No contact rule won't make a damn bit of difference

[9er Fan]

I've seen a bunch of threads on this (e.g. which wide receivers will benefit most from this rule, etc.). Personally, I don't think it will make a damn bit of difference in the grand scheme of things. This will be just like the "Cracking down on hooking penalties" in hockey, and "We're going to call high strikes now" in baseball. Officials will call it tight for a couple weeks adding 4 or so penalties per game, slowing the game down to an unberable pace.

By week 3 or 4, mugging in the secondary will be business as usual.

[Mercer Boy]

I do see this point. Refs try to make it "stand out" in the beginning of the year to try to quell the trend but then back off hoping that they won't have to call it anymore. I guess they think it's sort of like a nicotine patch...they ween you off the need to do things until you don't do it anymore. As with the patch, it's probably only 10% effective!

Also worth noting is that at the end of games there will still be "mugging." The refs normally won't let a game be decided on a ticky-tack penalty (unless they want a media fiasco), so I expect to see a lot of "no-calls" during the 4th quarter this year - along with a bunch of angry analysts on TV wondering why the new rule wasn't enforced...

[Free Bagel]

I agree. Way too much hype around this thing.

[buffalobillsrul2002]

I also agree. Even if the rule is enforced, defenses will find some sort of way to adjust (maybe DBs will just knock the receivers on the ground, b/c i think it's legal as long as they don't use their hands on the tackle).

[ajgnydc722]

I agree and like the baseball reference. Every year the umps say they'll be calling new strikes and they never do.

[bwzabodyn]

like I've said various times, it will not increase anyone production - if anything, if they call it consistently throughout the year (did I just say "consistent" referring to refs?) I think it will actually HURT production because the penalty yards will be cutting into their receiving yards... but on the plus side, more TDs will be scored from the increased chances by keeping the drives alive...

All in all, I think the new rule is "GHEY" (use a Canadian accent)

[Kensat30]

I disagree, already you may or may not have noticed in the preseason that a lot of DBs are consciously backing off WRs down the field instead of jersey tugging.

While the refs may or may not begin to enforce this rule properly, the real impact is in the mindset of a DB. He knows that an infraction of the penalty is going to result in a first down, so he is trying his hardest to shadow the WR without touching him. This gives the best route runners and the speediest wideouts more room to manuever just like in 3rd and long situations.

Look for across the board increase in passing yardage and passing attempts per game and a general scoring increase this year.

[creamdoorthirtyniner]

All in all, I think the new rule is "GHEY" (use a Canadian accent)

We don't have an accent, do we?

In the end, the rule will change nothing but the pace of the game. Now for a two hour game, I'll be there for an extra hour while the announcers talk about bad calls

[34=Sweetness]

I disagree, already you may or may not have noticed in the preseason that a lot of DBs are consciously backing off WRs down the field instead of jersey tugging.

While the refs may or may not begin to enforce this rule properly, the real impact is in the mindset of a DB. He knows that an infraction of the penalty is going to result in a first down, so he is trying his hardest to shadow the WR without touching him. This gives the best route runners and the speediest wideouts more room to manuever just like in 3rd and long situations.

Look for across the board increase in passing yardage and passing attempts per game and a general scoring increase this year.

He hit it on the head. The refs don't need to call it to prevent it from happening. DBs will let them run as to not give up big yardage on stupid penalties. Speedsters will benefit, like Kensat said.