New NFL rule: 1 defender gets QB helmet

[ramsplaya16]

NFL adopts defensive communication device

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Taking another technological step forward, NFL owners approved a communication device for defenses Tuesday.

One defensive player will wear a helmet similar to what the quarterback is allowed on offense. Should that player leave the game, another player can be designated to also have the device. But only one defender with the device can be on the field at a time.

"We want to safeguard against a situation with two players on the field at the same time with the helmet communication," said Atlanta Falcons president and competition committee co-chairman Rich McKay.

"We are talking about a three-down player, perhaps a linebacker who doesn't come off the field," added Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher, the other co-chairman of the committee that recommended instituting the device. Fisher has just such a player in Keith Bullock.

"In the event he goes down because of an injury, we'd identify our backup player as another three-down player."

Fisher noted this change won't eliminate entirely the need for signals from the sideline, something that pretty much has disappeared for offenses.

"The defense will still have need to signal in a hurry-up situation, where the ball is snapped very early," he said.

The vote was 25-7 in favor — 24 yes votes were required — and all seven negatives came from head coaches with offensive backgrounds.

Voting against the measure were Seattle (Mike Holmgren), Tampa Bay (Jon Gruden), Oakland (Lane Kiffin), Philadelphia (Andy Reid), St. Louis (Scott Linehan), Washington (Jim Zorn) and Green Bay (Mike McCarthy).

New England coach Bill Belichick, whose involvement in the Spygate scandal that included taping opposing coaches' defensive signals made the communication device a hotter topic, voted for the proposal.

"I've been for that ever since the thing with the quarterbacks came out," Belichick said. "The problem is just how to do it. The concept of it is fine, but the logistics of it are a little bit of a different story. You don't always have a quarterback in the game on defense, like you do on offense. It's a little bit of a different setup.

"There is a substitution issue. Even the way it's proposed now if you have a middle linebacker like Brian Urlacher or Ray Lewis, or somebody like that who played on every single play on defense as kind of the equivalent of the offensive quarterback, then that's one thing. A lot of teams don't have that, and I'd say we would fall into that category."

The owners also tabled discussion of a rule banning a player's hair from flowing over the nameplate and number on the back of the uniform.

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[Keenum]

"You don't always have a quarterback in the game on defense, like you do on offense."

I would love to play against a team with a quarterback on defense, lol.

I'm not too fond of the radio in the helment stuff. I think the QB should either be calling his own plays, or looking to the other coaches for the signals (of course the Pats cheating will make it hard for people to want to go back to signaling plays, eh?). I think the NFL is getting a bit too fancy.
And the hair rule? Common, they've already ruled it's a part of the uniform, a disadvantage to the person with the hair.

[laram0]

NFL adopts defensive communication device

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Taking another technological step forward, NFL owners approved a communication device for defenses Tuesday.


"There is a substitution issue. Even the way it's proposed now if you have a middle linebacker like Brian Urlacher or Ray Lewis, or somebody like that who played on every single play on defense as kind of the equivalent of the offensive quarterback, then that's one thing. A lot of teams don't have that, and I'd say we would fall into that category."
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I would think that Will Witherspoon will be our guy with the communication device. He is for the most part a 3 down player on our defense. The other area of concern would be the punt coverage unit???

[ramsanddodgers]

I should simply state that one player at a time per team shall be allowed to have a communication device in his helmet.

Such helmet shall be easily identifiable. Any other helmet found to contain a communication device shall subject the offending team to be punished to an extent up to but not exceeding whatever penalty is instituted upon the New England Pacheats when and if the spygate scandal is ever resolved.