New Rules

[Kevman21]

• A recommendation to eliminate force-out decisions on pass completions near the sidelines. Now, officials will have to decide only whether a receiver landed inbounds or not. The intended result is more consistency. • The "Phil Dawson field goal rule." Now, certain field goals can be reviewed by instant replay, including kicks that bounce off the uprights. Under the previous system, no field goals could be reviewed. • Deferring the opening coin toss. This is similar to the college rule. Previously, the winner of the coin toss could choose only to receive or to kick off. • A direct snap from center that goes backward will now be treated as a fumble. Previously, it was ruled a false start. • Eliminating the 5-yard face mask penalty. 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.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3325273

I like these new rules. The only one I may disagree with a little is the last one, because Refs could call a 15-yard penalty and in reality it could not have been that bad. We'll see how it runs.

[cdobry1991]

I'm not seeing the point of the third rule, about kicking off and receiving. If a team would elect to kick off, then wouldn't they be doing the same as deferring. Just another name for the same thing to me.

Not really a fan of getting rid of the force-outs. A defensive back can now just push a guy out of bounds close to the sidelines while trying to make a catch, when the guy normally could have caught the ball. Yet I see that the NFL wants to make it the same, that a force out can be judged differently.

[Kevman21]

That's not what the third rule is saying. It's saying that if you win the toss, you can let the other team choose between kicking off and receiving, and the winning team can then pick which side of the field they want to defend first. It could be a good strategy if you are playing in a windy game. Probably wont be used an incredible amount, but it is a nice addition.

The force out rule in my mind could go anyway, because there have probably been times where the Refs have judged that a guy would have caught the ball in bounds when he really wouldn't have been able to. It really just eliminates Ref error from the game.

[black19]

I'm glad they fixed the force out rule.
Very glad they fixed the facemask rule.
Most of all, I'm glad they didn't try and implement the 'Hester' rule.

[Saint33]

Originally Posted by black19 I'm glad they fixed the force out rule. Very glad they fixed the facemask rule. Most of all, I'm glad they didn't try and implement the 'Hester' rule.

what is the Hester rule?

[Kevman21]

Originally Posted by Saint33 what is the Hester rule?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/p...?urn=nfl,74820

[Saint33]

That rule would be absolutely retarded.

It would make Punter's even less of a value in the league. With out the coffin kick, whats the point of them?

[G3-175SE]

I like all the rule changes. I always thought it was a little silly for the 5yd face mask. I am glad they tabled the rule change about the wild card with a better record getting a higher seed.

[Plugs22]

I am Back again yeh LOL....I agreed wit hall the rule changes and am super happy the "Devin Hester Rule" was voted down