Other News from the Competition Committee

Here are some of the other suggestions by the Competition Committee.

Down by contact calls be subject to instant replay review, a proposal that was voted down last year. Currently, a play is dead once the whistle blows and the ballcarrier is ruled down by the officials. McKay said that last season there were 18 to 20 plays when the ball came out of a player's grasp before he was ruled down. The proposed change would allow any turnover to stand if replay showed the ball came loose before the whistle. No subsequent runbacks with the ball would count, however.
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Modifying illegal procedure to allow receivers to flinch if they get back into position before the play and the defense doesn't react to the move.
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Toughening enforcement on pass rushers who hit quarterbacks below the knees, as long as the defensive players could have avoided making the hit. One play that didn't prompt such a point of emphasis, McKay said, was in last year's playoffs on Cincinnati's Carson Palmer (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/140403) by Kimo von Oelhoffen (http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/player/70588), then with Pittsburgh, that severely injured Palmer's knee. McKay said it was clear von Oelhoffen didn't make any intentional move to hit Palmer, but simply rolled into the quarterback.
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Just like quarterbacks, one defensive player might be allowed direct communication with the coaches next season. The committee will recommend that a defense has the same option as an offense in that area. As of now, quarterbacks get instructions through a small speaker in the helmet until there are 15 seconds remaining on the play clock. "We hope to get away from offenses — I don't want to say stealing, so borrowing — signals from the sideline (for defenses)," McKay said.

If any rule gets modified this year it's gotta be the ref blowing a play dead.

It's such a cop-out in my opinion, how many bad calls do we see each year that would have clearly been reversed if it wasn't for this silly rule?!

holding onto the whistle before blowing it would solve this problem

I would also like to see the roughing the passer call watched a little more. I dont know how many times I saw QBs touched or pushed and a roughing the passer call killed a defensive stand. I think that call has gotten a bit out of hand. Put a dress on them for crying out load. They are wearing pads too.

If any rule gets modified this year it's gotta be the ref blowing a play dead.

It's such a cop-out in my opinion, how many bad calls do we see each year that would have clearly been reversed if it wasn't for this silly rule?!

I like that they are trying to amend it, but who gets the ball if they blow it dead before it is recovered? If it gets overturned, does it automatically go to the defense. If so, thats gay.

I think the change they are looking at that would have the biggest impact is redefining holding. The changes are going to be more helpful to offenses (as will almost all the other changes that are being considered except comms for defense and down by contact). You will see more third down conversions as a result.

I like that they are trying to amend it, but who gets the ball if they blow it dead before it is recovered? If it gets overturned, does it automatically go to the defense. If so, thats gay.

I have the same concern........but I guess the lesson each team will learn (and teach to their players) is keep fighting for the ball regardless of the whistle. Nothing is gained from running down the field after the ball is recovered if the whistle is blown, so I don't anticipate players would keep fighting for long after the whistle. But to be sure, if the ball is out, don't stop trying to get it regardless of whistle until you have it in your hands and are laying on the ground with it.

I would also say that a push-out of bounds on a reciver should be reviewable (really killed us in that 1st TB game), I like that the down by contact rule could get changed (altho that saved our ass in the second Tampa game). In addition, I'd like to make pass interference plays reviewable.

I would also say that a push-out of bounds on a reciver should be reviewable (really killed us in that 1st TB game), I like that the down by contact rule could get changed (altho that saved our ass in the second Tampa game). In addition, I'd like to make pass interference plays reviewable.i always thought the out of bounds thing is bull. to make that reviewable would be a good move.

I believe this has all been mentioned here:

http://www.thewarpath.net/showthread.php?t=11733