The NFL Competition Committee hosted a conference call on Wednesday in which it outlined several proposed rule changes that will be voted on at the annual NFL meetings in Arizona next week. The big topic of discussion: instant replay and the way challenges are used.
Instant replay, challenge rules up for consideration at the NFL league meetings
Thirteen rule changes pertaining to instant replay were submitted by NFL teams heading into the league meetings.
Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
Given the technology on hand, many have wondered why instant replay is so limited, and why some plays are challengeable and some are not. There are those who feel that everything should be challengeable, especially personal foul penalties and pass interference.
Wednesday’s conference call confirmed there will be plenty of discussion on this matter during league meetings: 13 of the 18 proposals submitted by NFL teams pertain to instant replay in some form or another.
Challenge anything and everything
The first of the proposals is the biggest, and it was submitted by the New England Patriots: challenge anything. The proposal suggests two challenges as normal, with teams having the ability to challenge penalties or penalties not called -- anything that isn't already automatically reviewed, like a touchdown or turnover.
Other teams, like the Detroit Lions, submitted a proposal to simply challenge all fouls, such as pass interference or a roughing call.
The Tennessee Titans' proposal suggested a coach's challenge to review all personal fouls. The Titans also submitted a replay-related proposal for identifying when a defenseless receiver was hit and a fumble ensued. So if a hit on a receiver results in a turnover, there would be an official review to determine if said receiver was defenseless when hit.
The Indianapolis Colts had a similar proposal, suggesting that all potential defenseless players be included in that. In other words, it would be reviewable if players in the backfield took those kinds of hits.
Finally, Washington wanted to increase the challenges from two to three. Washington also submitted a proposal that would make all personal fouls reviewable, though not necessarily via the use of a coach’s challenge. Another Washington proposal suggests all personal fouls that result in first downs be reviewed.
Both Tennessee and Chicago had proposals that would add the game clock and play clock to instant replay at the end of the half and the end of the game.
The Calvin Johnson rule
The big rule change that was not addressed: the definition of a catch. There are no proposals related to what the NFL's definition of a catch is, which is surprising given the drama with Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant in the playoffs. When asked why this was the case, the competition committee said that they would look over the language, but no official proposals are on the table.
Safety concerns
The conference call opened with a few statistics: Concussions are down 25 percent from 2013-14, and down 36 percent since 2012. There’s been a 63 percent decrease in fines for players hitting defenseless players between 2013-14. Several safety rules are still on the table, though.
The first player-safety rule was proposed by the Baltimore Ravens, and it relates to blocking on punt coverage. Currently, it's not allowed to push rushers on field goals, but it's allowed on punts, which is what the proposed rule is trying to change.
The competition committee also submitted a couple of player-safety rules, the first being extended defenseless receiver rules, which would not remove the protection in the event the ball is intercepted. It also proposed a rule that would prevent running backs from being able to move outside and block low (chop block). Jeff Fisher said that there aren’t many examples of this happening, and that the change is to simply clean up the language of the rule.
Overtime tweaks
Other miscellaneous proposals include one from the Chicago Bears, in which they suggest both teams are entitled to possession in overtime situations (currently, the first team can end the game with a touchdown), and one from the competition committee that would allow unsportsmanlike conduct penalties to carry over to the second half and overtime periods if they occur as time expires.
Colts want to go for three
One interesting and weird proposal comes from the Colts: They pitch an additional point-after following a successful two-point conversion. This point-after would be a field goal attempt from the 32-yard line, which would make it a 50-yard try. Interestingly enough, this would also allow a fake field goal where the team scores a touchdown, but that would also only result in one point.
The league is trying to tweak its point-after rules to make them either more difficult or more interesting, though that won’t be the primary focus of these meetings.
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