Hurry Up Offense vs Defense Faking Injuries

[MrMoJoRisin63]

I am of the opinion that the league really is set up to support the offense and most rules and decisions seem to benefit the offense. Lately a lot of teams are going to a hurry up offense which basically does not allow the defense to sub. To combat that defenses are faking injuries to slow things downs, bring in subs etc, this is becoming a vicious circle. Does the league need to address this? Is this hurry up fare to defenses? Should the league have a flop policy and will the policy once again benefit the offense?

Let's debate it.

 

[JDM]

Simple, if a player gets hurt in the hurry up, only allow them to be substituted for, unless the offense substitutes someone. If teams still fake injuries, suspend players responsible.

 

[Broncos6482]

Simple, if a player gets hurt in the hurry up, only allow them to be substituted for, unless the offense substitutes someone. If teams still fake injuries, suspend players responsible.

This is actually a simple, brilliant solution. Which probably means it will never be implemented.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Simple, if a player gets hurt in the hurry up, only allow them to be substituted for, unless the offense substitutes someone. If teams still fake injuries, suspend players responsible.

How do you prove he was faking?

 

[JDM]

The suspension part would be rare because it would be hard to prove, but I don't see much other reason for this to not be a workable plan.

Obviously if an offensive player is hurt the defense can substitute at will. Inside two minutes, if the defense is forced to use a timeout, also allow them to substitute freely.

 

[JDM]

How do you prove he was faking?

Like I said, it's tough, but if half the team gets hurt and substituted in a play, or players keep coming in and out with injuries to the other, trying to work around this, you have enough cause to suspend IMO.

 

[catchbluefish]

Its impractical to try to prove whether or not a player is faking. On thing they could do is along the lines of what they do at the end of the game. If play is stopped because of injury, you take away the team's time out. If they run out of time outs, you penalize the team 5 yards for delay of game no matter what. Its not perfect but it would be something

 

[Broncos6482]

Like I said, it's tough, but if half the team gets hurt and substituted in a play, or players keep coming in and out with injuries to the other, trying to work around this, you have enough cause to suspend IMO.

Rather than suspending the players maybe you could fine the team in situations like this. The more it happens, the bigger the fine.

Or get rid of team doctors and have independent doctors paid for by the NFL assessing injuries and clearing players to play. Then those guys could report back to the league if guys were legitimately hurt or if they think they were just faking.

 

[RobToxin]

People who complain about the hurry-up not being fair to defenses are pathetic.
"We couldn't get the right package in...booohooohooo!"
What's next? The fake punt wasn't fair because we weren't properly subbed to defend the fake punt?
Can't run a draw because the defense was in a blitz and didn't have the right personnel in to defend it.

Does the hurry up offense damage the credibility of the game? No.

Does faking injuries? Yes.

There's your difference between the two.

Now, how to combat it?

Simple. A guy doesn't go down with an injury, miss one play and then come right back in. Make him sit out the rest of that series and cannot come back into the game until the next change of possession. That would cover all injuries fake or legitimate.

If play has to be stopped to tend to an injured player, that player is out of the game until the next change of possession.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Like I said, it's tough, but if half the team gets hurt and substituted in a play, or players keep coming in and out with injuries to the other, trying to work around this, you have enough cause to suspend IMO.

I am sure they would have a system set up sort of like okay it the NT last time next play should be a run play play send in the signle for the SS to go down.

And I really want to address if this system to strongly favors the offense?

 

[Mondio]

i say we just leave it alone. Defenses will adapt beyond faking an injury. I doubt it will ever become a big part of the game anyway. Seriously, if you're spending all your time coaching so players will know which one can be "injured" at a certain part of the game so you an make the proper substitutions, you're most likely going to be such a poorly coached team you're not going to be in the game anyway.

 

[Kevin12773]

The Gmen have a history of this. Remember the other year when 2 players were standing there and fell down at the same time like a sniper got em. When its that obvious it's got to be like a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty or something

 

[JDM]

In terms of being able to control the tempo and pace of the game the rules should favor the offense.

 

[fordman84]

People who complain about the hurry-up not being fair to defenses are pathetic.
"We couldn't get the right package in...booohooohooo!"
What's next? The fake punt wasn't fair because we weren't properly subbed to defend the fake punt?
Can't run a draw because the defense was in a blitz and didn't have the right personnel in to defend it.

Does the hurry up offense damage the credibility of the game? No.

Does faking injuries? Yes.

There's your difference between the two.

Now, how to combat it?

Simple. A guy doesn't go down with an injury, miss one play and then come right back in. Make him sit out the rest of that series and cannot come back into the game until the next change of possession. That would cover all injuries fake or legitimate.

If play has to be stopped to tend to an injured player, that player is out of the game until the next change of possession.

That's the solution I've been suggesting for a while. The team can prevent this by using a timeout to tend to his injury, but has to be used right then. A timeout three plays later won't reset his eligibility.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Its impractical to try to prove whether or not a player is faking. On thing they could do is along the lines of what they do at the end of the game. If play is stopped because of injury, you take away the team's time out. If they run out of time outs, you penalize the team 5 yards for delay of game no matter what. Its not perfect but it would be something

It makes some sense.

Rather than suspending the players maybe you could fine the team in situations like this. The more it happens, the bigger the fine.

Or get rid of team doctors and have independent doctors paid for by the NFL assessing injuries and clearing players to play. Then those guys could report back to the league if guys were legitimately hurt or if they think they were just faking.

Still though it's pretty hard to say with any certainty if they think the guy was faking or not.

In terms of being able to control the tempo and pace of the game the rules should favor the offense.

Why?

People who complain about the hurry-up not being fair to defenses are pathetic.
"We couldn't get the right package in...booohooohooo!"
What's next? The fake punt wasn't fair because we weren't properly subbed to defend the fake punt?
Can't run a draw because the defense was in a blitz and didn't have the right personnel in to defend it.

Does the hurry up offense damage the credibility of the game? No.

Does faking injuries? Yes.

There's your difference between the two.

Now, how to combat it?

Simple. A guy doesn't go down with an injury, miss one play and then come right back in. Make him sit out the rest of that series and cannot come back into the game until the next change of possession. That would cover all injuries fake or legitimate.

If play has to be stopped to tend to an injured player, that player is out of the game until the next change of possession.

So give the offense an even bigger advantage? Gotcha

 

[JDM]

Why? Because offense's role is to control the pace. Defense cheating to prevent that should be prevented.

 

[Broncos6482]

To further answer the question why, the offense is the one that puts the ball into play. As long as they are doing it within that 40 second window, they are and should be allowed to do it as quickly or as slowly as they want. They start the play. Defense has to be ready to go when the offense is.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

To further answer the question why, the offense is the one that puts the ball into play. As long as they are doing it within that 40 second window, they are and should be allowed to do it as quickly or as slowly as they want. They start the play. Defense has to be ready to go when the offense is.

Great point. I just think and I am fairly certain this scheme does allow for an unfair advantage. A lot more energy is expended on defense.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Why? Because offense's role is to control the pace. Defense cheating to prevent that should be prevented.

Well the refs made it clear they control the pace of the game not the offense.

 

[Clayton]

I think we have to come to terms that no one will be scared of defenses anymore. Maybe in the playoffs if the refs swallow the whistle a little bit