When is the last time the league changed to help Defense?

[Cave_Johnson]

I hate putting the discretion on the ref's, but how about if it is flagrant then it is spot foul? If someone is burned so you just drag the guy down...spot foul.

My annoyance is when it is an obvious prayer and because the defender didn't turn around to see that it was 15 feet underthrown, a flag comes out. Right now the defender is hosed...turn around to look for the ball and the WR stops = penalty. Don't turn around and the WR stops = penalty. The best deterrence for this was a FS over the top who was going to lay some wood on those fluttering prayers, but they can't even do that anymore.

That makes too much sense and would cut down on points scored, no way Goodell goes for it.

 

[Mondio]

the league has pretty much hamstrung the defense in recent years. don't you expect a flag to come flying out on every pass play?

It was headed that way. Still a bit too much in the way of PI calls, but I thought last year was very different from the previous 3-4 years. They seemed to let them play a little more last year, which I like to see. I think they should go even further with it. I don't mind the rules how they are written, but I'd like them to be a bit more subjective in their interpretation on the field. Which of course will lead to new problems, but that will be another thread.

Let them play. Blatant holding by a DB, 5 yds, 1st down. Balls in the air? let them play for it. If a gross mugging occurs, flag and spot foul. I don't mind spot fouls. I do mind when prayers are thrown up and contact is made on a horrible pass and the offense benefits from it.

I hate seeing tight coverage and a ball trying to be forced in and contact is made and the offense gets the benefit. I feel if they want to benefit, then throw a better pass and put it where your guy can make a play on it

 

[darken65]

Flash-forward to 2018 where we can enjoy the "He looked at me in a harsh way and called me bad name" PI penalty.

 

[FirebreathingMonkey]

The only penalty for the D I can think of would be the chop-back flag. I think that's a new one they just added, it was created because of the Jet lineman who was blindsided while running after ball. He was lost for the season if not I do remember a lot of D players where pissed and wanted it added.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I'm sure someone already mentioned it, but wasn't there a rule passed fairly recently (last couple of years) that made it illegal for a RB to lower the crown of his helmet into a defender?

I honestly don't remember what came of it, whether it passed or not.

 

[Malibu]

The NFL is basically turning into the Arena League.

 

[Otis B. Driftwood]

It is, and shall remain for the foreseeable future, a difficult rule to deal with.

Sadly so...

 

[Desean12345]

I honestly don't mind it especially in the regular season. I tend to like more offense because it's just exciting to watch. In the playoffs they let the defenses get away with a lot which is fair i suppose.

You guys are doing a lot of complaining but for the rule changes that benefit offense, the Seahawks just proved that defense will always reign supreme in the NFL.

 

[podsox]

I just hate seeing offenses rewarded for brutal underthrown deep balls

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

When exactly was it a disaster?

When every time a db touched a receiver they were throwing the flags... It hurt the game big time... Even the players started openly talking about how it was hurting the game... 2004 I believe when they implemented the no touch rule...

Peyton Manning let's go from year 2,000 until now with touchdown passes ....

2000.... 33 Td's
2001.... 26 Td's
2002.... 27 Td's
2003.... 29 Td's
2004.... "49" Td's Year the no touch rule was implemented
2005.... 28 Td's Year they backed off ....
2006.... 31 Td's
2007.... 27 Td's
2008.... 27 Td's
2009.... 33 Td's
2010.... 33 Td's

This is Manning years with the Colts from 2000.... You can clearly see what the rule did to his touchdown production when implemented.... I know last year he beat that record with 55 but that was a combination of not facing good defenses most of the year and also having a helluva season with the Broncos.... But clearly it's no fluke he had 49 Td's the year the rule was implemented...

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Flash-forward to 2018 where we can enjoy the "He looked at me in a harsh way and called me bad name" PI penalty.

lol exactly .... " illegal intimidation " Looked at him mean!! 15 yard penalty Automatic first down!!

 

[Schmoopy1000]

I can't remember, did they bring back an "in the grasp" type rule? That would help the defense. The last I can think of is the intentional grounding rules, where you had to be outside the pocket and get the ball beyond the LoS.

I disagree on the intentional grounding rule for the defense.

Intentional Grounding was always illegal, but they changed it for the offense so once they got outside the pocket they didn't have to pretend to throw to a player. The changing of that rule was for the offense, not the defense.

Someone mentioned the force out rule. That is the only one I can think of unless you include ST defense.
Then you have the ball being placed where they missed the FG instead of original LOS. & the punter flop.
Illegal for a punter to pretend to get hit while punting.

Otherwise. DCs adapt & when they start to take away from offenses again the NFL will go & change another rule to get more offense.

I enjoyed the 6-3 late in the game, defensive battles back in the day wondering which offense would score the 1st TD. If at all. Kinda like watching a pitchers duel in baseball instead of a homerun derby.

But
The NFL will never allow that again. When defenses start to dominate again the NFL will fix their wagon!

 

[Mondio]

I don't understand the fascination with points scored either. It's football, there's offense, DEFENSE and special teams. I appreciate all 3 phases and watching great defense is as fun as watching a great offense. How can someone call themselves a fan of football if they don't really like football? or a better question would be, why call yourself a fan?

a dlineman crushing his opponent and then crushing the qb is as fun to watch as an acrobatic sideline catch. I DB in blanket coverage reading the qb and breaking on a pass to beat the WR to the ball for an INT is just as fun as a TD. At least for me good defense is fun to watch. So are good offenses, but i'm sick of seeing mediocre to bad offenses being rewarded for shit plays

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

I disagree on the intentional grounding rule for the defense.

Intentional Grounding was always illegal, but they changed it for the offense so once they got outside the pocket they didn't have to pretend to throw to a player. The changing of that rule was for the offense, not the defense.

Someone mentioned the force out rule. That is the only one I can think of unless you include ST defense.
Then you have the ball being placed where they missed the FG instead of original LOS. & the punter flop.
Illegal for a punter to pretend to get hit while punting.

Otherwise. DCs adapt & when they start to take away from offenses again the NFL will go & change another rule to get more offense.

I enjoyed the 6-3 late in the game, defensive battles back in the day wondering which offense would score the 1st TD. If at all. Kinda like watching a pitchers duel in baseball instead of a homerun derby.

But
The NFL will never allow that again. When defenses start to dominate again the NFL will fix their wagon!

NFL was upset with the Super Bowl results..... You can see Goodell in the meeting room already can't you... "WE can't have a defense shutting down the number one offense of all time! That was and embarrassment to our league! Fix this "!! Good defense is such a beautiful part of the game .... I Love good defensive football!!!! When you look at NFL champs most of them have solid defensive teams... Good D almost always trumps good O in the big game... NFL is trying there hardest to change that... Hopefully this is something that doesn't get fully implemented....

 

[Desean12345]

NFL was upset with the Super Bowl results..... You can see Goodell in the meeting room already can't you... "WE can't have a defense shutting down the number one offense of all time! That was and embarrassment to our league! Fix this "!! Good defense is such a beautiful part of the game .... I Love good defensive football!!!! When you look at NFL champs most of them have solid defensive teams... Good D almost always trumps good O in the big game... NFL is trying there hardest to change that... Hopefully this is something that doesn't get fully implemented....

Doesn't this past Super Bowl prove my point though? Seahawks dominated the Broncos on defense despite all the rule changes to help the offense. That's why it's kind of weird to see everyone complaining about the rule changes since it doesn't actually effect or change how you win in the NFL or even CFB for that matter. Defense will always reign supreme no matter what in football.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Doesn't this past Super Bowl prove my point though? Seahawks dominated the Broncos on defense despite all the rule changes to help the offense. That's why it's kind of weird to see everyone complaining about the rule changes since it doesn't actually effect or change how you win in the NFL or even CFB for that matter. Defense will always reign supreme no matter what in football.

Yeah but there talking about implementing MORE rules ... That can shift the balance towards the O ... Defensive holding call's can literally move the ball down the field for the offense...

 

[Davis_Mike]

The last rule change that I can think of that helped the defense was the down field crack-back block rule that was changed about 2-3 season ago. And this season there is a change to the cut-knee blocks at the LOS.

 

[Desean12345]

Yeah but there talking about implementing MORE rules ... That can shift the balance towards the O ... Defensive holding call's can literally move the ball down the field for the offense...

Defensive holding isn't as prevalant as you think, ezpecially in the postseason when it really matters.

The one rule i think they change is the PI rule. Just make it a 15 yard penalty instead of spot of the foul. That doesn't seem right to me.

 

[Davis_Mike]

Defensive holding isn't as prevalant as you think, ezpecially in the postseason when it really matters.

The one rule i think they change is the PI rule. Just make it a 15 yard penalty instead of spot of the foul. That doesn't seem right to me.

No. I don't want PI(s) that happen 30+ yards down field resulting in only a 15 yard penalty. You are just asking for players to mug WR every time there is a chance at a big down reception. Why wouldn't they? Giving up 15 yards is a heck of a lot better than giving up a 40 yard bomb or a TD.

Competent officials is what is needed, not more incentive for DB(s) to commit PI.

 

[Desean12345]

No. I don't want PI(s) that happen 30+ yards down field resulting in only a 15 yard penalty. You are just asking for players to mug WR every time there is a chance at a big down reception. Why wouldn't they? Giving up 15 yards is a heck of a lot better than giving up a 40 yard bomb or a TD.

Competent officials is what is needed, not more incentive for DB(s) to commit PI.

There is a balace i guess. A lot of times the ball is over or under thrown, which means even if the DB is in good position they can get called for a bogus PI if a receiver tries to go for the ball.

I agree competent officiating would solve a lot of these issues.