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AJHawkfan

Wanna make $14 the hard way?
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=citadel-2_425729_68&prov=citadel&type=story

New NFL rules for 2005

Scout.com - Scout.com
August 18, 2005 at 3:05am ET

There are several new rules in the NFL in 2005 that fans need to take note of.

Each year, the NFL Competition Committee examines the current rule set and suggests possible changes to the rules. Rules changes are then voted upon by the teams at the NFL Annual Meeting in the spring.

No matter what the changes, NFL players and coaches know they have to be cognizant of them.

"Our approach to the game is the same as it always is: To know the rules and to play within them," says New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichik.

New NFL rules for 2005:

# Players are prohibited from grabbing the inside collar of the back or side of the shoulder pads and immediately pulling down the runner. This rule does not apply to a quarterback in the pocket or a runner in the tackle box. Previously, there was no regulation about the "horse-collar" tackle. This rule does not apply to the quarterback in the pocket. Penalty: loss of 15 yards. Reason for the change: Will prevent injury that can result from this tackling technique.
- Fine, if it saves some injuries, no problem.

# An offensive player who is aligned in the tackle box at the snap and moves to a position outside the box cannot initiate contact on the side and below the waist of an opponent if the player is moving back toward the direction of his own end line. If the near shoulder of the blocker contacts the front of his opponent's body, the "peel back" block is legal. Previously, a player aligned in the tackle box could hit an opponent on the side and below the waist from any direction. Penalty: loss of 15 yards. Reason for the change: Player safety.
- Once again, fine with me.

# There shall be no unnecessary roughness, including unnecessarily running, diving into, cutting, or throwing the body against or on a player who is out of the play before or after the ball is dead. Previously, the policy on unnecessary roughness was less specific. Reason for the change: Player safety.
- who determines who is in or out of the play? How far from the ball do you have to be to be considered "out of the play"? I don't like this one.

# A kicker/punter standing still or fading backwards after the ball has been kicked is out of the play and must not be unnecessarily contacted by the receiving team until he assumes a distinctly defensive position. An opponent may not unnecessarily initiate helmet-to-helmet contact to the kicker/punter at anytime during the kick or during the return. Previously, there was no regulation about contact with a kicker/punter after he kicked the ball, nor was there any regulation about helmet-to-helmet contact with the kicker. Reason for the change: Prevents teams from gaining an unfair advantage as a result of injury to a punter/kicker, a position at which there is little to no depth.
- Fine, most kickers/punters want to avoid all contact anyway, so no loss there.

# If, during a scrimmage kick, a player is called for illegal touching inside the receiver's 5-yard line, the receiving team may elect to take a touchback. Previously, the receiving team could choose to take the ball at the spot of the foul or elect for the kicking team to lose five yards and re-kick. Reason for the change: Prevents an ineligible player from keeping a kick from entering the end zone and becoming a touchback. - Fine by me.

# If, at the end of a half, the defense commits a dead-ball personal foul, the offense may choose to extend the period for one untimed down and move 15 yards forward. Previously, a dead ball foul was unenforceable after time had expired. Reason for the change: Ensures unsafe act committed by defense after time expires does not go unpunished. - Fine by me

# The "pocket area" is now defined as spanning the normal tackle position on each side of the center and extends backwards to the offense's own end line. Previously, there were two defined pocket areas. The first spanned from tackle to tackle and was considered only for intentional grounding. The second spanned from tight end to tight end and was considered for illegal contact. Reason for the change: Without two tight ends on opposite sides of the center, the pocket area definition is inconsistent. Narrowing it to the tackles makes the definition more concrete and easier for officials to monitor. - Fine by me

# If, for any reason, the play clock is stopped with fewer than 10 seconds remaining, it is re-set to 10 seconds. Previously, if the play clock stopped prior to the snap, it was automatically re-set to 25 seconds. Reason for the change: More specific regulation of the play clock prevents putting teams at a disadvantage for certain stoppages of the game. If the play clock is stopped with fewer than 10 seconds left, it is exceedingly difficult for teams to line up and execute a play. - whatever. I don't care

# For the following fouls called during a kick play, the offended team will have the option of accepting the penalty at the previous spot and replaying the down or adding the penalty yardage (five yards) onto the end of the play: ineligible player down field; member of the punting team voluntarily out of bounds; illegal formation; illegal motion; player not reporting change in eligibility; offensive offside; illegal shift. Previously, the offended team could decline the penalty or accept a re-kick and a loss of five yards. Reason for the change: The added option of assessing a penalty at the end of a return is expected to reduce the number of re-kicks. - whatever

# An attempt to call an excess or illegal time-out to "freeze" a kicker prior to a field goal attempt or a PAT will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct. Previously, officials were instructed to ignore the attempt and assess no penalty. Penalty: loss of 15 yards. Reason for the change: Will eliminate a team's attempt to distract the kicker by an illegal request. Officials are instructed to assess the penalty at the end of the play. If the timeout is inadvertently granted, the penalty also will be enforced. - Huh? Did I read this correctly? You can't "ice" the kicker anymore? That's B.S. If you save 2 timeouts, you ought to be able to use them at any time, for any reason. I don't like this one.

# A team that is out of timeouts or has used all of its available challenges may not attempt to initiate an additional challenge. Penalty: loss of 15 yards. Previously, there was no penalty for attempting to initiate an excess challenge. Reason for the change: Prevents a team that has exhausted all of its challenges or timeouts from stopping the game and protects the competitive integrity of replay procedures. This also applies inside of 2:00 minutes of either half. - So now, teams desperate to stop the clock can do so, granted they will lose 15 yards, but the clock will stop while march off the 15 yards and allow the team to line up and prepare to snap the ball once the clock starts.

# A player or an official is out of bounds when he touches anything other than a player, an official or a pylon on or outside a boundary line. Previously, officials outside a boundary were considered out of bounds. This change pertains mostly to cases where players running along the sideline contact officials standing on the boundary line. Reason for the change: Helps with officiating consistency. - fine. whatever. I'm tired of thinking about the rules now.

Updated on Thursday, Aug 18, 2005 4:05 am EDT
 
- Huh? Did I read this correctly? You can't "ice" the kicker anymore? That's B.S. If you save 2 timeouts, you ought to be able to use them at any time, for any reason. I don't like this one.
You did read it wrong, it is saying that once you are out of time outs, you are not allowed to attempt to call extra time outs to distract the kicker.. these timeouts would normally just be ignored anyways, but now trying to call them will result in a penalty.
 
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BuckeyeSoldier said:
You did read it wrong, it is saying that once you are out of time outs, you are not allowed to attempt to call extra time outs to distract the kicker.. these timeouts would normally just be ignored anyways, but now trying to call them will result in a penalty.

Ok, I see. Thanks. I guess since they specified being out of timeouts in the next one, I figured they would have done the same thing in this one. Carry on.
 
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AJHawkfan said:
So now, teams desperate to stop the clock can do so, granted they will lose 15 yards, but the clock will stop while march off the 15 yards and allow the team to line up and prepare to snap the ball once the clock starts.
This rule was primarily about initiating an extra challenge. For example, if the team hadn't used all of their challenges but had already used thier timeouts, if they throw the red flag it would result in the penalty. Or if they were deliberately delaying the game during the final 2 minutes of a half while the replay official decides whether or not to review the play.

On a side note, the clock would run when the ball is set, not necessarily when the team is lined up, fwiw.
 
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# A team that is out of timeouts or has used all of its available challenges may not attempt to initiate an additional challenge. Penalty: loss of 15 yards. Previously, there was no penalty for attempting to initiate an excess challenge. Reason for the change: Prevents a team that has exhausted all of its challenges or timeouts from stopping the game and protects the competitive integrity of replay procedures. This also applies inside of 2:00 minutes of either half. - So now, teams desperate to stop the clock can do so, granted they will lose 15 yards, but the clock will stop while march off the 15 yards and allow the team to line up and prepare to snap the ball once the clock starts.

The play clock resumes after they spot the ball, so the offending team doesn't actually gain anything.
 
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MililaniBuckeye said:
The play clock resumes after they spot the ball, so the offending team doesn't actually gain anything.
You are correct, they do lose 15 yards, they do not get anything extra off the clock, but they will get a breather, albeit short. I could see someone like Glanville in his hey-day using this to his "advantage."
 
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Looks like we have:

the Roy Williams rule for horse-collar tackles
the Warren Sapp rule for away-from-the-action cheap-shots
the Chris Webber rule for unavailable timeouts (I realize he's a b-ball player, but any opportunity to mock a scUM'er :) )

The NFL replay system sucks compared to college. Now they add more rules just to give the announcers something to discuss during the over-long delays.:roll2:
 
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Expect replay rule to be tweaked in wake of Eagles-Falcons blown call

You have bombarded me with questions about the seemingly unfair way (and I'm sure Mike Smith, Rich McKay and Arthur Blank would not include the words "seemingly'' there) the Atlanta-Philadelphia game ended, and so I've scrapped plans to write about the new Dallas stadium 'til next week. Instead, let's examine the play, and the game situation, that I can guarantee you will be reviewed after the season by the National Football League. I'll start with one of the most cogent letters, from John Hyman, of Chicago:
"Peter, in light of the unfortunate blown call at the end of the Falcons-Eagles game Sunday, do you think the NFL should consider increasing the window of time at the end of games during which questionable calls are reviewed by a replay official? It seems a little perverse to force a coach whose team is trailing to keep one timeout in his pocket until the two-minute warning just in case one of the officials screws up. Shouldn't the burden be on the officials to get the call right, and not on a coach to alter his clock management strategy?''
Let's set the stage for those unfamiliar with the play (which can also be seen in the video above): Philadelphia led 20-14 with 2:30 to play and Sav Rocca punting. Atlanta had burned all its timeouts trying to have as much time left to mount a potential game-winning drive, and it looked like the Falcons would get the ball near their 35 with about 2:20 to play.
However, after Rocca's shorter-than-expected punt landed, Falcons return man Adam Jennings ran forward to field it, then stopped close to the ball as it hit the ground. When the ball bounced up, Akeem Jordan of the Eagles' punt team grabbed it at the Atlanta 40 (Jordan had a clear path to the end zone, but rules state the kicking team cannot advance the ball if it is muffed). The officials ruled that Jennings touched the ball and called the play a muff, meaning the Eagles rightly now had possession.
The Falcons went nuts, of course, claiming Jennings had not touched the ball -- which replays seemed to back. But because coach Mike Smith had used his three timeouts and because the NFL allows replay reviews only by coach's challenge until the two-minute warning of each half, the Falcons were powerless to appeal the call. And even though the call was botched, the replay official upstairs could not buzz down to the field to say he wanted to review it because the play was outside of two minutes.
When the NFL exhumed replay in 1999, there was a long discussion of how to implement it. Should it be a coach's challenge system or should it be controlled all by the man upstairs? Should it be a modified system, with the coaches having some latitude and the replay official some? The NFL decided to make it a coach's challenge system, except late in each half.
Some wanted it to be a coach's challenge only in the last two minutes of a game. Some wanted it in the last two minutes of each half. Some wanted it in the last five minutes of a game. The league settled on a two plus two system -- the coaches would have the ability to call for a review in the first 28 minutes of either half; if the challenge was correct, they'd keep a timeout. If the replay backed the call on the field, it would cost the coach a timeout.
I'm not sure, but this might be the first time you could point to a seemingly obvious blown call outside the two-minute warning that a coach couldn't challenge because his team was out of timeouts. I don't recall it happening, but it certainly might have. Having said that, I believe the league will think seriously of addressing the rule after the season with a tweak that won't be very revolutionary.
Currently, the timing of plays in the last two minutes of the first half and the last five minutes of the second half differs from how the clock is run at other times of the game. After penalties and after runners go out of bounds in the last two minutes of the first half and the last five minutes of the second half, the clock does not start until the snap of the next play. Before that, the clock starts upon placement of the ball. What I think you'll see now is debate seeking the same rules for instant replay -- let the replay official upstairs call for reviews on his own in the last two minutes of the first and in the last five minutes of the second half. In the Atlanta-Philadelphia case, it would have allowed for Smith to use his timeouts in good conscience, knowing he'd be protected in the event of an egregious call.
Considering that Atlanta president Rich McKay is co-chair of the rules-making NFL Competition Committee, I think it's likely this issue will be heard when the committee begins its postseason deliberations in February. I can't think of a reason not to tweak the rule, unless you're into the strategic aspect of coaches saving a timeout for just such an emergency.
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Entire article: Expect rule to be tweaked after Eagles-Falcons blown call - Peter King - SI.com
 
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Interesting. For some reason, I thought that all plays in the last 5 minutes of the game were reviewed by the replay officials but it is only the last 2 minutes. They should almost switch their replay system to what the colleges use.
 
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LitlBuck;1310378; said:
They should almost switch their replay system to what the colleges use.

They definitely should. Limiting coaches to 2 challenges (3 if they get both right) is arbitrary, and may have cost Atlanta a win. Also, by doing it upstairs it speeds up the process and removes the guy on the field from having to decide whether to correct his own mistake or defend it.
 
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This is interesting:

Roger Goodell: NFL considering proposal to eliminate extra points

Roger-Goodell.extrapoints.400.jpg


The most exciting play in football might be coming to an end. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said on Monday that the league is considering a proposal to eliminate extra points.

"The extra point is almost automatic," Goodell said, via NFL.com. "I believe we had five missed extra points this year out of 1,200 some odd. So it's a very small fraction of the play, and you want to add excitement with every play."

Goodell's right about the missed extra points. There were only five missed all season and four of those were blocked. But that begs the question, what would the NFL do to replace extra points?

"There's one proposal in particular that I've heard about," Goodell said. "It's automatic that you get seven points when you score a touchdown, but you could potentially go for an eighth point, either by running or passing the ball, so if you fail, you go back to six."

Entire article: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on...onsidering-proposal-to-eliminate-extra-points
 
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It's not really it's about as stupid as the proposal to eliminate kickoffs a few years ago. It's a scoring play it matters if one team happens to miss one no matter how small the chances. Someone needs to slap around the person proposing some of these changes.
 
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"There's one proposal in particular that I've heard about," Goodell said. "It's automatic that you get seven points when you score a touchdown, but you could potentially go for an eighth point, either by running or passing the ball, so if you fail, you go back to six."
Not sure how I feel about eliminating XPs, but the above is an interesting idea.
 
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