look at close plays, all while teams are doing the "hurry up".   Can't tell you how many times plays that should have been looked at never got reviewed.  Why not do like hockey does.  You can still challenge in the last two minutes of each half, but if you are wrong in your challenge there is a penalty against your team.  Would that be so bad??  At least the team that thinks they just had a bad call go against them has the option to challenge the play knowing they will be penalized if incorrect.

[machine gun kelly]

23 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

And yet McBeane still heavily prioritize Special Teams as the league progressively go away from it. 

Right, but do you think player 43-53 are ever really going to see the field for even a minute unless catastrophic injuries.  At least you can give guys an opportunity to shine there and then try and earn their way into a real position later.

[PatsFanNH]

29 minutes ago, ScottLaw said:

And yet McBeane still heavily prioritize Special Teams as the league progressively go away from it. 

You do realize your Special Teams last year won you the Pats game at the end of the year right?  Also a bad punter and or kick off specialist can lose you a game as well. Special teams are still important.

[BarleyNY]

17 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

Am I missing something? How is that much different than now? Is it currently the 20 yard line? 

The difference is that now a fair caught kick off anywhere inside the 25 yard line comes out to the 25. Same as in FBS. 

[Malazan]

11 minutes ago, PatsFanNH said:

You do realize your Special Teams last year won you the Pats game at the end of the year right?  Also a bad punter and or kick off specialist can lose you a game as well. Special teams are still important.

 

scott is one of our resident board trolls. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

6 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

The difference is that now a fair caught kick off anywhere inside the 25 yard line comes out to the 25. Same as in FBS. 

Oh, actually don’t care. I thought this was for all fair catches including punts.

[Warriorspikes51]

32 minutes ago, DQW87 said:

It's pretty dumb, but not nearly the dumbest rule.  That trophy has to go to the no coachs challenges in the last two minutes of a half.  You actually have to hope the NFL decides to look at close plays, all while teams are doing the "hurry up".   Can't tell you how many times plays that should have been looked at never got reviewed.  Why not do like hockey does.  You can still challenge in the last two minutes of each half, but if you are wrong in your challenge there is a penalty against your team.  Would that be so bad??  At least the team that thinks they just had a bad call go against them has the option to challenge the play knowing they will be penalized if incorrect.

 

This is actually a great idea in general.  Either a 5 yard penalty for delay of game or 15 yard penalty for being wrong on a challenge

 

Speaking of Delay of Game...

 

Can we PLEASE do something about the play clock hitting 0 and the lack of consistency on when an officiating crew actually calls a penalty?

Sometimes it is immediate. Other times 2-3 full seconds after the clock hits 0 and no flag 

 

This is currently the most annoying rule issue in the NFL.

 

Have a buzzer go off in the stadium immediately upon the play clock hitting 0. Something. Anything!!! 

Edited May 23, 2023 by Warriorspikes51

[Nephilim17]

33 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

So this means a player can just catch a kickoff at the 3 yard line, signal fair catch and it comes to the 25?

How's this any different from not catching the ball and letting it go through the endzone?

As it doesn't apply to punts I don't see the big deal. 

[Process]

32 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

Am I missing something? How is that much different than now? Is it currently the 20 yard line? 

It further eliminates returns. Right now teams will frequently kick it to the 5 yard line on purpose hoping to stop the returner, who is forced to return it, before the 25 yard line. 

 

Now the returner can just fair catch it and ball goes to the 25, no return. 

 

[Warriorspikes51]

2 minutes ago, Process said:

It further eliminates returns. Right now teams will frequently kick it to the 5 yard line on purpose hoping to stop the returner, who is forced to return it, before the 25 yard line. 

 

Now the returner can just fair catch it and ball goes to the 25, no return. 

 

 

I suspect we'll see more kicks low to the ground to try and limit the fair catch ability 

[Herc11]

45 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

Am I missing something? How is that much different than now? Is it currently the 20 yard line? 

Previously if you kicked it short of the goalline, the ball is spotted where the ball carrier is tackled. Now, that ball carrier and waiver fair catch at the 2 and it's automatically spotted at the 25.

10 minutes ago, Nephilim17 said:

How's this any different from not catching the ball and letting it go through the endzone?

As it doesn't apply to punts I don't see the big deal. 

 

When the ball hits short of the goal line, you are taking a risk by just letting it bounce. There's no guarantee it's going through the endzone. As the kick returner, the smart play now is to fair catch everything inside the 15

Edited May 23, 2023 by Herc11

[BarleyNY]

20 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Oh, actually don’t care. I thought this was for all fair catches including punts.

It really is a nothingburger. It was weird when I saw it happen the first time in a college game, but then I figured out what was going on.

[nucci]

1 minute ago, BarleyNY said:

It really is a nothingburger. It was weird when I saw it happen the first time in a college game, but then I figured out what was going on.

it's a somethingburger. Most every start after a kick will be 25. No more returns. And what exactly is a nothing burger?

[benderbender]

The number one injury type is knee injury. This can be addressed by the number one contributor to that type of injury: the field composition. Instead of lessening the most prevalent type of injury, they’ve focused on a possible 7% reduction in concussion only on kickoffs. 

[StHustle]

7 minutes ago, BarleyNY said:

It really is a nothingburger. It was weird when I saw it happen the first time in a college game, but then I figured out what was going on.

 

The Bills have consistently benefited from teams having to start short of the 25. Bass is an expert at kicking inside the 5. This will definitely affect us in a negative way!

[Lieutenant Aldo Raine]

We all remember the infamous fair catch in the endzone during 2019 Playoff Game in Houston.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

8 minutes ago, nucci said:

it's a somethingburger. Most every start after a kick will be 25. No more returns. And what exactly is a nothing burger?

I’m the fan that gets mad that we don’t just kick it through the end zone every time. Take advantage of the rule. It’s just not worth it to set up a return.

[nucci]

4 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I’m the fan that gets mad that we don’t just kick it through the end zone every time. Take advantage of the rule. It’s just not worth it to set up a return.

I like when we kick short and tackle runner inside 20

[AuntieEm]

1 hour ago, D. L. Hot-Flamethrower said:

Might as well do away with kickoffs and start at the 25. They want to get rid of the play anyway.

 

Yea if the reason is safety then eliminate all possible injuries and don't 3ven bother kicking it just put ball on 25.  Why even kick the ball.