A couple good suggestions on rule changes

[Eagle60]

Chris Wesseling @ChrisWesseling
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You learn what a catch is in your backyard as a toddler. Then the NFL institutes a rule that can only be explained by three people.



Rich Hofmann ✔

Proposed rule change: Control by receiver becomes possession the instant 2 feet land in bounds. Whatever happens after that is irrelevant.

[NoDakIggle]

The ground can't cause a fumble but it can cause an incomplete pass. I think it is relatively easy to see that a guy catches a ball and is still bobbling it as he goes out of bounds so he doesn't have control. I can see a guy goes up to catch a ball or dives to catch a ball and when he hits he drops it. But a guy grabs the ball comes down on two feet, turns and reaches out with the ball and then the ball comes lose I don't buy.
Now I hate the girls as much as anyone and Bryant is so high on that list that Jerry has to make room for him but I think they got a bad call. Of course Detroit should have been there anyway so I don't feel bad.

[Eagle60]

The ground can't cause a fumble but it can cause an incomplete pass. I think it is relatively easy to see that a guy catches a ball and is still bobbling it as he goes out of bounds so he doesn't have control. I can see a guy goes up to catch a ball or dives to catch a ball and when he hits he drops it. But a guy grabs the ball comes down on two feet, turns and reaches out with the ball and then the ball comes lose I don't buy.
Now I hate the girls as much as anyone and Bryant is so high on that list that Jerry has to make room for him but I think they got a bad call. Of course Detroit should have been there anyway so I don't feel bad.

As soon as I saw the replay I knew it was incomplete because that's the way they call things. That doesn't mean that I agree with it.

[andrewaters]

as long as we are discussing rule changes

illegal contact and defensive holding should be changed to 10 yard penalties but no auto first down

pi should be a maximum of 20 yards and no automatic first down

everything EVERYTHING should be reviewable. coaches should get 2 reviews a half and if they are right on the two reviews in the half they get another one.

all turnovers and scoring plays should still be automatically reviewed.

[Jukin]

Pass interference has to be better defined. Right now everything is a penalty. You have to let them play to some point and not protect the receivers to the point of eliminating the defense completely. Bumping should be allowed. Holding a guy's arms or preventing him from jumping for the ball shouldn't be permitted. When the ball is in the air it's not in anyone's control and therefore should be fair game for both teams. Receiver and defender should have equal opportunity to get it and that means gaining position to make the catch. If they end up doing some hockey checking so be it. They both should get to play the ball equally.

[FRESH]

Spot on, Juk. I'm in, make it happen!

[NoDakIggle]

Since replay started I have felt they should have someone in the booth watching the game and he can call for a review. Reviews should consist of the ref seeing the play from each angle at game speed and then he can watch the best angle again (at game speed). If he can't see an obvious mistake then it should not be overturned. This frame by frame agonizing over every inch is silly. If you can't make the call after watching it twice on the replay you shouldn't be a ref

[musicman]

How about just improving upon the idiots presently making the calls ?

[Jukin]

How about just improving upon the idiots presently making the calls ?

We have a winner!!!

[Jukin]

In addition to replacing the refs they need to be full time employees (I really don't understand why the NFL is so opposed to this. They already employ thousands of people so what's the issue with these 200+ guys?) In addition they have to be trained - really TRAINED to understand the game and their role in it. They have to understand and accept that they do their best work when no one remembers they were even there!! Teaching them not to impose themselves in the game (as in set the ball and get the hell out of the way!!!) and to be consistent in the calls. Like an umpire whose strike zone varies from the last ump, as long as he calls the same thing a ball and the same thing a strike it's fine. When it's a strike for one guy and a ball for the next is when we have a problem. The refs in the NFL need to be just as consistent. In fact they should be more uniform between crews than the MLB guys but I'm not sure how to do that so at least be consistent within the game itself.

[FairOaks]

Chris Wesseling @ChrisWesseling
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You learn what a catch is in your backyard as a toddler. Then the NFL institutes a rule that can only be explained by three people.



Rich Hofmann ✔

Proposed rule change: Control by receiver becomes possession the instant 2 feet land in bounds. Whatever happens after that is irrelevant.

Whatever line they draw, there will always be problems. With the one above, if a receiver is flailing in the air while diving, gets a grip on it about two inches above the ground, then his elbow hits (one elbow equals two feet) then the ground jars it loose (meaning he had possession for about 0.05 seconds) then it counts as a catch. If his hand hits instead of the elbow and it gets jarred loose, then it's not a catch.

If you make them all judgement calls, they aren't really reviewable. You will have the occasional problem decision, but I don't hate the current rule. It actually does favor the defense a little, one of the few rule changes which have. Making it easier to qualify for a catch will just make it harder to defend.

I had a bigger problem with the RG3 ruling on a ball he appeared to run in than with the Bryant catch; he lost possession for a tiny fraction of a second (though his hands were within an inch or two on either side) while diving into the end zone; they called that a fumble but then all sorts of other technicalities applied and it resulted in a touchback. The "possession through hitting the ground" rule has been in place for several seasons now, and Bryant definitely lost the ball when it hit the ground. If you want to risk stretching for the end zone that is what can happen, to me.

[andrewaters]

the back shoulder throw crap has to stop too by the way. its unfair to expect a CB to miraculously be able to stop on a dime

[ThoughtProcess]

Here's something that the league will try for the first time: a combine for FA vets. I wonder why they never thought of that before.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ents-in-march/

[Vote for Kalas]

I think if a bad call costs a team a win in the regular season, the ref who blew the call should be eliminated from playoff consideration and if one does it in a playoff game they should not be allowed on a playoff crew for the following year...almost all the playoff games this year have been heavily decided if not totally decided by bad calls. They are screwing up coaches/players livelihoods as we know these guys get only so many chances to win in the playoffs...

[Eagle60]

NFL to host veteran combine for free agents in March

Posted by Darin Gantt on January 15, 2015, 1:36 PM EST

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With the emergence of regional combines which allow through-the-cracks rookies to get a chance before NFL scouts, the NFL has now decided to offer veterans the same chance.

The league sent out a memo to teams, which PFT has obtained a copy of, which outlines their plan for the first Veteran Combine on March 22.

The event will allow veteran free agents to go through the same kinds of drills and testing draft prospects go through in Indianapolis, with representatives of all 32 clubs on hand.

Veteran free agents have been allowed at regional rookie combines in recent years, but this gives teams a chance to get a like-for-like look at guys who have played in the league.

Players can apply with the league, and around 100 will be chosen to appear at the event, which will be held at the Cardinals training facility, just before the owner’s meeting in Phoenix.

It’s a good idea to give veteran players a chance to hang on, and it also provides some more television inventory possibilities for a league that’s trying to expand into every nook and cranny of the calendar.


BINGO!!