2020 NFL Rule Changes

joe dokes

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Jul 18, 2005
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There will certainly be a new set of rules to put an end to a team's ability to waste clock in a 4th down punting situation with a delay penalty followed by an illegal motion false start penalty as done by BB, Vrabel and now Reid. Just don't run the game click after the delay penalty and after the false start penalty. Done deal in my opinion.
I think the reason for the rule is to prevent an offense from stopping the clock in a situation where time is more important than yards. That's why there's a 10second runoff late. So they might have to extend the runoff window if they stop the clock after the penalty.
 

djbayko

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Jul 18, 2005
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The NFL is going to try out a new onside kick replacement at the Pro Bowl - one play from your own 25 yard line, having to reach the 40 - basically the equivalent of a 4th and 15. I'm not sure what the historical conversion rate is on 3rd / 4th and 15 but it seems like a good potential solution (and one that's been discussed here before).

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28530361/nfl-experiment-alternative-onside-kick-pro-bowl
Per Pro Football Talk, the proposal being considered is for teams to only be allowed to try this once per game. Are onside kicks off the table with this? Because there have been some exciting games in the past where teams attempted (and sometimes converted) multiple onside kicks at the end of a game. Those games will now be over early.

I'm assuming that they won't be enforcing this part of the rule in the Pro Bowl and letting teams attempt this whenever they want. Does anyone know if that's correct?
 

mostman

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Jun 3, 2003
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I think the error the NFL made in coming up with this is thinking that, by having the play done from the 25, the potential downside of not converting is huge. You've then given your opponent the ball at your own 25. But that doesn't matter. In almost every situation where you are trying this, failure means the game is over. So there is no negative consequence that would stop a team from trying whatever option you give them.

I like the suggestion from @Marbleheader above. Find the yardage where such a kick works 10 percent of the time. Or make it an actual FG with the same odds. Keep the onus on the special teams skills of both sides to decide the fate of the play.
 

OurF'ingCity

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Apr 22, 2016
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I think the reason for the rule is to prevent an offense from stopping the clock in a situation where time is more important than yards. That's why there's a 10second runoff late. So they might have to extend the runoff window if they stop the clock after the penalty.
Isn't the obvious answer to allow the defense to choose? And vice versa on something like an offsides penalty - the offense could choose to have the clock stop (if they're trying to come back from a deficit) or choose to have the clock roll immediately once the ball is placed (if they're trying to run out the clock). This would eliminate any incentive for teams to take intentional penalties for clock-related reasons.
 

Silverdude2167

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Oct 9, 2006
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Problem with #2 is say there is offensive holding but then a 50 yard DPI call. What if the only reason the DPI occurred is because the QB had extra time to let the play develop due to the holding? The offense shouldn’t get +40 yards in that situation.
Adjacent to your point and this has bothered me for years.

Offensive holding should not be wiped out by DPI. It is impossible for DPI to have occurred before the holding as the ball had to be in the air for it to be DPI.

So if there is holding and DPI only the holding is enforced.
 

GoDa

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Sep 25, 2017
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Isn't the obvious answer to allow the defense to choose? And vice versa on something like an offsides penalty - the offense could choose to have the clock stop (if they're trying to come back from a deficit) or choose to have the clock roll immediately once the ball is placed (if they're trying to run out the clock). This would eliminate any incentive for teams to take intentional penalties for clock-related reasons.
Seems obvious.
 

tims4wins

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Jul 15, 2005
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Adjacent to your point and this has bothered me for years.

Offensive holding should not be wiped out by DPI. It is impossible for DPI to have occurred before the holding as the ball had to be in the air for it to be DPI.

So if there is holding and DPI only the holding is enforced.
Good call.
 

BaseballJones

ivanvamp
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Oct 1, 2015
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I still don't understand why sometimes they give teams the choice between taking the penalty or the play, and sometimes they simply tack penalty yardage on to the end of the play.

"We have holding on the defense, number 34. That penalty is declined. The result of the play is a first down."

And

"We have holding on the defense, number 34. That penalty will be added to the end of the run."

What are the rules governing this? And no I'm not lazy. I've tried to look this up and can't find an explanation for this. @CFB_Rules ???
 

CFB_Rules

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Nov 29, 2016
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I still don't understand why sometimes they give teams the choice between taking the penalty or the play, and sometimes they simply tack penalty yardage on to the end of the play.

"We have holding on the defense, number 34. That penalty is declined. The result of the play is a first down."

And

"We have holding on the defense, number 34. That penalty will be added to the end of the run."

What are the rules governing this? And no I'm not lazy. I've tried to look this up and can't find an explanation for this. @CFB_Rules ???
(Note that I'll be using the NCAA terminology below since it's what I am most familiar with, but everything works the same way in the NFL they just use different words for it.)

Plays are categorized into three types for penalty enforcement purposes: Passing plays, running plays, and kicking plays. You can have more than one "play type" during a down. A passing play is any play where a legal forward pass was thrown, and begins with the snap and ends when the pass is caught. A kicking play begins with the snap end ends when the kick is caught or becomes dead. A running play is everything that doesn't fit into those two boxes.

Fouls by the defense are enforced from what is called the "basic spot" for penalty enforcement. The basic spot for passing plays and kicking plays is the previous spot (kicking plays have some other enforcement rules that can make enforcement at either the dead ball spot if by the kicking team or the end of the kick if by the receiving team). The basic spot for running plays is the end of the run. If the basic spot is behind the line of scrimmage it is moved to the line of scrimmage.

So the example you use almost always happens when a QB scrambles. Let's say the defender holds an eligible receiver. Flag comes out for the foul. If the QB throws the ball, then the foul occurred during a passing play and must be enforced at the previous spot. But if the QB ends up running for positive yardage, then the foul occurred during a running play and would be enforced from the end of the run. If the QB is sacked, the foul occurred during a running play, but the basic spot is moved to the line of scrimmage because the end of the run was behind the line of scrimmage.
 
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