At the annual NFL meetings that are being held in Palm Beach, Fla. this week, the NFL competition committee will propose a series of playing rule changes for the 2012 season to the NFL’s ownership group.
After the conclusion of the 2011 season, the competition committee, which is chaired by Atlanta Falcons President and CEO Rich McKay, took feedback from fans, all 32 NFL clubs, officials, media, medical consultants and the NFLPA and came up with the following rule proposals, as explained by McKay:
Playing Rule Proposal No. 1 is submitted by Buffalo. It is a change to instant replay in which Buffalo proposes that the replay official in the booth make all decisions in the booth as opposed to the referee. That is the only change in the rule they proposed. That would move the decisions from the referee to upstairs.
Playing Rule Proposal No. 2 is submitted by Pittsburgh. It is a proposal in which they want to modify the horse collar tackle rule. The rule now provides an exception to horse collar tackles to the quarterback inside the pocket. They proposed that the exception be taken out. In other words, if a quarterback inside the pocket is tackled by a horse collar tackle, it would be a 15-yard penalty. It currently is not.
Playing Rule Proposal No. 3 is also submitted by Pittsburgh. It is a proposal in which they ask that the postseason overtime rule be used in the regular season also. It would be a change in what we call the ‘Opportunity to Possess Rule’ that now occurs in our postseason. They would propose that it would also be used in the regular season.
Playing Rule Proposal No. 4 is a cleanup rule about the kicking of the football. If you kick a football and it happens by the offensive team before possession changes, then it is a loss of a scrimmage down. It is really because there are some instances in which the kicking team gains an advantage or isn’t penalized substantially on a muffed kick by kicking the ball. We wanted to marry it up with the college rule and make it also a loss of down – a simple cleanup rule.
Playing Rule Proposal No. 5 is an adoption, if you will or a proposal to adopt the college rule on too many men on the field. It would be a dead-ball foul now as it is in college. If you line up on offense for more than three seconds or if on defense you line up and the snap is imminent, then the official will shut the play down and it will be a dead-ball foul, five yards and you go from there. You would still have the same situation if a player is trying to run off the field or something like that. In that case, it would be a live-ball foul and a five-yard penalty. It deals a little bit with, and is a little bit of a reaction, obviously, to the Super Bowl (XLVI) play.
Playing Rule Proposal No. 6 is an expansion of our defenseless player rules. All we are doing there is we have always given crackback protection to the defensive player from the low block from the person who is lined up outside and blocks inside and goes low. You guys have heard it forever. We have said that if he has crackback protection, the (offensive player) cannot go low. We propose that the protection be expanded to defenseless player protection, which means you cannot go low but you also cannot hit him in the head nor lead with the head against that player. We just think that player is in a very vulnerable position inside, and we are trying to give that defensive player a little more protection.
Playing Rule Proposal No. 7 is our last Playing Rule Proposal. It is an instant replay proposal submitted by the Competition Committee. Last year, we proposed that you would be able to review scoring plays. This year we would expand that and try to propose that you would be able to review scoring plays and additionally review what we will call ‘traditional turnovers.’ When I say review, I mean that a review would be instigated by the replay official upstairs. As you know, last year we changed that. We took scoring plays from the coaches and put it upstairs as an automatic review for him (the replay official) to confirm. If he (the replay official) felt it needed to be reviewed by the referee, then he stopped the game. We would use that same procedure for turnovers – fumbles, interceptions and the like. That would be an expansion of the replay assistant’s capabilities and take it out of the hands of the coaches, without affecting in any way the coach’s ability to still have three challenges if he gets the first two right or two challenges if he doesn’t.
In addition to the seven rule proposals, the competition committee also recommended changes to the league’s bylaws which include adjusting the trade deadline, training camp roster sizes and an injured reserve list exception.
Bylaw Proposal No. 1 is a cleanup rule with respect to the teams that have games on Thanksgiving and Christmas in giving them the ability to use the waiver procedure like other night games.
Bylaw Proposal No. 2, we proposed that the trade deadline be moved from after the sixth week of the regular season to after the eighth week of the regular season. It would be a two-week move in the trade deadline.
Bylaw Proposal No. 3 is we propose a 90-player training camp offseason limit. In that limit, we would also count the unsigned draft picks, which we haven’t in years past; those players have been exempt. It would be an increase from what has traditionally been 80 players, although last year we obviously made the exception given the unique year. We propose 90 this year. In that, we propose two cuts – one cut coming after (preseason) Week 3, you would go from 90 to 80; and then you would go to 53 in the last cut.
Bylaw Proposal No. 4 is a contingent proposal in case we don’t end up with a 90-man roster and we end up with an 80-man roster. It is a way to cut down the roster if that were to happen. Bylaw Proposal No. 4 is a contingency proposal, if you will.
Bylaw Proposal No. 5 is a proposal in which we seek to move the final cut-down date to Friday night as opposed to Saturday where it has been. It is in recognition of the Kickoff Game being on Wednesday night and trying to give those two teams the opportunity to have a practice on Saturday.
Bylaw Proposal No. 6, I’m going to call it an ‘injured reserve exception for major injury to a designated player.’ Traditionally, in our system, injured reserve players have been out for the year. In this case, if that player was on the roster all the way through the first regular-season weekend, then you could put that player on injured reserve, designate that player for return and the player could begin to practice six weeks after he has gone on that list and play in games eight weeks after he has gone on that list. You could put him on later in the season, but you could take the player, for instance, who was hurt in the preseason, carry him through the first week of the regular season, put him on this list and bring him back during the season.
Bylaw Proposal No. 7 is an exception or an addition to the inactive list which would give each team the right by the Friday of each week to designate up to one player who could be on the inactive list, and if they were diagnosed with a concussion, they could go on that inactive list; you could then add another player to your roster, they would stay on that inactive list until they take them off. You must take them off or put them on prior to Friday at 4:00 PM. At no time could you have more than one on that inactive list.
Last year’s major rule change proposed by the committee and ultimately passed by the league was moving kickoffs up by 5 yards to help cut back on injuries. McKay said that concussions on kickoffs were reduced by 40 percent while only affecting the average drive start by roughly 1.5 yards.
-Stuart Zaas
Tags: Owners Meetings, Rule Changes
I think the Steelers are looking at Cox Still or Hightower (Much like we are) They cut their DEs and will have Cox or Still switch to that or Hightower. Either way Cox or Hightower is a win win IMO
EFX has me scratching my head when they signed Mays to a 3 year 12 million dollar contract,I think he stunk it up last year,but I didn’t get to see every game,maybe something I missed???
Not doubting their decision,maybe JDR saw something in him,maybe he has plans for him?
One thing about Shanny- the man could draft. Cutler, Marshall, Scheffler, Doom, Royal, Clady, the list goes on.
BFE they think he hasnt reached his ceiling last year was the first time he has started at all. But I agree his limitations make it a risky move
bfe, i saw every game thanks to the ticket. and i thought he did alright. he made a lot of tackles and heard his name alot. maybe they did see some potential.
Shanny earned respect from Mr.B and that’s why he was the HC for so long,and like jsizzla said,the man could draft Offense,but his stubborness in the end (not hiring a new DC)cost him his job.
jsizzla…..that’s a fine looking list!
Everyone keeps talking about how brutal our schedule is. We the whole division has the same except two games.We get NE & Hou. well the Jets& Titians could be just as hard, or the Fins & Jags , Cleveland & Bills. I think each AFC West will split there place finish games. So we all basically have the same schedule. We have PM &Fox and that gives us en edge. I think we will beat Hou cuz they have lost alot of players and PM knows them. Fox knows the NFC South.We will lose to NE. I think we win the west 11-5.
Somebody sure as Hell gave up a lot of yards up the gut,and it wasn’t Bunk….maybe Thomas???
jsizzla, he did draft good offense. but defense was a different story. thats why he got fired. when our d was ranked last for awhile.
Sizzla I fully agree but then he would toss players aside just as McDaniels did. All of them were great picks but other picks included: Jarvis Moss, Tim Crowder, Mauric Clarett, Darius Watts, Jeremy LeSueur, George Foster, Terry Pierce, Ashley Lelie, Dorset Davis, Willie Middlebrooks, Paul Toviessi, Marcus Nash and Eric Brown
Shanny was fired cuz Mr B wanted Nolen to run the D and Shanny refused.
We have sucked for many years at drafting DTs,with a few exceptions,Doom,Pryce,and a few others.Maybe with Fox/JDR running the Defense,all that will change now!
well we know it would take at least 3 years to totally rebuild. so they have to work with what they got. so fa so good. u go fo. i agree with everything so far. keep it up.
Yeah, he would not true up that D. And so when he got canned and they went out and hired McD I just scratched my head as to why they got an offensive guy when we already had and offensive guy?
66,exactly right bro!
A offensive guy who dismantled the #2 Offense and had way way too much power and thought he knew everything and ran out Nolen , Turner, Dennison and other good coaches.
All 3rd round picks or better… After Jake Plummer took the team to the AFC Championship Shanny rewarded him by trading up to draft his replacement… After the 2nd superbowl instead of giving Bubby Brister the starting Job he earned he stunted Brian Griesies development by throwing him in too soon. Countless personnel moves baffle me… Finding a diamond in Mike Bell and moving him to FB where he was not utilized. Losing trust in players like Bell and never giving them other opportunities… He did wonders for the organization but also hampered it with his Stubborn Ego. This was one coach who needed a GM to stophim from making bone head moves
Shanny was a risk taker in the draft hence Cutler, Clarett, Lelie. Sometimes that works sometimes it doesn’t. He never went with the sure pick it seemed always something off the wall. Did he draft TD and Sharpe? If so then he is a draft guru.
Mr.B was used to Shanny running the whole show,then he put all his apples in the same bag with a young unproven dictator,that didn’t know squat about running a team.
Shanny still looks like a mastermind compared to McDENIAL. We should of had a real GM to control Shanny.
We have a lot of holes on the D. I know we are working to fix that and that makes me HAPPY!!!!
With picks 25 and 57 a LB and DT
with our 3rd and 2 4th round picks a RB DT and LB.
DE in the 5th CB (Brooks) in the 6th.
Ummmm…. we talking about the same Shanny that just gave up 3 first rounders for the 2nd pick this year… Him make a dumb move?!?! no way dudes…
LAX your 100% right with the bone headed moves he made. He just dipped his ladel in the pot too many times. He is a great football mind but should be a coordinator or some other contributer anymore.
I just have been looking back and it upsets me some of the moves that were made… some Drafts are pure gold some make you dizzy and upset your stomach. This franchise can have won 3-5 superbowls folowing the Elway era if we were managed better and it is just a shame in my eyes
LMAO BT!!!
66,agreed.
ab,I hope we fix it!
Last year we put band aids at DT….Bunk and Warren.Bunk panned out,but Warren got injured,so I hope Warren comes back healthy!
Clarett was Turners pick , just like TD was Kubiacs pick. Lelie has two good yrs but he got into Shanny ‘s dog house cuz of his agent and his career was done. REEVES drafted Sharpe.
BFE with Fox and JDR we HAVE to be working to fix it
I think that was a Snyder move. Bruce Allen is the GM not Shanny.
BT,you gotta have that franchise QB,but 3 first round picks…UGH!!!!!!!
I envy Jeff Fisher this year,he has a great young QB,a great RB,and a lot of draft picks,and the guy can coach,the Rams lucked out with him!
Imagine if TD fumbled a few times as a Rook and Shanny lost confidence would we have been able to witness one of the greatest RBs of all time run the rock… Could that have happened with Mike Bell??? Tatum Bell? So many ifs
yea, but RG3 is a shanny type qb. shanny will get a extension on his contract.
ab,I heard that bro!
What about the Javon Walker move? That was all Shanny.
I have the Rams as my sleeper team next year. I think they will be very much improved and continue with having so many picks the next few years.
BFE, it was three first round picks and this years second round pick. ha.lol
I think RG3 will be a great NFL QB…another Cam????we will see!
We gave up alot of picks for Tebow. Well McDenial gave up picks to draft 1/2 of his picks. Phozy, Quinn, Thomas , & Tebow to mention a few
Heres a conspiracy theory for everyone
McD only wanted to coach for Denver because Billichek and the Pats were becoming afraid of us so billy paid McD to coach for us and screw our team up!!!
LMAO Its just a joke
Damn……they better hope he pans out,or they will be set back for YEARS!
IDK, all I hear about Cam Newton is how big he is when met in person. I don’t think RG3 is that big. Cam’s a beast.
Yah and he drafted Lelie ahead of Walker..lol
Sizla he made up fro drafting Lelie one pick ahead Walker.Walker should have been a Bronco from the get
ab,that’s not the 1st time I’ve heard that…..makes you think…lol.
I hate trading picks!
With all the terrible moves Mc Denial made it would not surprise me.
Part of me thinks it may be true…..I mean Cutler Marshall Royal Hillis such a good O right there….
83 produced for us Coop Elway and Meck!!!
I hate trading up I hate trading picks I hate getting RFAs. I hate losing picks period lol
Bronc on Rock on,it’s midnight in the East….goodnight Broncos Country!
ab………peace bro!