[News] NFL Bans Chop Block, Passes Six Other Rules Changes

[BR News]

The league made all chop blocks illegal, but John Harbaugh voiced displeasure with that change.

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[ravensnj]

Time for a 4-3 defense.

[billiejean]

Time for a 4-3 defense.

why?

[ravensnj]

8 minutes ago, billiejean said:

15 minutes ago, ravensnj said:

Time for a 4-3 defense.

why?

DT's can just hold up the Ol and make no holes to run through.

Edited March 22, 2016 by ravensnj

[crazyboutravens]

There is a good possibility that we will get called for everyone of these new rules in the first quarter of the first game.

[crazyboutravens]

Anyone that understands number 5 is a genius. It will not be an official.

[rmcjacket23]

3 minutes ago, ravensnj said:

DT's can just hold up the Ol and make no holes to run through.

Which they can do the same thing in a 3-4 or a 4-3 scheme. This rule change doesn't affect that at all.

It actually arguably makes it slightly more advantageous for a 3-4 system now, since the ability for offensive lineman to double team and cut 2 or even all 3  of the front men in a 3-4 diminishes with this rule.

[crazyboutravens]

Apparently John is not aware of how the league dislikes the Ravens. He should lobby another team to put forth any rule changes.

[ravensnj]

  8 minutes ago, ravensnj said:

DT's can just hold up the Ol and make no holes to run through.

Which they can do the same thing in a 3-4 or a 4-3 scheme. This rule change doesn't affect that at all.

It actually arguably makes it slightly more advantageous for a 3-4 system now, since the ability for offensive lineman to double team and cut 2 or even all 3  of the front men in a 3-4 diminishes with this rule.

There is no fear for Dl , they will be like bulls. No one can cut them down to the ground. OL have a difficult job preventing the dl from getting through, let alone opening up a running hole.

[rmcjacket23]

Just now, ravensnj said:

There is no fear for Dl , they will be like bulls. No one can cut them down to the ground. OL have a difficult job preventing the dl from getting through, let alone opening up a running hole.

Right, which is a problem for the OL, not for the defense.

Its not like a 3-4 defense is actually only using three guys to stop the run.

[ravensnj]

Big boys will rule the trenches

[harfordravenfan]

38 minutes ago, rmcjacket23 said:

Right, which is a problem for the OL, not for the defense.

Its not like a 3-4 defense is actually only using three guys to stop the run.

Guessing he didn't realize it effects our o-line not our defense.

[757RavensFan]

This new change will make Brandon Williams even more effective.  Get his deal down ASAP!

[birdseye]

great, we need to improve our run game, not hurt it... we use a lot of stretch zone run blocking... Kubiak is one of the best at teaching it... we need to draft a mauler at guard or two and a bigger back with more power, maybe now we see why Trent Richardson is on the radar?

[vinnystp]

And yet no expansion to reviewable plays. "We want to protect the integrity of the game". Except when it comes to officiating, and getting the calls right.

[jravens1313]

Football doesn't have to be as complicated at the rulebook makes it. It is clear that owners are scared of future litigation coming against them. Eliminating the chop block will create more concussions. Harbaugh easily explained that theory.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Moderator 3
Political comments removed

[riseNConquer81]

great, we need to improve our run game, not hurt it... we use a lot of stretch zone run blocking... Kubiak is one of the best at teaching it... we need to draft a mauler at guard or two and a bigger back with more power, maybe now we see why Trent Richardson is on the radar?

except Trent is a terrible power back. He can t find the hole. thats rule one for any RB.

maybe he can get better, but i wouldnt bet on him.

[bioLarzen]

Could someone explain to me the

"5. Eliminates multiple spots of enforcement for a double foul after a change of possession."

one? Frankly, I don't understand it :(

[bioLarzen]

Anyone that understands number 5 is a genius. It will not be an official.

Ha, I see I'm not the only one who doesn't get that one...

[bioLarzen]

There is a good possibility that we will get called for everyone of these new rules in the first quarter of the first game.

There are ones that eliminate restrictions from the book, how are we gonna gett called for those? ;)

[eze17]

Well, I am glad they made the line of scrimmage the 15 on extra point tries permanent. That was one change I liked last year...course, with all the missed extra points its harder to call exact scores, but I say make them kickers work!

[rmcjacket23]

1 hour ago, vinnystp said:

And yet no expansion to reviewable plays. "We want to protect the integrity of the game". Except when it comes to officiating, and getting the calls right.

Well, to be honest, don't think expanding replay is the solution.

I'd make a case less replay would be the better option. The main driver of the perception of poor officiating really doesn't have much to do with the actual officiating.

It has to do with NBC, FOX, CBS and ESPN mostly.

[mearzunkies]

  2 hours ago, vinnystp said:

And yet no expansion to reviewable plays. "We want to protect the integrity of the game". Except when it comes to officiating, and getting the calls right.

Well, to be honest, don't think expanding replay is the solution.

I'd make a case less replay would be the better option. The main driver of the perception of poor officiating really doesn't have much to do with the actual officiating.

It has to do with NBC, FOX, CBS and ESPN mostly.

Nope, as much as I despise the media that is incorrect. I see plays called poorly and also reviewed poorly. I do agree the game needs LESS replays but not for the reason you do. The officiating has been **** poor the last few years. Time for the NFL to open up an school where people can learn to be more steady in their calls. That comes after they are a full time employee though! IMO

[riseNConquer81]

2 hours ago, bioLarzen said:

Could someone explain to me the

"5. Eliminates multiple spots of enforcement for a double foul after a change of possession."

one? Frankly, I don't understand it

This is the rule as it stood before today:
DOUBLE FOUL AFTER CHANGE OF POSSESSION
Article 3 If a double foul occurs after a change in possession, the team in possession retains the ball at
the spot where the team in possession’s foul occurred so long as that spot is not in advance of the dead
ball spot. In that event, ball is spotted at dead ball spot.
(a) If this spot is normally a touchback, the ball is placed on the 20-yard line.
(b) If normally a safety, place the ball on one-yard line.
(c) This enforcement also applies if one of the fouls is a post-possession foul.
(d) If there is a subsequent change of possession (e.g., fumble recovery) after the double foul, and the
foul by the team in possession is in advance of the spot of the fumble, the ball is put in play by the
fumbling team at the spot of the fumble.
(e) If the foul by the team in possession is a dead ball foul, the ball is put in play at the dead ball spot.

courtesy of the NFL: http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/17_Rule14_Penalty_Enforcement.pdf

This rule itself doesnt make a whole lot of sense. (how can the spot of a foul be in advance of a dead ball spot? how can commit a play foul after the ball is dead?)
So whatever change they're making will definitely result in this rule being shorter and easier to understand.
my guess is one of either the dead ball spot, or the spot of the foul will be completely eliminated from this rule. 

Edited March 22, 2016 by riseNConquer81

[rmcjacket23]

12 hours ago, mearzunkies said:

Nope, as much as I despise the media that is incorrect. I see plays called poorly and also reviewed poorly. I do agree the game needs LESS replays but not for the reason you do. The officiating has been **** poor the last few years. Time for the NFL to open up an school where people can learn to be more steady in their calls. That comes after they are a full time employee though! IMO

Well, yes and no.

1. There really isn't much actual evidence to suggest the officiating is worse...that's largely a matter of perception, because every guy with a lounger and a DVR thinks they are a rule expert. Fans get things wrong exponentially more often than officials do, because fans spend half the game arguing over inherently subjective calls. That, by definition, means there's no right or wrong answer.

2. The reason people THINK the officiating is worse is because 20 years ago you didn't know any better. Enter...television. The TV shows you 10 replays every play...you didn't used to have that, so you had to make a "live" interpretation of a ruling on a play...kind of like officials do. Remember that fans only are perceived to have gotten "smarter" when it comes to officiating because TV has dumbed it down for us by slowing it down.

3. I agree that officials need to be educated more, but it really has nothing to do with rule interpretation, because they generally do a great job with that. Where they need more training is in the execution of their judgment AND in not depending on reality to get the call correct. They should be using replay for the precise reason it was created...to correct blatant mistakes. It was never designed and doesn't help the sport if it's intention is to make 100% of calls accurate. Not only is that impossible, but it also slows down an already slow game.

Not good for the integrity of the game.

[EdTheMythicalOne]

  10 hours ago, billiejean said:

  10 hours ago, ravensnj said:

Time for a 4-3 defense.

why?

DT's can just hold up the Ol and make no holes to run through.

Not if the officials actually do their job and call defensive holding like they should in that instance. Send a memo to all the teams:

"With the elimination of the chop block, defensive holding will now be something officials will be looking at strongly and strictly enforcing."

[EdTheMythicalOne]

"Defense wins championships?"

I am not a fan of the chop block and I think it is a dirty play. You are intentionally going after a guy's knee and could potentially end his career. I don't buy the whole argument that it is necessary for the run game. Um, teach better technique then?

They ruled out the chop block, but nothing says you can't cut block a guy.

[TheConquerorWorm]

Could someone explain to me the

"5. Eliminates multiple spots of enforcement for a double foul after a change of possession."

one? Frankly, I don't understand it :(

Team B intercepts the ball from Team A on their 30. Team B player commits block in the back penalty (10 yards) during the return at the 37. The returner is tackled at the 40 but Team A commits a horse collar tackle penalty (15 yards). Instead of marking off 10 yards from the spot of the foul (going from the 37 to the 27) then adding on the 15 yards for the horse collar (going from the 27 up to the 42), it's now just spotted at the dead ball spot (the 40 where the returner was tackled).

Or on a punt where the ball goes out of the end zone (touchback) but the kicking team commits a penalty - say the gunner goes out of bounds but doesn't try to come back in bounds. That's a 5 yard penalty on the kicking team. But during the kick, the returner calls for a fair catch and then ends up blocking - a 15 yard penalty on the returning team. Instead of spotting the ball on the 20, going half the distance to the goal (for the 15 yard penalty) and then adding the 5 yard penalty - the ball will now be spotted at the 20 (dead ball spot).

[TheConquerorWorm]

  9 hours ago, bioLarzen said:

Could someone explain to me the

"5. Eliminates multiple spots of enforcement for a double foul after a change of possession."

one? Frankly, I don't understand it

This is the rule as it stood before today:
DOUBLE FOUL AFTER CHANGE OF POSSESSION
Article 3 If a double foul occurs after a change in possession, the team in possession retains the ball at
the spot where the team in possession’s foul occurred so long as that spot is not in advance of the dead
ball spot. In that event, ball is spotted at dead ball spot.
(a) If this spot is normally a touchback, the ball is placed on the 20-yard line.
(b) If normally a safety, place the ball on one-yard line.
(c) This enforcement also applies if one of the fouls is a post-possession foul.
(d) If there is a subsequent change of possession (e.g., fumble recovery) after the double foul, and the
foul by the team in possession is in advance of the spot of the fumble, the ball is put in play by the
fumbling team at the spot of the fumble.
(e) If the foul by the team in possession is a dead ball foul, the ball is put in play at the dead ball spot.

courtesy of the NFL: http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/17_Rule14_Penalty_Enforcement.pdf

This rule itself doesnt make a whole lot of sense. (how can the spot of a foul be in advance of a dead ball spot? how can commit a play foul after the ball is dead?)
So whatever change they're making will definitely result in this rule being shorter and easier to understand.
my guess is one of either the dead ball spot, or the spot of the foul will be completely eliminated from this rule. 

"how can the spot of a foul be in advance of a dead ball spot?".

On a touchback, the dead ball spot is the 20 yard line. A penalty or foul can easily happen on the 30 yard line - ahead or advance of the dead ball spot. Same thing on an interception thrown down the field. Where the interception happened (and the DB was ruled down by contact) is the dead ball spot. A penalty could easily occur back at the line of scrimmage and after the ball is dead - i.e. blocking the QB

[rmcjacket23]

9 hours ago, EdTheMythicalOne said:

"Defense wins championships?"

I am not a fan of the chop block and I think it is a dirty play. You are intentionally going after a guy's knee and could potentially end his career. I don't buy the whole argument that it is necessary for the run game. Um, teach better technique then?

They ruled out the chop block, but nothing says you can't cut block a guy.

Well, that's not really what a chop block is. A chop block, when done properly, has no impact on the knee whatsoever, and you're also not required to hit the knee for it to be a chop block.

A chop block is when one player cuts a guy low (again, doesn't have to be the knee) while simultaneously being blocked high by somebody else.

This rule change will not stop offensive lineman from cutting defensive lineman to get them to the ground. It removes the element of essentially a "tag team" block where one lineman blocks high and one blocks low on a single defender on running plays.

Teaching better technique is mostly just a theoretical approach, because technique is only going to get you so far as an OLineman.