Topic of the day7/10: If you could change one NFL rule

[BuffaloBill]

If you could change one rule in the NFL to improve the game what would it be and why?

[CardinalScotts]

pass interference - it varies from crew to crew what and if they will call anything or everything. I read all officials besides 1 are returning - and why not they have done such a great job. Men in their 70's out there with elite athletes missing calls, then we go to the replay maybe we can "get it right". Why have officials just add more camera's and a guy on the sidelines can step out turn to the camera and announce the penalty.

[machine gun kelly]

It sounds like you don't want to change the pass interference rule per se, but more cameras etc. to get it right? I can see your point.

 

Mine is simple, "the catch". Two feet down, and possession, and it's a catch. This crap there has to be a football move is ridiculous. Why is it ok when thrown to the sidelines and caught with two feet down, and possession, and a catch. In the open field or TD, they have to take a third step and make a football move. It's stupid.

 

That's mine.

[BuffaloFan68]

MGK - I agree & what ever happened to the ground not being able to cause a fumble? I hate it when a receiver catches the ball with two feet or a foot & knee down & then the ball pops out when they hit the ground I & it's now called no catch because they didn't maintain control of the ball. I like the old rules better.

[Rubes]

I would change a couple of penalty costs.

 

First, I'd change pass interference to a 15-yard penalty. This spot-foul thing can really suck when teams look for it on 3rd or 4th and 20-something, especially when it's a close call.

 

I'd also consider changing defensive holding so it's no longer an automatic first down. I can understand the rationale for it, but so many of the calls are ticky-tack that it can just destroy a team's morale when t's 3rd and 15 and some minor or invisible hold on the opposite side of the play ruins a defensive stop. Hell, make it 10 yards instead of 5 if you have to.

[Damian]

Get rid of the 15 yd penalty for taunting. How do you not talk smack after grabbing a TD over 3 defenders?

[eball]

My rule change would be to allow for replay challenges concerning penalties, and those rulings are made by an official in New York who has no skin in the game (i.e., isn't a member of the officiating crew). Similar to how goals are reviewed in Toronto by the NHL.

[mead107]

Pass interference. They may not have caught the ball. 15 yds should be the penalty not spot of the foul.

[Captain_Quint]

Late hits. You can hit the ballcarrier at any point during the game after they catch or carry a ball, whether theyre on the field or not. It will make for better storylines throughout the game.

[WotAGuy]

That the Bills are required to miss the playoffs

[Kirby Jackson]

I'd make everything reviewable including penalties. I think that they are doing it in the CFL. There is nothing worse, to me anyways, than a mistake determining the game.

Edited July 10, 2016 by Kirby Jackson

[Mike in Horseheads]

I agree with pass interference being a 15 yd penalty. I also think the defensive holding needs to be looked at both as a first down and what constitutes the penalty.

PS--- move the extra point back so Carp won't clank them!

[CommonCents]

Rub routes should be reviewed and changed so they no longer give the offense an unfair advantage. Hard to believe the NFL needs more rules that bungle up the on the field play but it's broken.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

The defensive false start... I.e. When someone jumps and gets back but the tackle stands up and points.

 

You're on offense and know the snap count, the d is at a disadvantage and now gets called for the penalty. The offensive linemen shouldn't be able to move before the snap. I don't like when they pop up to hear a play change either... It's still a sudden movement

[What a Tuel]

Make all plays challengeable. Limit the number of challenges to 3. Nothing worse than seeing a pass interference call that can't be overturned because it's "subjective" when there is clear replay evidence it was non existent. Don't overturn the ones that aren't clear cut.

 

Edited July 10, 2016 by What a Tuel

[machine gun kelly]

A lot of good ideas. Quint, I don't see a world where you allow late hits once a guy is on the ground. Not with this safety conscious climate due to concerns of even more lawsuits.

 

The 15 yard penalty makes sense although the unintended consequence is a WR beats you 35 years deep, screw it, push him before he catches it. At worst you get 15 yards. That's what I'd do if I'm beat real deep and the game is on the line. Unless your completely beat the DB which is usually not the case, you see the ball in the air 30-40 yards down the field, hell push him the back. You'll basically eliminate all deep passes.

[yungmack]

Lots of very good ideas, which would make it a lot better game to watch. For myself, I would add two rules which I think would make the game a lot more interesting. First, the QB should have to personally call all plays. No signalling from the sidelines, no speaker in the helmet.

 

My second proposal is that once a possession begins, no substitutions are allowed on either side of the ball, except for injury, until the O elects to punt or try a FG.

 

Both would put the game back in the players hands and eliminate the one trick ponies. Coaching strategies would also have to change. The heart of the roster would be better all around players.

 

I think these changes would make the game more fun for both players and fans.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

PI is the thing that needs changing. For sure.

[shane nelson]

Very simple, very logical. There should be two pass interference rules. Intentional pass interface, this is at the point of the foul where it clear a large gain was impact by blatant contact before the ball is there. This would be called probably less than 10% of the time Then Pass Interference would be reduced to 15 yards and a 1st down. This would address almost 50% of the real PI and the other 40% were the refs blow it. Last year PI probably cost us a playoff spot

 

go Bills. Damn no what they do............i love them

[Webster Guy]

Two preseason games then regular season starts on labor day weekend every year.

 

Move the stupid superbowl time to saturday at 4pm, not sunday night when the weekend is over and the next day is a workday.

 

Get rid of appeals for suspensions. Have a 3 person committee decide what the suspension length is and get it over with. No whining, no lawyers, no players union involvement.