No Playoff Reseeding....

[moochman]

No forceouts blows.

The only thing I worry about the with facemasks is that they're going to call some that would've previously been 5 yarders 15 yarders rather than just not calling them at all.

The no force out and the face mask ruling are idiotic and downright dangerous.
They both are aimed at taking human judgement out of the game. (makes the conpriracist in me wonder if there hasn't been some ties to refs and gambling, some purposely blown calls perhaps?) The league of distingished morons feel they can eliminate the need to make a determination that it will stop people from whining about bad calls. What they risk doing is injuring the players they are supposed to be protecting so they can protect the refs and the game.
They now have told the D that you need to close quicker on sideline routes and be sure by all means to hit the WR out of bounds. I am sure that there are more than a few plays a game where a WR doesn't be plowed into becuase the D knows it will be ruled a catch and doesn't not want to risk the penalty or give the hit. Now, though, the DBs will be encouraged to take the shot, causing a possible increase in late hit penalties-equaling more risk for injuries.
As for the fask mask, look at it this way-you've blown your coverage and reach out to contain a player by the trusty ole face mask. Last season you could realize it's too obvious and let go before twisting to save the big penalty. Now it's 15 yards regardless...so why not just follow through and twist that player down to the ground rodeo style? Seems to me to be hypocritical and even mean-spirited for the league to make rules that can only lead to more risk of injury to their players.

And since the hypocrits are trying to eliminate gray areas involving refs judgement, why didn't they look into this whole QB running out of bounds thing? In the spirit of these rulings I think that as long as the QB is still in bounds, regardless of intent to go out, he should be open to whatever hit the D wants to lay on him. I wouldn't want my refs to have to determine if a QB is going out of bounds or not. Let's eliminate the in the grasps rulings too. Too ambiguous. The QB is either down or on his feet, no gray area.

It's a shame to think of all the great sideline plays that will never happen with the no force out ruling. Why on Earth would a WR go up for a catch on the sideline when he knows the CB next to him will just push him out of bounds? Think about it. You now only have to stay close enough to a WR to push him out of bounds if he has to leave his feet. Terrible ruling.

[steelerfan513]

mooch: The new rule isn't that all facemask penalties are 15 yards, it's that the incidental penalty is eliminated. Players are no longer penalized for touching or grabbing the face mask if the player's head isn't twisted around.

[joelamosobadiah]

mooch: The new rule isn't that all facemask penalties are 15 yards, it's that the incidental penalty is eliminated. Players are no longer penalized for touching or grabbing the face mask if the player's head isn't twisted around.

Exactly. I think it will be just as safe as it was before.

[flotsamnjetsam]

Regarding the title: I like that they shot that down. Winning your division should mean a home game...regardless of record.

Face mask rule change: Just means they're going to let the 5 yarders go. As it's been pointed out, this could lead to more 15 yarders because the refs only have 1 option now. I see no problems with the change though.

Forceout rule change: I don't like this one because of the reasons already mentioned. WR's are going to start getting hurt from being drilled out of bounds, and then they'll change the rule again.

Defer to 2nd half on coin tosses: I haven't seen this mentioned in this thread. I have a feeling that this will rarely be used. Makes me no never mind.

[eaglesrule]

I HATE the forceout rule, and am glad it has been changed. If it results in more injuries, then it can be brought back and subject to review. However, I never understood why the receiver got credit for something he didn't do. Out of bounds is out of bounds, and in most sports, people are trained to use it as another defender when playing defense. Any other part of the field, a receiver jumps up to catch it, and if he gets drilled mid-air, its a legal play, so I don't understand why he can't be drilled near the sideline, and if he doesn't land in bounds, its ok. It's early in the morning for me, and I'm not expressing myself as well as I would like, but I still didn't think it ever made a lot of sense to me. Catching the ball in bounds should be mandatory and if the defender gets you out of bounds before you can do that, then it should be credited as a good defensive play.

I don't think the playoffs should be reseeded either, but can go either way on it. That is all i would like to see it become though.

I like the elimination of the incidental facemask rule.

The coin toss isn't mentioned. Weird thing is, I think a lot of people think that is the way it has always worked, because madden let you do that. Sometime ago I mentioned that to some people and they thought I was an idiot. But you always had to receive if you won the coin toss, otherwise, you were losing a whole possession. Because with the coin toss you won a choice, and the team that lost gets their choice at half. So kicking was your choice, then the other team chooses to receive. Anyway, I could see some very strong defensive teams doing it. And if you manage the clock well, you can get a nice back-to-back scoring scenario if you score right before the half, then get the ball back.

[Amazinz]

I read that the force-out rule only came into play 15 times last season. Out of 256 games (not counting the playoffs) and umpteen passing plays... 15 times! That amazed me when I read that and makes me think that not much will change.

[Free Bagel]

I read that the force-out rule only came into play 15 times last season. Out of 256 games (not counting the playoffs) and umpteen passing plays... 15 times! That amazed me when I read that and makes me think that not much will change.

Well, part of that is because the defenders knew about the rule and would be giving away free catches if they did it. The guy may or may not land in bounds, why push them out and give them the catch?

I think defenders will play sideline plays very differently now, and I'd be shocked if there are less than three times that number of plays where a pass is incomplete that would have previously been a completion due to the forceout rule.

[Amazinz]

Well that makes push-outs sound methodical which I think is probably the exception and not the norm. I think that defenders were still attacking the sidelines same as they ever have because the receiver had to maintain possession even while out of bounds. And it's not like defenders can carry or pull receivers over the sideline now. This doesn't change those rules.