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» Incidental facemasks: The foul for incidental grasp and release of the facemask has been eliminated. Twisting, turning or pulling the facemask will remain a 15-yard personal foul.

» Forceout rule: The forceout rule has been eliminated. A player who receives or intercepts a ball must land with both feet inbounds. This affords the receiver and defender equal opportunity to complete the play.

» Reviewable plays: Instant replay will expand to include field-goal and extra-point attempts as well as illegal forward handoffs. This provides a mechanism for correcting an obvious onfield officiating error.

» Second half coin toss: Clubs will now have the option to defer the opportunity to kick or receive the kickoff to the second half.

» Muffed snap: It will now be a live ball when a direct snap from center to a player who is in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap goes untouched. It was previously called a false start, but now either team may recover and advance the untouched snap.

Incidental facemasks: The foul for incidental grasp and release of the facemask has been eliminated. Twisting, turning or pulling the facemask will remain a 15-yard personal foul.

Dizik wrote:

I'm all for the no forceout rule, provided that the refs are going to start calling more passing interference fouls.

PRIME1 wrote:

» Forceout rule: The forceout rule has been eliminated. A player who receives or intercepts a ball must land with both feet inbounds. This affords the receiver and defender equal opportunity to complete the play.

mattsteg wrote:

Dizik wrote:

I'm all for the no forceout rule, provided that the refs are going to start calling more passing interference fouls.

More? WTF do we need more interference penalties slowing the game down for?

JJCDAD wrote:

So now the defender can "catch" the receiver and carry him out of bounds?

PRIME1 wrote:

I think "pass interference" is one of the most abused rules in the game. It needs to be called less and reviewed more.

Corrado wrote:

PRIME1 wrote:

I think "pass interference" is one of the most abused rules in the game. It needs to be called less and reviewed more.

I dunno, I see some blatant defensive pass interferences go uncalled, and minor incidental stuff get called. I don't think it needs to be called less, I think it just needs to be called properly.

Usacomp2k3 wrote:

Corrado wrote:

PRIME1 wrote:

I think "pass interference" is one of the most abused rules in the game. It needs to be called less and reviewed more.

I dunno, I see some blatant defensive pass interferences go uncalled, and minor incidental stuff get called. I don't think it needs to be called less, I think it just needs to be called properly.

I thought the rule change a couple of years ago made it quite straightforward. No contact beyond 10 yards. Period.

NFL rules wrote:

An eligible receiver is considered to be an obstructing opponent ONLY to a point five yards beyond the line of scrimmage unless the player who receives the snap clearly demonstrates no further intention to pass the ball. Within this five-yard zone, a defensive player may chuck an eligible player in front of him. A defensive player is allowed to maintain continuous and unbroken contact within the five-yard zone until a point when the receiver is even with the defender. The defensive player cannot use his hands or arms to push from behind, hang onto, or encircle an eligible receiver in a manner that restricts movement as the play develops. Beyond this five-yard limitation, a defender may use his hands or arms ONLY to defend or protect himself against impending contact caused by a receiver. In such reaction, the defender may not contact a receiver who attempts to take a path to evade him.

PRIME1 wrote:

» Forceout rule: The forceout rule has been eliminated. A player who receives or intercepts a ball must land with both feet inbounds. This affords the receiver and defender equal opportunity to complete the play.

PRIME1 wrote:

» Incidental facemasks: The foul for incidental grasp and release of the facemask has been eliminated. Twisting, turning or pulling the facemask will remain a 15-yard personal foul.

I'm not sure about this one. Does this mean that incidental grasp and release facemasks will not be called a penalty at all or they will be called 15 yard penalties? When I originally heard about this change it sounded like the later, which I think it a poor idea. If they are being eliminated as penalties then I think this is a good change.

» Forceout rule: The forceout rule has been eliminated. A player who receives or intercepts a ball must land with both feet inbounds. This affords the receiver and defender equal opportunity to complete the play.

Bad decision IMO. It's pretty crappy that just because a reciever has to jump to catch a pass near the side lines or the back of the endzone they will never get a reception any more. It take zero skill to shove someone out of bounds.

» Reviewable plays: Instant replay will expand to include field-goal and extra-point attempts as well as illegal forward handoffs. This provides a mechanism for correcting an obvious onfield officiating error.

Good Change

» Second half coin toss: Clubs will now have the option to defer the opportunity to kick or receive the kickoff to the second half.

I'm surprise it took this long for the NFL to adopt this. College has been doing this for as long as I can remember. Good change.

» Muffed snap: It will now be a live ball when a direct snap from center to a player who is in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap goes untouched. It was previously called a false start, but now either team may recover and advance the untouched snap.

Huh? I guess I though a snapped ball was always live no matter what? Oops, I guess this is a good change then.