Five things you should know about proposed NFL rules and game-play changes for the 2017 season

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Games might not be quicker in 2017. But they will flow better and be more standardized.

"It is part of an initiative to really reduce downtime," NFL senior vice president of officiating Dean Blandino said on a conference call with media Thursday afternoon. "We're not looking to impact the play on the field -- but to reduce the in-game downtime."

Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned some of the methods by which this would happen in an open letter to fans Wednesday, but Blandino got into the nitty-gritty of these proposals Thursday on the NFL Competition Committee's conference call.

"If we can reduce downtime, then the overall game length will take care of itself," Blandino said. "Our games averaged just over three hours and seven minutes; that was down from the number in 2015.

rest - http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Five-things-you-should-know-about-proposed-NFL-rules-and-game-play-changes-for-the-2017-season/3d2f80e7-c2ee-4717-a1e5-aa49d163b8d6

[Freyaka]

Another committee proposal involved expanding the definition of players protected under "defenseless player" regulations to include receivers running their routes.

"We looked at a lot of video of receivers who were really in a defenseless posture -- [where] they were tracking the quarterback looking back for the ball and were contacted in the head or neck area forcibly by a defender," Blandino said.

This would include being within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. Contact by the defender in that zone would still be allowed, but if that contact was in the head or neck area, it would be subject to a 15-yard penalty.


I hate these freaking "defenseless player" calls because half the time when they get called they end up being complete BS penalties...

[FanInAZ]

Other changes brought up in the OP article:

1. Banning any leaps over the line of scrimmage by players on the team defending a placekick.

2. Reduce preseason and regular-season overtime from 15 minutes to 10.

3. Extending the 1 year trial of touchbacks being placed at the 25 for 1 more year.

4. Expanding the definition of players protected under "defenseless player" regulations to include receivers running their routes.

5. Move final-say authority over instant-replay decisions to a centralized office where all challenges are monitored -- similar to the format that exists in Major League Baseball.