Rule changes

[RamWraith]

NFL | Five-yard face mask penalty eliminated
Wed, 2 Apr 2008 09:24:24 -0700

John Clayton, of ESPN.com, reports the five-yard face mask penalty was eliminated Wednesday, April 2. Now, only the serious face mask will be called and will be assessed as a 15-yard penalty. The major foul will involve twisting or grabbing the face mask.

NFL | Direct snaps rule changed
Wed, 2 Apr 2008 09:23:45 -0700

John Clayton, of ESPN.com, reports a direct snap from the center that goes backward will now be treated as a fumble. Previously, a direct snap from the center was ruled as a false start.

NFL | Coin toss rule changed
Wed, 2 Apr 2008 09:13:13 -0700

John Clayton, of ESPN.com, reports NFL coaches can now defer a decision on the opening coin toss. Previously, the winner of the coin toss could only choose to receive or kick off.

NFL | Field goals to be reviewed
Wed, 2 Apr 2008 09:12:28 -0700

John Clayton, of ESPN.com, reports the proposal to review field goals was approved Wednesday, April 2. Certain field goals can now be reviewed by instant replay, including kicks that bounce off the uprights.

NFL | Pass completion proposal approved
Wed, 2 Apr 2008 09:11:42 -0700

John Clayton, of ESPN.com, reports the proposal to eliminate force-out decisions on pass completions near the sidelines was approved Wednesday, April 2. With the rule change, officials will only have to decide whether a receiver landed in bounds or not.

NFL | Playoff seeding proposal shelved
Wed, 2 Apr 2008 08:56:09 -0700

John Clayton, of ESPN.com, reports the Competition Committee shelved the proposal of changing the NFL playoff seeding by giving wild-card teams the chance to host playoff games.

[laram0]

So now the 5 yard inadvertant face mask won't be called? Thus making face masking legal unless it's malicious or of the head turning/jerking variety?

WOW!!!

[r8rh8rmike]

Originally Posted by laram0

So now the 5 yard inadvertant face mask won't be called? Thus making face masking legal unless it's malicious or of the head turning/jerking variety?

WOW!!!

Yep, it will be interesting to see what exactly players can get away with and how the new rule will be called. What the league should have changed is allowing offensive skill players to grab a defenders face masks at will with no penalty.

[laram0]

I'm a bit disappointed with John Clayton. No report on if the rule allowing direct electronic contact between the QB and RT was passed?:x

[txramsfan]

John Clayton of ESPN.com reports that tx is right. The draft is a crapshoot.

That's for you la....only because it's Friday.

[laram0]

Originally Posted by txramsfan

John Clayton of ESPN.com reports that tx is right. The draft is a crapshoot.

That's for you la....only because it's Friday.

Here's to you tx...CHEERS...down the hatch!

[txramsfan]

Seriously, the option to defer to the second half may make for interesting football. Especially against someone like the Bears who have Devin Hester waiting for the return.

[rams_fan81]

So with no force out technically speaking a receiver could catch a ball in the middle of the field, be caught out of the air by a defensive player before his feet hit the ground and carried to the sideline where he would be dropped out of bounds for no catch?

[rammiser]

Originally Posted by rams_fan81

So with no force out technically speaking a receiver could catch a ball in the middle of the field, be caught out of the air by a defensive player before his feet hit the ground and carried to the sideline where he would be dropped out of bounds for no catch?

I dont know if it's that extreme but I agree with you. Now plays close to the sideline a db can catch a wideout in the air and carry him out of bounds. I think they should have made the rule that as long as one foot gets in and the wr is forced out its a catch. Db's have to be licking their chops on this one.

[txramsfan]

Originally Posted by rams_fan81

So with no force out technically speaking a receiver could catch a ball in the middle of the field, be caught out of the air by a defensive player before his feet hit the ground and carried to the sideline where he would be dropped out of bounds for no catch?

Well, seeing how corners are usually smaller than WR's, that would be one heck of a strong CB to do that.

Case in point: Who on the Rams secondary could do that to Terrell Owens?

[r8rh8rmike]

Originally Posted by rams_fan81

So with no force out technically speaking a receiver could catch a ball in the middle of the field, be caught out of the air by a defensive player before his feet hit the ground and carried to the sideline where he would be dropped out of bounds for no catch?

Luckily the NFL had the wisdom to add an exception to the rule change because I had a problem with the possibility of a receiver being carried out of bounds too.

League owners approved a measure changing the forceout rule on pass receptions. Under the new rule, in almost all instances, a player who catches a pass must come down with both feet in bounds for the play to be ruled a completion _ even if he’s shoved out of bounds by a defender.

Only if a player is carried out of bounds by the defender is the play ruled a completion.

[tomahawk247]

could the defender not catch the receiver, carry him to the sideline but then throw the receiver out of bounds?

because he wouldnt technically be carrying him out but he wouldnt be landing in bounds

[Mooselini]

I'm kind of against that new force out rules. I liked the old rule where if someone pushed the receiver out of bounds that its a completion. It's only fair I think. This new rule will be difficult to handle, but then again its the no fun league.

[smizzhfx]

I think it makes the WR vs. DB matchup more even, rather then giving absolutely every advantage possible to the WR as it's typically been in the past. They're so many rules protecting WRs and taking away advantages from the DBs it's ridiculous.

NFL | Direct snaps rule changed
Wed, 2 Apr 2008 09:23:45 -0700

John Clayton, of ESPN.com, reports a direct snap from the center that goes backward will now be treated as a fumble. Previously, a direct snap from the center was ruled as a false start.

What exactly does this one mean?

[Ramer]

I agree with laram0 on eliminating the five-yard face mask penalty. 2nd WOW!