FWIW: NFL wraps up their league meeting

[stuckincincy]

The 5 yard penalty for spiking or throwing the ball after a play should get a lot of usage...

 

Perhaps a flag for pitching the ball, but spiking? Seems like a plain 'ole human reaction to me.

 

But now, one may feel free to launch a missile at the OL of your choice.

 

 

Meetings end with approval of minor rules

But OT kickoff issue saved for later

BY MARK CURNUTTE Cincinnati Enquirer 03/29/07

 

"PHOENIX - The NFL annual league meeting ended Wednesday with owners adopting several new, minor rules but tabling the proposal to move the kickoff to the 35-yard line at the start of overtime. The 35-yard line kickoff was not voted on. Owners want to examine a two-possession rule in overtime that is used in NFL Europe. The goal, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, is to continue to encourage teams to try to win the game in regulation and not play for overtime.

 

Owners also voted down, 17-15, a Chicago Bears proposal to expand the number of active players on game day from 45 to 47. There were concerns about each team having the same number of healthy players, NFL Competition Committee co-chair Rich McKay said.

 

In votes, owners approved proposals to:

 

Delete the crowd-noise procedure from playing rules, when the quarterback informs a game official that he cannot hear;

 

Create a 5-yard penalty for spiking or throwing the ball at the end of a play on the field of play;

 

Make permanent the replay review of down-by-contact plays, first used in 2006. There were 17 reviews of down-by-contact decisions during the 2006 season, and five of them were reversed on replay; and

 

Eliminate the penalty when a thrown pass unintentionally hits an offensive lineman, though it does not affect intentional grounding penalties.

 

On Monday, owners voted 30-2 to make instant replay permanent. "

 

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art.../703290380/1066

[Sketch Soland]

It will be interesting to see the line between "unintentionally" and "intentionally" hitting a O-Lineman with a pass.

[MattyT]

It's not clear in this article, but the key to the spiking rule is "on the field of play." Spiking in the end zone (and I'm assuming out of bounds) shouldn't draw the flag.

[stuckincincy]

It's not clear in this article, but the key to the spiking rule is "on the field of play." Spiking in the end zone (and I'm assuming out of bounds) shouldn't draw the flag.

 

Good point!

[eball]

It's not clear in this article, but the key to the spiking rule is "on the field of play." Spiking in the end zone (and I'm assuming out of bounds) shouldn't draw the flag.

I read somewhere that the penalty specifically doesn't apply to end zone celebrations. Furthermore, if the penalty occurs after a player makes a first down, it doesn't eliminate the first down. The LOS is just moved back 5 yards and it's 1st and 10.

[Special K]

I wonder if this includes spinning the ball on the ground or throwing it straight up in the air like some players like to do.

(Steve Smith comes to mind)