| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 4/2/2008 9:30:51 PM | The New York Giants overcame long odds to win Super Bowl XLII, but team co-owner John Mara quickly knew Wednesday he had no shot of pulling an even bigger upset:
Getting enough team owners to approve a new playoff seeding format at the league's annual meeting.
"I was surprised at how little support there was," said Mara, who had championed the idea. "Clearly, opponents of that rule had done their lobbying behind the scenes and were very effective."
As a wild-card team last season, the Giants headed to Tampa Bay for a first-round playoff game. New York (10-6) had a better record than the Bucs (9-7), but Tampa Bay had won the NFC South. The AFC had a similar scenario with AFC South runner-up Jacksonville (11-5) playing at AFC North champion Pittsburgh (9-7).
"I don't like the idea of a 12-4 wild-card having to travel to a 9-7 or 8-8 division winner," Mara said. "That strikes me as unfair, but it's not the end of the world."
Mara should know. The Giants won all three of their playoff games on the road last season en route to defeating New England in the Super Bowl. Two seasons ago, Pittsburgh did the same when winning a title as a No. 6 seed. Such success for visiting teams has made some owners believe a seeding change isn't necessary.
Other clubs were concerned about diminishing the importance of winning a division and relinquishing the financial windfall that comes with hosting a home playoff game by doing so. Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis spoke Tuesday about the benefits his team would experience if the Bengals won the AFC North.
"When you're selling to your fans that you compete against Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, can beat those teams and have an opportunity to get a home game for them, I would hate to see us go away from that model," Lewis said.
Conversely, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell believed re-seeding could spice up what is becoming a largely meaningless Week 17. Only two of the 16 season finales -- Washington vs. Dallas and Tennessee vs. Indianapolis -- had a direct impact on the playoffs. The Cowboys and Colts both rested starters for the playoffs, giving the Redskins and Titans an easier path to securing wild-card berths with victories.
"We have a responsibility to take a good hard look at this," said Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio, who also rested his starters in Week 17 with his playoff seeding secured. "It makes sense to have games be as competitive as possible and be more fun for the fans and viewers. It's healthier for our game to have everything count."
Told he suffered a "humiliating loss" with the proposal's overwhelming rejection, a laughing Mara said, "That's OK. It's been a pretty good year."
Other proposals voted upon Tuesday and Wednesday fared much better. Here's a look at some of the changes coming to the NFL this season after being approved by at least three-fourths (24) of the league's owners:
A communication device is now allowed in the helmet of one defensive player.
Impact: This will give defensive coordinators a quicker and more efficient way of calling plays. But just like when the technology was installed in quarterback helmets, there will be some growing pains. The designated defender must grow accustomed to relaying calls that are being spoken rather than signaled from the sideline. Offenses may use more hurry-up attacks and sugar huddles hoping to exploit clubs with communication problems, as the device is turned off after 15 seconds like with quarterbacks. Teams also must identify an every-down player to handle the role, which isn't easy for teams like New England that frequently substitute personnel.
"The concept of it is fine but the logistics of it are a little bit of a different story," said Patriots coach Bill Belichick, whose team was one of 25 to vote in favor of the proposal. "You don't always have a quarterback in the game on defense like you do on offense. ... I don't think it's as easy to do on defense."
Teams that win the coin toss can now defer until the second half.
Impact: Significant. NFL officiating chief Mike Pereira said the majority of college coaches in 2007 opted to defer and receive the second-half kickoff.
"I think you may see deferrals later in the year as you have weather issues," said Titans coach Jeff Fisher, who is the co-chairman of the NFL's competition committee. "If you've got a club that's known for playing good defense, you could see them [defer]. It's going to be interesting to see what the philosophies are going to be."
Unless literally carried out by a defensive player, receivers must land with two feet inbounds for a completion.
Impact: This "force out" rule takes pressure off sideline officials, who are sometimes forced to make difficult judgment calls. Pereira said that half of the 16 force outs last season were ruled correctly. The change eliminates the guess work.
The five-yard face mask penalty for incidental contact with the facemask was eliminated. Any twisting, grabbing or illegal use of a facemask will result in a 15-yard penalty.
Impact: This change also takes the heat off referees from having to make what can be a tough judgment call. Pereira said there will also be greater emphasis placed on ensuring offensive players also aren't breaking the facemask rule when trying to avoid tackles. This could greatly affect the rushing style of Dallas running back Marion Barber, who has the NFL's fiercest stiff-arm.
Source: http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7980294/These-new-rules-will-have-an-impact-on-NFL?var=one
I agree that the division winners of records of 9-7 or 8-8 shouldn't be allowed to host home games in the first round of the wild card playoffs over an 11-5 or 10-6 wild card team. It should be based on seeding and not dvisional wins. At least week 17 would be a lot more meaningful then it is now if they did it that way.
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 4/3/2008 1:02:58 PM | facemask 15 yards.. i always thought the 5 yarder was judgement, good call by the NFL next thing should be 15 yards for grabbing long hair.
i'm trying to remember if MLB allows a wild card team to have home field?? seems like they can since they cannot face their division winner in the first round | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 4/3/2008 9:26:42 PM | ^^Good idea but Pacific Islanders cherish their hair so it's not likely to pass the 'beliefs' test.
The NFL needs a "cheerleader rule". Whenever the ball isn't moving, all cameras have to be focused on cheerleaders. 'Spygate' will become a thing of the past. | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 4/5/2008 12:33:17 AM | spygate is the biggest friggin joke that there ever was.
spygate is the biggest friggin joke that there ever was.
spygate is the biggest friggin joke that there ever was.
spygate is the biggest friggin joke that there ever was.
spygate is the biggest friggin joke that there ever was.
spygate is the biggest friggin joke that there ever was.
spygate is the biggest friggin joke that there ever was.
spygate is the biggest friggin joke that there ever was. | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 4/5/2008 6:19:01 AM | as a Rams fan, i think your post is a joke
as a Rams fan, i think your post is a joke
as a Rams fan, i think your post is a joke
as a Rams fan, i think your post is a joke
as a Rams fan, i think your post is a joke
as a Rams fan, i think your post is a joke
as a Rams fan, i think your post is a joke
Belicheck is a KNOWN cheater, this could be the tip of the iceberg | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 4/6/2008 12:36:19 PM | yeah one track mind..... THE TRUTH. not a conspiracy guy, but hey the NFL doesn't fine you $500K and take away your teams' first round draft pick because of INNUENDO. there is more here and the NFL and Kraft want it to go away quietly.. but it won't, and when congress gets into this you better believe the NFL will quit stonewalling.
this thing is bigger than one superbowl win. | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 4/6/2008 3:47:22 PM |
this thing is bigger than one superbowl win.
Your certainly right, but not all cheating has been done by the Patriots. Lets bring everything on the table. You never know maybe your Rams have something hidden too, but thats probably in the shredder now because each team is running scared. And for Matt Walsh he has nothing to come forward with, only that he was a displeased employee who was fired because he secretly recorded a conversation between him and Scott Pioli. | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 4/6/2008 7:00:29 PM | sure, I wont say it was only the Pats, but for the sake of the integrity of the game the NFL must clear the air, punish everyone guilty, and start anew.
I liken the situation to the baseball owners collusion back in the 90's. everybody KNEW it was happening, and the game suffered as a result.
If Matt Walsh has nothing to hide, then why is he hiding in Hawaii?? things that make ya go hmmmmmmmm. | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 4/7/2008 11:46:34 AM | druggist or druggie?
druggist or druggie?
druggist or druggie?
druggist or druggie?
druggist or druggie?
druggist or druggie?
druggist or druggie?
Pats are the best.
All other teams are simply jealous...
Deal with it.
Every team tries to get some sort of edge.
If you choose to live with yer head in the sand, that is only yer perception of reality.
It doesn't mean that it's THE reality though. | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 5/5/2008 3:55:28 PM | registered pharmacist since 1986
the video guy (Walsh) has his immunity... anybody care to guess how Goodell is gonna pound the patsies after all this?? rumor is Walsh has a LOT of video... time will tell i believe Walsh and Goodell will be meeting May 14th or therebouts. gonna be interesting!!!! | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 5/5/2008 6:26:42 PM | | If the league wants to take away any incentive for a team winning it's division, they might as well just do away with the divisions themselves; what would be the reward for winning one's division, other than another banner to put up? | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 5/9/2008 5:27:05 PM | the video guy (Walsh) has his immunity... anybody care to guess how Goodell is gonna pound the patsies after all this?? rumor is Walsh has a LOT of video... time will tell i believe Walsh and Goodell will be meeting May 14th or therebouts. gonna be interesting!!!!
Eight tapes and no walk through....None exist. The tapes only have the same stuff from the last tape that were handed in to Goodell. This is old news for him and Belichick has already admitted to recording signals. Also none of those recordings affected the outcome of that game. So.... to you.
You can stop your whining.... | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 5/12/2008 8:38:52 AM |
The one rule I want to see changed is No running out the clock like kneeling. I say play until the last second is off the clock. This may just be me but it takes away from the game. teams would simply run a half arsed HB or FB dive play right into the D and get the same result so why risk injury? | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 5/12/2008 10:51:21 AM | | The one rule i want to see changed is that no hitting the kicker B.S. You don't even have to run into them, all you have to do is touch them and they call a damn flag on you, even if their guy pushed you into him! | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 5/14/2008 6:04:36 AM | | Defer kick off to the 2nd half.....now were talking. Always thought it was better to let the 1st half play out then take the extra offensive possession (theoretically speaking) to start the 2nd. Kicking off and trailing by 7 or 10 makes the hill look all that much larger. | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 5/15/2008 12:06:22 AM |
If the league wants to take away any incentive for a team winning it's division, they might as well just do away with the divisions themselves; what would be the reward for winning one's division, other than another banner to put up?
Simple, the division winner will get an automatic playoff birth, but when the playoffs start their division title win means nothing, it now becomes based on your winning record in which you are seeded. | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 5/15/2008 1:40:37 AM |
Simple, the division winner will get an automatic playoff birth, but when the playoffs start their division title win means nothing, it now becomes based on your winning record in which you are seeded.
should make week 17 more interesting with less teams just coasting | |
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| New rules that will have an impact on the 2008 NFL season.
Posted: 5/15/2008 1:45:42 PM | should make week 17 more interesting with less teams just coasting
Exactly. As of right now Week 17 for the most part is uselss to most playoff teams. By the time week 17 roles around most of the playoff teams sit out their guys and play games like a preseason, because they know regardless of their record as long as they won their division they are at least guranteed a home playoff game. | |
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