9 New(ish) Rules for the 2016 NFL Season
People say that sometimes my blog is too negative or too condescending to the NFL. And you know what? It is! And it won't change, so, for you that hate my blog... thanks for reading and enjoy making out with that life size cardboard cutout of Roger Goodell you have hidden in your closet!
Now, on to the new rules for 2016. These came out during the owners meetings in March but the Average-Joe fan doesn't tend to read up on those. SO, I'll lay out the new rules and tell you, my adoring (and growing, believe it or not!) fan base how they will effect the game.
Two Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls = Ejection
I am in favor of this one. This is on a one year trial bases but, odds are this will be law come the end of the season. It makes sense and keeps the handful of troublemakers off the field. It's as simple as this; you get flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct and you're out of there. The only issue is that it still is subjective to the officials calling the game. But, I think they will only do this sparingly. Unless, this is the start of Goodell "Marshal Law." Let us hope it is not.
Touchback is Now on the F*&^ing 25yd line
I do have an issue with this one. First they move up the kickoff to make more touchbacks to keep the game 'safer' and 'prevent injuries' and 'ruin the game.' But, you still started at your 20 yard line. NOW, you get to start at the 25. Perhaps it's extra incentive for returners to keep taking that old 'give up' knee in the end zone. But, why? What good does this do to the game? All it does is further the cheapening of the kickoff, which, I know they are going to try and eliminate by... say 2019. This is also on a one year experimental basis. Fingers crossed it does not stick.
Bill Belichick's New Favorite Rule Regarding Injured Reserve
You no longer need to designate when a player will be returning from IR. You used to have to set a time when they will return. Now you don't, simple as that. I know Belichick loves this because no franchise holds their injury cards closer to their chest than the Patriots. If he had it his way be would have every injury be Day-To-Day. Oh, failed to mention, if a player goes to IR he still has to wait a minimum of six weeks before he can return.
Can You Hear Me Now? (OK! That joke is now officially retired! That actor doesn't even work for Verizon anymore! He works with Sprint. That kind of seems like a downgrade? Oh, and if you haven't noticed the titles are yellow like ref flags! Get it?!)
Offense and defensive play callers will be permitted to use the headset on and off the field. For those of you that don't know the guy that calls the play in the huddle on offense or defense had a little speaker in his helmet that allows him to hear the coaching staff. That's about it for that one. I am for it, more communication, better play calling, better adjustments, better football.
They Aren't Horsing Around With This Rule (#DadJoke)
Now the horse collar foul with be expanded to the "name plate and upwards." What's a horse collar? I'm sure you've heard plenty of people scream about wanting one or saying "NO F*CKING WAY THAT'S A HORSE COLLAR!" That's when a player making tackle grabs the back of the ball carrier from or around his collar. (SEE: Micheal Vick being snapped around like a cheap rug that's being cleaned circa 2003) I am on the fence with this. Why? I think it is a cheap way to bring someone down. And a take down like this can lead to serious injury... but (always a but with the Godfather) this now leaves the rule open to more interpretation and more calls when it really isn't a true horse collar. Is that speculation? Yup. But, odds are we will see this flag increase by at least 50%.
A NEW Reason to Throw a Flag
Now, if you try to call a timeout when you don't have one or when it's not allowed you get a "Delay of Game" flag thrown at you. And example of when you can't call one is if you're out of them and you try to call a fourth. Or call consecutive ones after a dead ball situation. Which, in crunch time when you're down could lead to a TEN SECOND RUNOFF. Ouch. Just keep your timeouts on a tally on your play sheet, have an assistant that has two jobs... 'Get Back' coach and keep a running tally of timeouts. Look at the scoreboard. There are many ways to prevent it. I know it will happen before week 8 at least once.
NFL Downplays Illegal Touching (Now that's some click bait)
Let me break this down for you. If you're a receiver running a pattern up the field you cannot go out of bounds and comeback in on your own. If you're jammed out by a corner (GET YOUR WEIGHT UP SON) you can reestablish yourself inbounds and then be eligible to touch/receive/catch the ball if it's tossed your way. Same goes for gunners on kickoff and punt team. The flag for this used to be 5 yards and a loss of down. It's just a loss of down now. So.... yup.
I'm Not Quite Sure on This....
So, as always, I am going to take a blind stab at this to the best of my ability. They eliminated "multiple spots of enforcement for a double foul after a change of possession." I looked from NFL.com to ProFootballTalk.com to ESPN.com etc... to spell this rule out for me. No one has it. So, I am going to assume even the best and the brightest don't know and don't care. Nor should I and nor should you.
Coming up in my next blog is the big rule change for 2016. So big. So lame. So bad. So incredibility crippling to the game itself. It justifies its own write up.
No more chop blocking. *Cinge*
Now, on to the new rules for 2016. These came out during the owners meetings in March but the Average-Joe fan doesn't tend to read up on those. SO, I'll lay out the new rules and tell you, my adoring (and growing, believe it or not!) fan base how they will effect the game.
Two Unsportsmanlike Conduct Fouls = Ejection
I am in favor of this one. This is on a one year trial bases but, odds are this will be law come the end of the season. It makes sense and keeps the handful of troublemakers off the field. It's as simple as this; you get flagged twice for unsportsmanlike conduct and you're out of there. The only issue is that it still is subjective to the officials calling the game. But, I think they will only do this sparingly. Unless, this is the start of Goodell "Marshal Law." Let us hope it is not.
Touchback is Now on the F*&^ing 25yd line
I do have an issue with this one. First they move up the kickoff to make more touchbacks to keep the game 'safer' and 'prevent injuries' and 'ruin the game.' But, you still started at your 20 yard line. NOW, you get to start at the 25. Perhaps it's extra incentive for returners to keep taking that old 'give up' knee in the end zone. But, why? What good does this do to the game? All it does is further the cheapening of the kickoff, which, I know they are going to try and eliminate by... say 2019. This is also on a one year experimental basis. Fingers crossed it does not stick.
Bill Belichick's New Favorite Rule Regarding Injured Reserve
You no longer need to designate when a player will be returning from IR. You used to have to set a time when they will return. Now you don't, simple as that. I know Belichick loves this because no franchise holds their injury cards closer to their chest than the Patriots. If he had it his way be would have every injury be Day-To-Day. Oh, failed to mention, if a player goes to IR he still has to wait a minimum of six weeks before he can return.
Can You Hear Me Now? (OK! That joke is now officially retired! That actor doesn't even work for Verizon anymore! He works with Sprint. That kind of seems like a downgrade? Oh, and if you haven't noticed the titles are yellow like ref flags! Get it?!)
Offense and defensive play callers will be permitted to use the headset on and off the field. For those of you that don't know the guy that calls the play in the huddle on offense or defense had a little speaker in his helmet that allows him to hear the coaching staff. That's about it for that one. I am for it, more communication, better play calling, better adjustments, better football.
They Aren't Horsing Around With This Rule (#DadJoke)
Now the horse collar foul with be expanded to the "name plate and upwards." What's a horse collar? I'm sure you've heard plenty of people scream about wanting one or saying "NO F*CKING WAY THAT'S A HORSE COLLAR!" That's when a player making tackle grabs the back of the ball carrier from or around his collar. (SEE: Micheal Vick being snapped around like a cheap rug that's being cleaned circa 2003) I am on the fence with this. Why? I think it is a cheap way to bring someone down. And a take down like this can lead to serious injury... but (always a but with the Godfather) this now leaves the rule open to more interpretation and more calls when it really isn't a true horse collar. Is that speculation? Yup. But, odds are we will see this flag increase by at least 50%.
A NEW Reason to Throw a Flag
Now, if you try to call a timeout when you don't have one or when it's not allowed you get a "Delay of Game" flag thrown at you. And example of when you can't call one is if you're out of them and you try to call a fourth. Or call consecutive ones after a dead ball situation. Which, in crunch time when you're down could lead to a TEN SECOND RUNOFF. Ouch. Just keep your timeouts on a tally on your play sheet, have an assistant that has two jobs... 'Get Back' coach and keep a running tally of timeouts. Look at the scoreboard. There are many ways to prevent it. I know it will happen before week 8 at least once.
NFL Downplays Illegal Touching (Now that's some click bait)
Let me break this down for you. If you're a receiver running a pattern up the field you cannot go out of bounds and comeback in on your own. If you're jammed out by a corner (GET YOUR WEIGHT UP SON) you can reestablish yourself inbounds and then be eligible to touch/receive/catch the ball if it's tossed your way. Same goes for gunners on kickoff and punt team. The flag for this used to be 5 yards and a loss of down. It's just a loss of down now. So.... yup.
I'm Not Quite Sure on This....
So, as always, I am going to take a blind stab at this to the best of my ability. They eliminated "multiple spots of enforcement for a double foul after a change of possession." I looked from NFL.com to ProFootballTalk.com to ESPN.com etc... to spell this rule out for me. No one has it. So, I am going to assume even the best and the brightest don't know and don't care. Nor should I and nor should you.
Coming up in my next blog is the big rule change for 2016. So big. So lame. So bad. So incredibility crippling to the game itself. It justifies its own write up.
No more chop blocking. *Cinge*
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