Rules Changes Will Challenge Bucs Lines
May 22nd, 2018
Glorious NFL football as we know it changed today at the NFL Owners Meetings in Atlanta.
Back in March, Joe hung out at the owners meeting in Orlando and soaked in Roger Goodell’s news conference that included plenty of vague chatter about tackling and contact changes on the way.
Today, things got more clear. Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com explained it simply and effectively.
At a time when football fans finally are waking up to the demise of the kickoff, another football staple is about the go the way of the Stegosaurus. And a game that many regard as a dinosaur could soon be extinct, at least as we know it.
With the NFL finally admitting what some suspected for the past two months — the new helmet rule does apply to offensive and defensive linemen — the three-point stance inevitably will be gone. And the NFL will have gotten rid of it without actually getting rid of it.
… “He’s got to get his head up,” NFL senior V.P. of officiating Al Riveron said Tuesday regarding offensive linemen.
The only way to keep his head up is to never put it down. The three-point stance comes from the ability to fire out and slam into the opponent. With linemen in such close quarters, it will be impossible for an offensive lineman to blast forward into a defensive lineman without potentially hitting the opponent with a helmet that necessarily is low.
So how will this affect the Bucs and how might their personnel fit under the new rules?
Joe’s not sure, but Joe certainly remembers how the Bucs signed big-hitting, big-money safety Dashon Goldson at the worst possible time in 2013 — when the NFL was cracking down on drilling receivers.
Just a gut feeling, but perhaps signing free agent center Ryan Jensen, known for not being a finesse player and for firing off the ball with extreme nastiness, might present adjustment challenges. And how will this affect Gerald McCoy’s renowned get-off?
It’s certainly a tough situation for every team. Joe hopes Dirk Koetter is prepared.
May 22nd, 2018 at 10:09 pm
In 10 years, they will eliminate blocking and tackling. It will be flags only.
May 22nd, 2018 at 10:11 pm
WHAT. IN. THE. F@#K!??!?
May 22nd, 2018 at 10:26 pm
Just take the helmets off and the game will be safer. Trust me
May 22nd, 2018 at 10:39 pm
That is similar to the intramural flag football league I played in back in the day at USF.
No blocking, only “screening”
Chucky may regret coming back….although i would love to hear his thoughts on this.
May 22nd, 2018 at 10:39 pm
Give them lingerie, put pink bonnets on them and pink flags.
May 22nd, 2018 at 10:43 pm
Oh no, getting rid of the 3 point stance?! What the heck? The NFL will end up like NASCAR if they continue to tamper with tradition. NASCAR today has low attendance and TV Ratings because the France Family added all sorts of rules, changes, and new setups that have basically turned racing into a circus on the track. The NFL is on a dangerous course with the changes to tackling, extra points, and now the 3 point stance. #GoodellSucks
May 22nd, 2018 at 10:46 pm
Here’s what they need to do. Screw all the rule changes. Include a written acknowledgement of the danger to brain health. All players must sign it to play in the NFL. Doesn’t mean the NFL is off the hook for medical costs, but it allows the players to say, “I wanna play football the way it was meant to be played.” I accept responsibility for the decision to play.” I’m not a lawyer, but wouldn’t this keep the NFL covered?
Return full speed kickoffs.
May 22nd, 2018 at 10:47 pm
OMG. THIS IS GETTING SO F#CKING RIDICULOUS YEAR AFTER YEAR WITH THIS RULES. They make these rules so players can get more sacks and receivers can get more yards and so on and so forth. If these guys wanna get paid millions, they can sign an injury waiver. They’re trying to make more explosive plays to get money and it’s ruining the league.
#SAVE THE GAME VINCE MCMAN!!!!!!!!!!!
#BRING ON THE XTREME FOOTBALL LEAGUE!!!!!!!!
May 22nd, 2018 at 11:12 pm
NFL is ruining the game. I’ve held on to my Season Tickets watching some really bad football in hopes of a return to a better product.
This continued attack on the game will make it easier to leave next year.
I GIVE UP!!
May 22nd, 2018 at 11:27 pm
Not sure of the timeline but you are on the right track.
Basically, practices have all but turned into full-time underwear football as it is. Why not have the games be the same way?
May 23rd, 2018 at 12:11 am
Mark Cuban called it, a few years back.
“ Pigs get fed, But Hogs get slaughtered”
Like so many other endevors, The NFL is outgrowning its fanbase.
Ownership isnt listening to what the customer wants. They believe that theybare such an American institution, that we cant change enough to life without them. That they are so much a part of our Sunday traditions- that we cant adjust to a sunday without them.
Their viewership and attendence have dropped, and continue to.
But instead of finding out why they are losing customers, they continue to make unpopular and game altering decisions.
There are ways to improve safety, without removing key features of the traditional game.
On the kickoff, the problem is that players are so far apart- they impact each other at full speed.
Leave the kicker where hes at. Move the defenders and offensive players until they are 5 yards apart. Require that “the wall “ be within 10 yards of front line.
Now that is an exciting kickoff. The Runner has time to pick his spot, in open space. The players are much safer, because they are not subjected to high speed impact.
This was one of many proposals. Instead- the League decided to pretty much eliminate the kickoff. The game looks fundamentally different than the one we love
They have done alot of research. The memory foam or inflated neck collars have proven to prevent/ minimize head and neck trama. As long as the coller is solid between the shoulderpads and the helmet.. equip all Linemen with these, and players will be much safer. Even connectors , that connect helmet to shoulderpads, have proven effective. Similar to connectors Nascar drivers have on their helmets.
Options to preserve the game- that are being ignored.
They arent listening to us. They think we will watch, no matter what they do.
Its getting to where my friends and I would rather watch battlebots!
May 23rd, 2018 at 1:21 am
wow this is going overboard….the trenches have been built on the 3 point stance…vince mcmahon is frothing at the mouth on the idea of a heavy contact league…
it would be a shame if what has happened to boxing – with the rise of the mma, and fall of the heavyweight division – can happen to the nfl…this is bad…
instead of putting players in aerodynamic helmets and advanced gear, put them in leather helmets like back in the day…see how many lead with the noggin then…
#LeatherHelmetsAndPornOnAllLockerRoomTVs
May 23rd, 2018 at 1:47 am
So its a rule now or is it just an opinion of what the game can become? I read an opinionated article. Nothing that says this is the new rule.
May 23rd, 2018 at 2:11 am
How is this a problem? Who is leading with their helmet at the line of scrimmage? Fourth and goal or fourth and inches, maybe it will be a factor. Other than that, the goal is to get your mitts on the other guy’s chest or shoulder, not to bang heads or spear someone.
May 23rd, 2018 at 2:27 am
Womens’ bikini beach volleyball on Sunday anyone? I guess I’m fortunate to be old enough to remember “real” football. Sad to see it evolve to flag football. Can you imagine Vince Lombardi demanding they take his name off the trophy? I can.
May 23rd, 2018 at 6:16 am
That is to far.
I get the targeting rule against defenseless receiver. Maybe no kickoffs where most injuries occur. But that is football man.
Nfl could lose a big part of fan base.
May 23rd, 2018 at 6:17 am
Bring back the old leather helmets. Players see the current helmets as protection so they take advantage of it. Put little to no protection and they will not be bashing their heads against anything.
May 23rd, 2018 at 7:18 am
First thing I think of is the goal line lineups!!!! what they are really looking for is when your eyes are just looking at the ground!!!! They want those that engage to have eyes to facemask!!!! They were supposed to call RB more for this because too many were “putting their head down for the extra yard” yet they never really called it!!!!! But now they have expanded it to all positions!!!!
May 23rd, 2018 at 7:32 am
Goodell is ruining the game of football. I know the owners are paying him a lot of money but if this keeps up nobody will be watching and the owners will be losing money. If there is no hitting what’s the point of watching. Then anyone could play but football is a game about men and who is the toughest and Goodell is taking that away.
May 23rd, 2018 at 7:55 am
SJW football.
May 23rd, 2018 at 8:12 am
Good rule change. Today’s NFL players are bigger, stronger and faster than their 1970-80 era counterparts, markedly so. It is not unusual for an offensive lineman to reach and exceed 300 pounds, and those lineman can run like a linebacker. At the same time physical size and conditioning has improved, the cranium that protects the brain has stayed unchanged. Harder hits today but no real increase in protection.
And, the NFL owners have plenty of money to help the players who are now suffering from head injuries. Pay him, damn-it.
May 23rd, 2018 at 8:12 am
Cpt Tim you make some good points there. Please tell that to the nfl
May 23rd, 2018 at 8:22 am
Powder Puff Roger is at it again…
SMH
May 23rd, 2018 at 10:46 am
all of this rule change is BS……
if they want to protect players from head injuries, expand the roster……each player except for the QB can only play 10games a year……less time of the field, less injuries…..
3 concussions in 3years and you’re forced to retire with an injury settlement for (x) amount of years…..if the player insist they can still play or refuses to retire, then they must sign a waiver stating that the player is fully aware of the risk their taking by continuing to play football after the NFL has advised them it is unsafe or a health risk to continue to play…..in the waiver it stats that the NFL will not be held responsible for health issues once you retire if you decide to keep playing after 3 head injuries in 3 years…..
coaches would really have to game plan and get creative….
owner and the nfl would be off the hook…..
#NOEXCUSESIN2018!!!!!….#PRESSURESONTHECOACHES!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
May 23rd, 2018 at 12:00 pm
toopanca Says
“How is this a problem? Who is leading with their helmet at the line of scrimmage?”
Watch the games. Most oline guys have their heads down at the line. Part of the reason is to watch the football go into motion. So timing will be off, resulting in off sides a bit more.
Phil Says
“Goodell is ruining the game of football.”
Cannot blame Goodell for this. Rule changes are presented and voted on at the owners meetings.
But there is plenty other things to blame Goodell for.
May 23rd, 2018 at 12:02 pm
My question is regarding Running Backs. They usually lead with their heads. Especially the hard hitters.
May 23rd, 2018 at 12:30 pm
Florio always amazes me. He works harder than anybody to soften, politicize, and destroy the sport that he covers. His stupidity is astounding. Hey, guys. I was a lawyer in West Virginia for 15 years before I started a web site that only links to other people’s articles about a sport I know nothing about other than my son playing Pee Wee football… and that’s how he became an “expert”. I’m ashamed to say I worked for him in the early years.
May 23rd, 2018 at 12:32 pm
I’m sure everyone has seen the commercials for this summer’s flag football league..precursor of what is to come?
May 23rd, 2018 at 4:27 pm
@Brandon
Well, I personally don’t like him either, but whatever he’s done, he’s been successful.