Curtis Meyer reporter
The National Football League has rolled out many new rule changes that will take place this coming season, and these new rules can drastically alter the way football is played on the biggest stage.
With the rise of analytics in every sport, not just football, many major sports leagues have seen major changes to the way they play the game. Just last year, Major League Baseball added a pitch clock, a move that was met with both optimism and criticism. While the full effect that these new rules will have on the game of football remains to be seen, we might as well start drawing some inferences.
First, let’s examine the new kickoff rules. With kickoff returns being the lowest in NFL history this past season, and the number of injuries during kickoffs being much higher, the NFL owners voted to adopt a kickoff similar to the one that the XFL used last year. While the ball is still kicked off from the kicking team’s 35–yard line, instead of a single returner sitting in the end zone, there will be a setup zone, where the returning team will line up between their own 30–35-yard lines.
The returning team is allowed 0-3 of their players to sit behind the 30-yard line. The football must be caught or land between the 20-yard line and the end zone, known as the landing zone. If it lands in the landing zone the ball must be returned, if it bounces into the end zone it must be returned or kneeled to give the returning team possession at the 20. If the ball lands anywhere else, it will be moved up to the 40-yard line.
The idea is to generate more returns, as this element of the game has been missing for a while, as well as hopefully limit injuries to players. Reception in the league and among the fans has been mostly positive, as kickoffs have been relegated to a good opportunity to use the bathroom or take a snack break. It’s too be expected that there will be a bit of a try out period, as teams figure the kinks and discover what formations and plays will maximize the new rules.
Much more controversial in the new rule changes is the banning of the hip-drop tackle. Described by NFL officials as a defender wrapping up a player from behind or the side, then becoming dead weight and rolling up on the legs of a player.
With the weight of the defensive player landing on the knee or ankle of the offensive player, this type of tackle can often cause lower body injuries. The penalty for this tackle will be an automatic 15 yards and a fresh set of downs.
While the league and the owners decided on its ban, the NFL Players Association is strongly against the banning, arguing that the penalty will leave defenders at a severe disadvantage. With all the recent controversies over pass interference and roughing the passer, it’s easy to see this new penalty causing havoc and disrupting football.
Hardly does a game go by, especially in the playoffs, where we don’t see a questionable penalty change the outcome of a game. It’s become so prevalent that people are calling the NFL rigged and accusing the league of favoring certain teams.
Not only does this put more pressure on the refs to be perfect, but it also raises a legitimate concern for the defensive players. Several current and former NFL players on both sides of the game took to social media to cry out the decision.
At some point, one wonders when the NFL will accept the fact that playing football will lead to injuries. Safety is and should be an important concern, but the truth is that taking some of the best athletes in the world and having them attempt to hit each other at full speed is inherently unsafe.
The NFL owners of course, are much more concerned about losing a star player for a season than they are about the integrity of the game. This is especially true on offense, where your highest paid players are typically located. Greed will overcome integrity any day of the week.
The NFL will look much different this coming year, and it remains to be seen if the changes will be net positive or net negative for the league and its legions of fans.