NFL to test out two potential rule changes in Pro Bowl

[LambeauLegs]

NFL to test out two potential rule changes in Pro Bowl


The NFL will once again use the Pro Bowl as a testing ground for potential rule changes.

The league's officiating office announced two changes that it will be experimenting with in Sunday's all-star game.

The first change could be a potentially systemic one.

After a successful field goal or extra point try attempt, the scoring team will have options with no kickoff.

The scoring team, Team A, will have the following options:

1. Team A may elect to give Team B the ball at Team B's 25-yard line, beginning a new series of downs with a first-and-10.

2. Team A may elect to take the ball at its own 25-yard line for a fourth-and-15 play. If Team A is successful in making a first down, Team A will maintain possession and a new series of downs will continue as normal. If Team A is unsuccessful in making a first down, the result will be a turnover on downs and Team B will take possession at the dead-ball spot.

This rule tweak is the latest attempt to minimize kickoffs, which are among the most dangerous plays in football. The biggest challenge in curtailing kickoffs has always been the threat of getting rid of onside kick options, which would hinder a team's chance of retaining possession in a comeback attempt.

Allowing a team to try to retain possession, but with the threat of failure setting up their opponents in potential scoring range, would represent a massive rule change if adopted in regular-season play.

The second rule change for the Pro Bowl pertains to false starts by a flexed wide receiver:

It is not a false start if a flexed, eligible receiver in a two-point stance who flinches or picks up one foot, as long as his other foot remains partially on the ground and he resets for one second prior to the snap. A receiver who fits this exception is not considered to be "in motion" for the purposes of the Illegal Shift rules.

It is a false start if all 11 offensive players have been set for at least one full second and any flexed, eligible receiver breaks his stance by picking up both feet.

All notes on the rule tweaks for the Pro Bowl can be viewed on the NFL's operations page.

The 2020 NFL Pro Bowl will take place Sunday, Jan. 26, at 3 p.m. ET in Orlando, airing on ESPN.

 

[beardown07]

gay

 

[SteelersPride]

once it switches things up on the saints they were petition trump

 

[Jikkle]

With as penalty happy as the NFL is no thanks on the 4th and 15 play. All it takes is one grab by a defender and it's an automatic 1st down and I'd venture to guess the strategy for teams is to do whatever they can to draw a penalty and it'll turn into soccer with flops and overacting by the QB and receivers.

And with the onside kick it's "fair" to a certain extent in that both teams are pretty much equally equipped to get the ball. With 4th and 15 there are some teams that are going to be way better equipped to convert that than others and it heavily favors teams that are passing teams than teams that feature the run.

 

[handicappers]

Football is getting worse every year. And more dangerous.

 

[Myles]

With as penalty happy as the NFL is no thanks on the 4th and 15 play. All it takes is one grab by a defender and it's an automatic 1st down and I'd venture to guess the strategy for teams is to do whatever they can to draw a penalty and it'll turn into soccer with flops and overacting by the QB and receivers.

And with the onside kick it's "fair" to a certain extent in that both teams are pretty much equally equipped to get the ball. With 4th and 15 there are some teams that are going to be way better equipped to convert that than others and it heavily favors teams that are passing teams than teams that feature the run.

I agree. 4th and 15 is going to be converted at a pretty high percentage. I don't like it.

 

[redseat]

Yeah, let's implement and test a rule in a game NO one cares about and the players don't even tackle anyway

 

[BusSport]

I agree. 4th and 15 is going to be converted at a pretty high percentage. I don't like it.

4th and 15 only has a 16% success rate in the NFL.

Before the 2018 rules changes that made onside kicks harder, onside kicks had a 21% success rate.

4th and 15 is more difficult than historical (pre-2018) onside kicks.

 

[msgkings322]

Football is getting worse every year. And more dangerous.

Worse maybe. But it's the opposite, it's getting less dangerous. Which may be the problem

 

[Rock Strongo]

NFL to test out two potential rule changes in Pro Bowl


The NFL will once again use the Pro Bowl as a testing ground for potential rule changes.

The league's officiating office announced two changes that it will be experimenting with in Sunday's all-star game.

The first change could be a potentially systemic one.

After a successful field goal or extra point try attempt, the scoring team will have options with no kickoff.

The scoring team, Team A, will have the following options:

1. Team A may elect to give Team B the ball at Team B's 25-yard line, beginning a new series of downs with a first-and-10.

2. Team A may elect to take the ball at its own 25-yard line for a fourth-and-15 play. If Team A is successful in making a first down, Team A will maintain possession and a new series of downs will continue as normal. If Team A is unsuccessful in making a first down, the result will be a turnover on downs and Team B will take possession at the dead-ball spot.

This rule tweak is the latest attempt to minimize kickoffs, which are among the most dangerous plays in football. The biggest challenge in curtailing kickoffs has always been the threat of getting rid of onside kick options, which would hinder a team's chance of retaining possession in a comeback attempt.

Allowing a team to try to retain possession, but with the threat of failure setting up their opponents in potential scoring range, would represent a massive rule change if adopted in regular-season play.

The second rule change for the Pro Bowl pertains to false starts by a flexed wide receiver:

It is not a false start if a flexed, eligible receiver in a two-point stance who flinches or picks up one foot, as long as his other foot remains partially on the ground and he resets for one second prior to the snap. A receiver who fits this exception is not considered to be "in motion" for the purposes of the Illegal Shift rules.

It is a false start if all 11 offensive players have been set for at least one full second and any flexed, eligible receiver breaks his stance by picking up both feet.

All notes on the rule tweaks for the Pro Bowl can be viewed on the NFL's operations page.

The 2020 NFL Pro Bowl will take place Sunday, Jan. 26, at 3 p.m. ET in Orlando, airing on ESPN.

 

[handicappers]

Worse maybe. But it's the opposite, it's getting less dangerous. Which may be the problem

So there's a cure for CTE now? Thank God

 

[Rock Strongo]

So there's a cure for CTE now? Thank God

CBD sure is if you ask gronk. he cured himself.

 

[jarntt]

What a horrible rule. A 4th and 15 play is way easier than it should be for a team that is behind late in a game to retain possession. This drastically changes Football.

 

[BusSport]

What a horrible rule. A 4th and 15 play is way easier than it should be for a team that is behind late in a game to retain possession. This drastically changes Football.

Historically, converting 15 yards in a single down is more difficult than an onside kick; see the statistics in post #15.

 

[kcden]

With as penalty happy as the NFL is no thanks on the 4th and 15 play. All it takes is one grab by a defender and it's an automatic 1st down and I'd venture to guess the strategy for teams is to do whatever they can to draw a penalty and it'll turn into soccer with flops and overacting by the QB and receivers.

And with the onside kick it's "fair" to a certain extent in that both teams are pretty much equally equipped to get the ball. With 4th and 15 there are some teams that are going to be way better equipped to convert that than others and it heavily favors teams that are passing teams than teams that feature the run.

I'd like to see them implement an unsportsmanlike conduct foul for calling for a flag after a play (i.e. standing up and accosting the ref, making the flag throwing motion, etc.). Let the refs call the games and encourage the players (usually WRs & DBs) to stop acting like whiny bitches after every pass.

 

[Shanemansj13]

2. Team A may elect to take the ball at its own 25-yard line for a fourth-and-15 play. If Team A is successful in making a first down, Team A will maintain possession and a new series of downs will continue as normal. If Team A is unsuccessful in making a first down, the result will be a turnover on downs and Team B will take possession at the dead-ball spot.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I'd like to see them implement an unsportsmanlike conduct foul for calling for a flag after a play (i.e. standing up and accosting the ref, making the flag throwing motion, etc.). Let the refs call the games and encourage the players (usually WRs & DBs) to stop acting like whiny bitches after every pass.

No thanks, horrible idea. Not interested in watching 5 hours of refs trying to decide whether to throw flags for players talking. It's part of the game.

 

[jarntt]

Historically, converting 15 yards in a single down is more difficult than an onside kick; see the statistics in post #15.

I totally disagree. You are talking all 4th and 15 plays? including ones from your own goal line or immediately following a sack with the clock running down. I'd guess historically most 4th and 15 plays are run under a little bit of chaos and a lot of them are "Hail Mary's". This is totally different. Teams will have all off season to practice this particular 4th and 15 play and will have done so dozens and dozens of times before doing it for real. It will also be in a very controlled environment - after a timeout and with plenty of time to set up and run the play and get whatever players you want to on the field. Plus with the new rule onside kicks were almost impossible to recover so that part of your stat is outdated and irrelevant because they aren't going back to the way it was due in part to injury concerns

 

[kcden]

No thanks, horrible idea. Not interested in watching 5 hours of refs trying to decide whether to throw flags for players talking. It's part of the game.

It shouldn't be, and penalizing it would stop it, for the most part (after some time). The players whining to the refs after every play is the definition of "unsportsmanlike".

Along the same lines, I'd like to see soccer associations assess post-game yellow & red cards for the flopping bullshit that happens in every game.

 

[msgkings322]

So there's a cure for CTE now? Thank God

CTE is new?