I don't think this fixes anything. This is just like the rules that already exist. What constitutes "hands to the face? Hand on facemask? What if you elbow the guy in the facemask? What if you use your forearms? DO you have to grasp the facemask or just touch it in anyway? Inadvertent hand touches the facemask, or the helmet, or goes under the mask? What constitutes holding? What constitutes tackling? When does "prior to being able to make a play on the ball" end so that the defender is clear to tackle? What if you don't tackle, but clearly knock the receiver or defender onto the ground?

The problem is that it's very difficult to come up with clear, enforceable, objective standards for some of these fouls, which is why you see the same play in different games be called different ways.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

I'd like them force all players to play both offense and defense like we did back in grade school. Then, adopt a baseball-like substitution rule. If you come out of the game for any reason, you're done for the day.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

What if you elbow the guy in the facemask? What if you use your forearms?


Are those hands?


What constitutes holding? What constitutes tackling? When does "prior to being able to make a play on the ball" end so that the defender is clear to tackle? What if you don't tackle, but clearly knock the receiver or defender onto the ground?


It could be amended to say "Any excessive use of holding or force to deny the opposing player the ability to run their route, such as pulling back or wrapping up, will be flagged as a 'Pass Interference' for a 15 yard penalty"


"Running a route" goes from the time the ball is snapped to when the pass can be contested.




I'm just spitballing.

I was just wondering last night... when did place-kicking become such a variable? Admittedly, I don't watch a ton of football these days, but I watched a lot of it when I was younger, and - with the exception of Scott Norwood - kicking FGs and PATs was pretty much guaranteed points.

Last night was just the most-recent example. Last week, NC State had #3 Clemson on the ropes, when they sent their kicker out to end the game in regulation. The kid was 1 for 3 on the day, with a miss and a blocked attempt. He ended up missing a 33-yard FG attempt that would have sealed the upset. NC State lost in OT.

It's purely anecdotal, but it seems as if the latest generation has taken kicking for granted, and let the talent pool dry up a bit.

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"The right to party is a battle we have fought, but we'll surrender and go Amish... NOT!" -Wayne Campbell

That's why we need to open up our borders instead of building walls. The next great kicker is going to be Gonzalez and not Erickson.

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

Go for the touchdown every time, if you don't get it, false start 4 or 5 times to move your team back into 3pt field goal range.

I don't see a difference. I recall "wide right" in Florida State/Miami/Florida games in the 80s or 90s.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

I'd take that, but prefer: offense and defense can be separate, substitutions can be made, but only upon change of possession (except for injury and if you come out for injury you're out for game -- except in case of being pulled by official or team for concussion evaluation), no clock stoppages, and no timeouts. Game would move faster and linemen would have to be fitter and lighter.

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It doesn't really matter what Phil is saying, the music of his voice is the appropriate soundtrack for a bicycle race. HTupolev

What's excessive? What constitutes holding? How much force gets you in trouble? How does a ref determine if a player was denied the ability to run his route as opposed to just having his route altered or impacted?


Well that clears that right the Hell up. Who decides when a pass can be contested? Refs can't even always tell when a pass is catchable or not.


I know you're just spitballing, but the problem is that these are dynamic plays with a ton of subjectivity involved in making the calls, no matter how complex or simple you try to make the rules.

Who'd have though that we would need so much effort to determine what constitutes a catch?

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

Eliminate replay review and coach's challenges.

Tell the guys who are hired to ref the game, "You're in charge. Do your damn job. There isn't going to be anyone who can "fix" things when you blow a call, and at the same time no one is looking over your shoulder. Don't be scared to do your job."

Sure, there are blown calls that get "fixed" by the replay review, but there are still cases where you end up saying, "I don't see how they reversed/didn't reverse that call."

The NFL seemed fine back in the days before replay review, and the flow of the games was definitely better. Calls were "blown" then, but people still complain about "blown calls".

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"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

A valid position that I'd like to see too

Even more simple. No more automatic first downs for the offense or spot foul penalties. Let's even the game out a little.