And Joe Flacco wept quietly into his pillow...

[LogansDad]

Honestly, if they just changed the rule to where it doesn't penalize a DB who is in good position because Joe Flacco underthrew Torrey Smith, I would probably be okay with the rule change.  I don't necessarily think they need wholesale changes to the rule, but those are the ones that make me furious.
 
I do agree with Chuck Z on making some of them illegal contact instead of DPI, though and I think those would be great changes.

 

[Saints Rest]

 
god just reading this made my blood boil. Illegal contact is going to ruin the NFL. It's so dumb, the automatic first down is dumb. Often it has nothing to do with the play either.

I'm with you 100%.

My first change would be to make illegal contact a 5yd penalty with no auto 1st down.

Second change would be to allow illegal contact to be waived off -- like uncatchable ball -- when it clearly had no effect on the play.

 

[Super Nomario]

I'm with you 100%.

My first change would be to make illegal contact a 5yd penalty with no auto 1st down.

Second change would be to allow illegal contact to be waived off -- like uncatchable ball -- when it clearly had no effect on the play.

This is tough, though - illegal contact is a penalty before the ball is in the air. If a DB hits Edelman past 5 yards and knocks him off his route so Brady decides to throw to someone else, does that affect the play? The illegal contact (or its cousin, defensive holding) can alter a quarterback's decision as to where to throw the ball, so it might affect the play even if the ball ends up going to the other side of the field. That can be frustrating, but I think it's fair.

 

[JGray38]

Exactly - take away the automatic first down and the first time there's a 3rd and long, expect every receiver to get mugged downfield, setting up a 4th down scenario.

 

[BigJimEd]

Exactly - take away the automatic first down and the first time there's a 3rd and long, expect every receiver to get mugged downfield, setting up a 4th down scenario.

No, it would still be 3rd down. 3rd down and 5 or 10 yards less to go.

 

[lars10]

Don't know if it's been written elsewhere...but one way to get rid of DBs flat out tackling receivers to avoid getting beat, especially at end of game situations, would be to have it a 15 yard or so penalty during regular play and then have it be a spot foul during the last 2 minutes of the half?
 
 I know that could make for some contraversial plays at the end of the half, but would also not give the D a possible advantage in particularly tight/ late game situations.

 

[crystalline]

I agree that splitting PI calls into severe PI (spot foul) and moderate PI (x number of yards) is probably the right thing.

But I think the NFL doesn't do this unless the rules can be setup to prevent judgement calls. The NFL is right to avoid making calls subjective- if a rule is objective it greatly reduces postgame arguments. And those arguments about calls always make the refs and the league look bad. The NFL would prefer a stupid rule that no one argues about to a fair subjective rule. (One exception: the Tuck Rule).

So how could you make an objective PI rule? I really don't see any way to do it. And even the current rule is not objective enough, which is a big reason we have to wait for 10 s after any big play to see if it's coming back.

What about: no contact allowed beyond 10 yards of the LOS, period. Down is always replayed. If ref judges the defender caused the contact, 5 yard penalty, replay down. If offensive player caused the contact, no yard change (or 5yd?), replay down. This gives an objective standard and no one gains a huge advantage by contact.

If in the last 2 min of each half, clock is rewound to the start of the PI play. That prevents PI from changing the clock situation.

Intentional/egregious contact is a 15 yard penalty. That prevents either player from intentionally hitting the other to prevent a long catch or interception.

One problem is many plays may have semi-intentional contact, but the 5yards should reduce that. Ref judgement is reduced to who initiated contact, which should be pretty clear, and what's unsportsmanlike, which they already call.