NFL 2015

[K9]

It's competition committee time!

The Colts have proposed that teams in domes with retractable roofs be allowed to open them at halftime if they like. Doubt this will fly since it seems like it'd just be gamed for more of a home field advantage.

The Colts have also proposed that if teams are successful on a two point conversion, they get to have a shot at an extra point too from the 50, because who the fuck knows why?

The Ravens have proposed a rule change whereby players declaring ineligible would have to line up in the tackle box. Can't think what prompted that one

The Patriots have proposed that there be fixed sideline cameras on all boundaries of the game.

Lots of proposed changes to instant review. Full list here

[01101010]

annnd still the bullshit about what constitutes a catch is being pushed aside. 

[Paelos]

The amount of sheer dumbfuckery on the rules committee agenda this year is staggering.

And yet still we have to deal with catches that shouldn't be catches, and things that are catches being called catches.

[K9]

Yeah, I'm surprised the 'Boys didn't submit a change after Dez's catch in the playoffs.

[Paelos]

To me, here's what a catch is. It's control in the air and your body hits the ground. If you still have control at that point and the ball isn't immediately loose? It's a catch. The controlling through the ground stuff we have in there is complete bullshit. To me a catch is two hands on the ball and a football move, or a knee on the ground. That's it.

What isn't a catch? The amount of sheer bullshit they've added to make things catches while the ball is actually TOUCHING THE GROUND. "Oh well that's a catch even if the ball moves" THE FUCK? That wasn't a catch years ago. You can't let the ground help you all of a sudden. All these low ball catches that get the benefit of the doubt are ridiculous. Throw the ball to the receiver, not as he's falling down all over the place trapping passes.

[Nebu]

The amount of sheer dumbfuckery on the rules committee agenda this year is staggering.

The list didn't look all that crazy beyond the "extra try" stuff.  I particularly like the protection of DB's on an interception. 

The possession rules would be solved, for the most part, by disallowing gloves and stick-em.  

[shiznitz]

To me, here's what a catch is. It's control in the air and your body hits the ground. If you still have control at that point and the ball isn't immediately loose? It's a catch. The controlling through the ground stuff we have in there is complete bullshit. To me a catch is two hands on the ball and a football move, or a knee on the ground. That's it.

What isn't a catch? The amount of sheer bullshit they've added to make things catches while the ball is actually TOUCHING THE GROUND. "Oh well that's a catch even if the ball moves" THE FUCK? That wasn't a catch years ago. You can't let the ground help you all of a sudden. All these low ball catches that get the benefit of the doubt are ridiculous. Throw the ball to the receiver, not as he's falling down all over the place trapping passes.

Two hands on the ball is a non-starter.  This is not something easy to define with words even if most sensible people will agree on what constitutes a catch if they see it. A simple rule would lead to weird calls too.  Still, I will try.

How about "if the ball is grabbed from the air by one or two hands and does not touch the ground before the player" most of us would consider that a catch and Dez's catch would be a touchdown since his feet touched the ground - sealing the catch action - before he reached for the goal line.  

I think a simple rule like that would be easy to officiate.  Let the refs decide what constitutes a "grab".

[Paelos]

The amount of sheer dumbfuckery on the rules committee agenda this year is staggering.

The list didn't look all that crazy beyond the "extra try" stuff. 

In order of crazy to me:

1 - The extra try - we're not the arena league.
2 - Allow penalties to be challenged - This is crazy, why have officials? So many penalties are completely subjective. We're going to review a facemask? The games are already 4 hours.
3 - Allow coaches to challenge personal fouls - Yeah because coaches are completely rational about what does and doesn't constitute a subjective call. This is like challenging spots.
4 - Review a whole bunch of other shit - Again, we're getting close to reviewing every play and every action on the field. You might as well just remove officials, have every play go through a review, and then okay it after 5 minutes. The games will be like cricket and last a few days with a beer interval.
5 - More challenges - Here's an idea, no challenges. Limit the reviews to turnovers and boundary plays. Otherwise the call on the field stands, and the play is reviewed by the booth.
6 - If an eligible player reports as an ineligible receiver to the referee, he must align within the tackle box. - cry fucking more Ravens. You got beat by Belichick because you're dumb. Live with it.

Things that don't bother me:

Jersey rules, the defensive play thing, pushing players, peelback blocks, RB chop blocks.

Things I actually like:

1 - Two possessions in OT - Someone please just do this. I love the college OT. Just do it from the 50 in the NFL and call it a day. The NFL rules are still so so dumb.
2 - Put cameras everywhere on the boundaries - The fact they haven't done this already is just because the NFL is a bunch of money-grubbers. The incremental cost is nil to getting boundary calls right, which are some of the most important calls in the sport.

[Nebu]

In order of crazy to me:

1 - The extra try - we're not the arena league.
2 - Allow penalties to be challenged - This is crazy, why have officials? So many penalties are completely subjective. We're going to review a facemask? The games are already 4 hours.
3 - Allow coaches to challenge personal fouls - Yeah because coaches are completely rational about what does and doesn't constitute a subjective call. This is like challenging spots.
4 - Review a whole bunch of other shit - Again, we're getting close to reviewing every play and every action on the field. You might as well just remove officials, have every play go through a review, and then okay it after 5 minutes. The games will be like cricket and last a few days with a beer interval.
5 - More challenges - Here's an idea, no challenges. Limit the reviews to turnovers and boundary plays. Otherwise the call on the field stands, and the play is reviewed by the booth.
6 - If an eligible player reports as an ineligible receiver to the referee, he must align within the tackle box. - cry fucking more Ravens. You got beat by Belichick because you're dumb. Live with it.

1. I agree

2. I see as a non issue in most cases if coaches are limited to 2 challenges per half.  If they want to use it for a penalty like a 50 yd PI call, I can see this as a useful change.

3. See #2

4. I tend to agree with you in terms of slowing the game down even more.  I stopped watching baseball when pitchers began delaying to the point of absurdity.  I imagine I'd do the same with football. 

5. I agree.  They don't need more challenges.

6. I actually like the idea of ineligible receivers being forced in the tackle box.  Players already have a ton to manage mentally during the heat of a game. 

[HaemishM]

2 - Put cameras everywhere on the boundaries - The fact they haven't done this already is just because the NFL is a bunch of money-grubbers. The incremental cost is nil to getting boundary calls right, which are some of the most important calls in the sport.

This. HOLY FUCK, THIS. The fact that the NFL hasn't mandated this despite shitting up the games with a bazillion boundary/replay calls a game is a fucking travesty, especially when you make every fucking scoring play automatically reviewed.

If the NFL didn't think they were such fucking special snowflakes, they'd take a look at rugby union's use of the TMO (television match officials) and how the officials talk to each other. The refs are mic'ed up and all conversations between them are heard on the TV. If the ref feels he wants a review, he calls up to the TMO who reviews it as well as showing the review in stadium. No need for coach's challenges. It's all very open and transparent.

[sickrubik]

https://twitter.com/ESPNNFL/status/578585257949208576

Stat of the Day - Longest career run:

Peyton Manning - 33 yards
Trent Richardson - 32 yards

 

[jgsugden]

Well, to be fair, Peyton Manning is a massive brain built on a Scarecrow frame while Trent Richardson is a huge pile of crap. 

[K9]

Trent Richardson might not be the worst RB of all time, but he's certainly the worst that's seen a ton of carries. I saw a stat the other day which suggested he had the lowest YPC for any RB with more than 300 touches

[Bunk]

As to the challenging of other things/everything - the CFL actually implemented challenging PI calls this year which I thought would be a total disaster. It actually went pretty smoothly. The interesting point was that they only 17 of 55 challenges on PI were successful. And only 55 challenges out of 162 games in the season isn't much.

[Paelos]

I'd like to see the success rate on challenging spots, but I'd guess it's similar to that 17-55. If 70% of the time the call is going to stand up, I consider it a waste of time to challenge. That means that 70% of the time we just wasted at least 5 minutes debating something that's at best subjective.

[Paelos]

Looks like SF cut Jonathon Martin. http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12564071/jonathan-martin-waived-san-francisco-49ers

Bullying likely not involved. Just the fact he's not a great football player.

[WayAbvPar]

Cowboys just traded DMF and their 1st rounder for convicted child abuser Adrian Peterson. Good...I can root for the Vikings now.

Unless this is a shitty April Fool's joke. Will investigate further.

[01101010]

Cowboys just traded DMF and their 1st rounder for convicted child abuser Adrian Peterson. Good...I can root for the Vikings now.

Unless this is a shitty April Fool's joke. Will investigate further.

Has to be fake. ESPN has been waiting to pounce on a Peterson deal since the Super Bowl... They would be the first to crack this if not the first major outlet to report it.

[WayAbvPar]

Yeah I can't find it anywhere else than the original source.

[K9]

Who is DMF?

[Cyrrex]

Darren McFadden, whom they just picked up.  McFading, more like.

[K9]

Oh right, I missed that trade and wikipedia doesn't seem to have listed on their roster yet (which makes sense I guess)

[WayAbvPar]

Darren McFadden, whom they just picked up.  McFading, more like.

I think he is going to have a nice year if he stays remotely healthy. The Cowboys O-line is pretty fucking good.

[Ingmar]

Darren McFadden, whom they just picked up.  McFading, more like.

I think he is going to have a nice year if he stays remotely healthy. The Cowboys O-line is pretty fucking good.

He's played all 16 games exactly once in his career (and only carried 155 times in that season.) Granted, it was last year.

[WayAbvPar]

Yep...that is why I hedged. Although I think a lot of Oakland players are on the injury report as Questionable: Broken Spirit.

[HaemishM]

Best Deadspin comment about the new Browns unis:

It’s like Syracuse raped Wyoming.

[01101010]

Best Deadspin comment about the new Browns unis:

It’s like Syracuse raped Wyoming.

Anything to take away from this coming season's misery.

[K9]

[Paelos]

 

[01101010]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/12723790/tim-tebow-philadelphia-eagles-reach-contract-agreement

Confirming Chip Kelly is insane.

[HaemishM]

Wait... what? What the fuck? You couldn't trade your 3rd string probably never start an NFL game in his career again QB to make room for TEBOW, then you sign Tebow anyway?

Goddamn, I look forward to watching the Eagles literally spontaneously combust this season.

[Cyrrex]

Well, his competition is Butt Fumble and the Ghost of Sam Bradford's ACL.  He could be the perfect fit for that offense, predicated on the idea that you don't have to complete more than 40% of your passes to succeed in the NFL. 

Probably what will happen is the same thing that happened to him last year, or whenever it was that the Patriots had him in camp.  He'll get cut before the regular season.  And if not, I will enjoy watching the show.

[K9]

Second coming.

So the Eagles now have five quarterbacks on the roster.

[Paelos]

I love this. I love everything about what the Eagles are doing. If I wasn't so certain that Chip Kelly has a god-complex, I'd assume he was tanking to get fired.

[01101010]

I can only imagine that if they keep Timmy, he'll be used as some hybrid running back/tight end. I can't see him being a QB, even in some 'wildcatesque' scheme.