ofiba Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 As I understand it, the 5 yard incidental face mask penalty is being eliminated, meaning either you accidentally touch a guys facemask and get NO PENALTY, or you yank it and get 15. It seems like a lot of people think that the new rule change means that any touching if the facemask will result in a 15 yard penalty? Am I wrong? I think they are just completely getting rid of the penalty that results from touching and quickly releasing the face mask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fewell733 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 from what I've read it just eliminates the minor infraction and will only be called when the facemask is actually pulled on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heard of Buffalo Bills Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I never understood why they instituted this rule to begin with. Either its flagrant or it's not.....IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrite Gal Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 My guess is that it will end up being called by the refs as a 15 yarder IF they judge it clearly impacted the play and not if they judge it to have been incidental contact. This strikes me as fine as a criterion. However, there will also be the tougher judgments about whether the facemasking endangered or caused injury to a player even if it did not cause a fumble, an incompletion or some other game changing impact. I think we will see players pretending to need aid to get up and writhing in alleged agony in an attempt to draw a flag. In response to this in a year or so we will see development (if there is not one) or greater enforcement if there is already a rule of against a player taking a dive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stl Bills Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I never understood why they instituted this rule to begin with. Either its flagrant or it's not.....IMO. It seems like in recent years they got away from calling the 5 yarder anyway...........seems like they were always calling the 15 yard penalty no matter what. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WellDressed Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 from what I've read it just eliminates the minor infraction and will only be called when the facemask is actually pulled on I was under the impression that any touching of the mask will now result in a 15 yd. personal foul penalty?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnychemo Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 No, I think it has to be flagrant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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