Rules and Penalties

by Vman in Germany on Mar 12, 2009 4:47 AM EDT

Let us all take a light hearted break from all the free agency moves for some fun discussion on penalties. I think it is safe to say that we all have some heartburn with a variety of rules and the penalties levied. I for one would like to see some minor changes. Here are a few of my least favorite called penalties in no particular order.

The penalty for offensive holding is the first penalty that is to severe. Ten yards for the most called penalty many times is a drive momentum breaker. Face it, the offensive lineman often has little hope of stopping the pass rush of the faster defensive lineman around the league. It is time to make this a five yard penalty and give the offensive lineman a break, or make defensive lineman wear ankle weights.

Illegial blocks in the back on punts and kickoff returns have become tiresome. There is no NFL game played that does not have this pesky call made at least once. Don't get me wrong, the obvious and play altering calls must be made. However many times we have seen, what appears to be a petty call made far away from the point of attack. A penalty that brings back a great return. Kickoff and punt returns are aguable the most exciting plays of a game.

Celebration calls, not to be confussed with taunting, is my final penalty beef. The NFL is losing part of it's personality with these calls. I am not talking about spiking in another players face, I am talking about the "Icky Schuffles", "Fun Bunches", "Dirty Birds", "Mile High salutes", "Lambeau Leeps", even Ocho Cinco giving first aid to dying footballs. As silly and juvenile as they are they bring some excitement to the fans and makes the game a little more fun to watch. Do away with the celebration rules but keep the taunting rule.

This is just the begining of what I hope is a fun lighthearted dialogue amongst all bloggers. I know all of you out there have a rule change you would like to see or some penalty yards reduced. Take a break from the free agency and draft talk and let the flags fly.

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Comments

Celebration calls

My beef with the celebration penalties is that they’re too subjective, too inconsistently called based on the referee who interprets the rule book.

The other penalties don’t bother me as much, provided that they’re consistent for everyone.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Mar 12, 2009 9:32 AM EDT reply actions

Holding

While I agree that holding is a drive killer, I actually think it should be, at least in one case. Offensive holding in pass protection should be a drive killer because the offensive player often prevents a sack which would also have been a drive killer. One possiblity would be to make 2 offensive holding penalties, a 5 yard version and a 10 yard version similar to roughing and running into the kicker. A holding call would yeild a 5 yard penalty unless the referee felt that the hold prevented a sack, in which case there is a 10 yard penalty.

I agree with the celebration penalty, under the current rules Santonio Holmes should have been called for a celebration 15 yard penalty, which might have changed Super Bowl history. Do we really want that?

I don’t think that returns are the most exciting play in football. Every time a punt returner gets 15 yards, or a kick returner gets 30, I expect the play to be called back, so I never get excited about them.

by jim0ijk on Mar 12, 2009 12:16 PM EDT reply actions

The kid glove treatment of QBs is something I can’t stand. He shouldn’t be treated any different than any other player on the field- late hits, helmet to helmet, etc. should be still called. Since I think that a blocked kick is the most exciting play in the game, I call for open season on punters and only five yarders on placekickers. Hell, you shouldn’t get a first down via penalty. If a 10 yard penalty is called on third and five, it should still be third and five, just ten yards ahead of the previous spot. First downs should be earned.

by IgnatiusJReilly on Mar 12, 2009 3:40 PM EDT reply actions

Pass interferences

I think those should be revised. 10-15 yard penalty — not spot of the foul.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Mar 12, 2009 4:06 PM EDT reply actions

Overtime

I know this has been debated before but NFL overtime bugs the hell out of me. College’s version is just so much more fair and exciting!

by CincyMike56 on Mar 12, 2009 6:49 PM EDT reply actions

Overtime

I would like to see theone overime period played completely out regardless if a team scores, giving both teams ample opportunity to score with mandatory 2 pt conversions.

by Vman in Germany on Mar 13, 2009 9:49 AM EDT reply actions

RE:

We’ve pointed this out several times through the life of the blog.

I favor the “equal opportunity” argument. Team A kicks off to Team B. No matter what Team B does, scores, punts, etc… they use regulation football rules to either punt or kickoff back to Team A. After that, it’s sudden death.

So…

If Team B kicks a FG. Then team A gets a chance to respond. If they don’t, they lose. If they score a TD, they win.

However…

If they also kick a FG, then they kick back to Team B. Now, we hit existing sudden death rules.

This keeps all of special teams in play.

For awhile I did favor the college system, however, I don’t think that’s feasible in the NFL (was convinced by a reader on this blog).

Blogger at CincyJungle.com -- SB Nation Cincinnati Bengals blog.

by Josh Kirkendall on Mar 13, 2009 2:53 PM EDT reply actions