NFL rule changes

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4012307

They're outlawing the wedge in kickoff returns!?! Really?

 

Edit: Kevin Everett was injured on a kickoff, but he wasn't in the wedge buster. That's a very dangerous job, to be a wedge buster. NFL coaches have said they chose the most insane of the players to run full speed to blow up the wedge.

 

Don't understand why they would outlaw the wedge — but if they were really concerned about safety, they would have made rules that benefited defenseless receivers much earlier.

Shoulder or forearm to helmet hits have been hurting receivers for years but never called. Only the helmet to helmet variety. I'm glad they fixed it.

 

The new wedge rule is ridiculous. Injuries weren't happening because of the formation of wedges. They were happening because of the act of wedge-busting. Ban the wedge-busting, and the injuries stop. Ban the wedge-busting and you also have created the chance for more returns, adding to the excitement of the game.

Banning the wedge to prevent injuries is kind of like banning receivers from going out for a pass to prevent injuries from safeties clubbing unprotected receivers with their forearms, helmets and shoulders.

 

It is, but it isn't. Safeties have other ways of controlling/tackling receivers. What alternative is there to breaking down a wedge? And how would you ban wedge-busting? How would you determine what constitutes wedge-busting? A certain number of players? A guy running at a certain speed?

If there's no serious challenge to the wedge, then you're going to end up with every kickoff returned out to midfield. (And imagine the effect that would have in overtime.)

 

Shorten the distance required for a linebacker to take a Jake Delhomme interception to the house?

 

Seems like a lot of people are pissed about the new "Tom Brady Rule" and they should be. While it'll probably help save some injuries, how the hell is a defensive player supposed to try and get a sack when he can't make any plays when he falls to the ground?

 

In 5-7 years quarterbacks will all wear a different color jersey.

 

All necessary to keep players walking as the NFL next plans to increase its season to 18 games.

 

You cannot leave your feet to break up a wedge.

You should only be able to leave your feet to:

A. Tackle the ball carrier
B. Block a single individual. Not diving around head first to hit four.
C. Grab a loose ball or avoid hitting a teammate.

 

To sum up:
You cannot hit a quarterback after he has thrown the ball. Technically, you can take a step and still hit him in the chest/back, but you still run the risk of being penalized.

You cannot TOUCH the quarterback's head.

You cannot TOUCH the quarterback at the knee or below after he has thrown the ball (Carson Palmer rule)

You cannot throw the quarterback to the ground, even if the whistle has not blown yet (this one is called very inconsistently).

Now, just to make it even more fun, you cannot TOUCH the quarterback below the knees even before he throws the ball. He's stepping away from you and you want to make a shoestring tackle? Too bad. Roughing the passer. I know that isn't how the rule is written, but it's how it will end up being called.

Defensive players weren't suppossed to be penalized for a hand landing on a quarterback's foot after the ball was away due to the Carson Palmer rule, either, but I saw it happen a few times in '06.

Jack Lambert weeps.

 

Every rule change for 30 years has been to favor offense over defense. They all suffer from the law of unintended consequences, too. The rules to protect the quarterback led directly to the blitz packages that see quarterbacks hit at full speed. The rules limiting contact between DBs and receivers led directly to DBs concentrating on full-speed after the catch collisions, which has created the new rule.
Whoever said the thing about the different colored jersies is right. If Manning gets hurt this year, or Brady again, or hell, Matt Ryan, they'll outlaw blitzes and make every game the Pro Bowl.