Rule Change

[texaspackerbacker]

I just saw on ESPN that the NFL rule change committee changed it to where a receiver has to have two feet down in bounds EVEN IF HE IS FORCED OUT.

How can they say that? A DB or LB could basically catch a receiver going up for the ball on the hash marks, haul him to the sidelines, and dump him--and it would count as incomplete.

Am I misinterpreting something?

[arcilite]

Re: Rule Change

I just saw on ESPN that the NFL rule change committee changed it to where a receiver has to have two feet down in bounds EVEN IF HE IS FORCED OUT.

How can they say that? A DB or LB could basically catch a receiver going up for the ball on the hash marks, haul him to the sidelines, and dump him--and it would count as incomplete.

Am I misinterpreting something?

yes.

ever hear of forward progress?

[HarveyWallbangers]

http://packerrats.com/ratchat/viewtopic.php?t=11921

[Rastak]

Re: Rule Change

I just saw on ESPN that the NFL rule change committee changed it to where a receiver has to have two feet down in bounds EVEN IF HE IS FORCED OUT.

How can they say that? A DB or LB could basically catch a receiver going up for the ball on the hash marks, haul him to the sidelines, and dump him--and it would count as incomplete.

Am I misinterpreting something?

That's correct. We get to see a little defense for a change and referees do not need crystal balls now to determine what MIGHT have happened in an alternate universe.

[Gunakor]

What about the plays where it's apparent that the reciever would have come down in bounds? Where there isn't really a judgement call that needed to be made? If this new rule were simply to help regulate close calls I would not have a problem with it. But if it covers ALL calls, including the ones where it's blatantly obvious the reciever would have come down in bounds, I don't see how that could be a good thing.

[Lurker64]

It's basically the same rule in the NFL now as it is in college, except you need two feet. But you don't see a lot of receivers in the college game getting hauled to the sideline after they go up for a pass, do you?

It's about time they made some rules changes that favored the defense in this league.

Think of it this way. How it is it really different to say "The receiver would have caught the ball in bounds if the defender weren't there, so it should be a catch" than to say "The running back would have run for a touchdown if the safety hadn't been there, so it should be a touchdown." Defensive players get to make plays, and sometimes the plays they make prevent offensive players from accomplishing what the intended to do. That's just football.

[Jimx29]

[madden]yea, but does one knee still equal two feet?[/madden]