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NFL Tidbits and Dolphin Stuff

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Rule Changes?
Apparently the NFL is considering changing the onside kick rule. I've heard a couple of versions, but one would have the offense starting at the 25-yard line. The team would need to get 15-yards in one play to retain possession. In general, I like it. I think the success of the onside kick was at an all-time low this year and that rule would add excitement. I do think teams would try to throw deep and get a pass interference call. But that happens anyway late in games when teams are playing catch up. It does take away from the element of surprise, though, and I liked that about the onside kick. We've seen teams use it at non-traditional moments where it's actually been a game-changing play.

Patriots Penalty?
Already in MLB, three managers and one general manager have been fired over the cheating scandal. I'm not sure what other penalties will be enforced and haven't paid to much attention to it. There was a caller on sports radio here that suggested the NFL should closely follow the NCAA in how they handle violations. NCAA sanctions often place penalties on recruitment and postseason (bowl) berths. Can you imagine, New England being barred from the playoffs for a year? We know that won't happen, but apparently there needs to be stricter penalties. This is three strikes now for the Patriots, although I'm still unclear how deflate gate gave the team a competitive advantage.

All the Quarterback Talk
I woke up thinking about conspiracy theories. Maybe that was because I spent too much time listening to the Senate's impeachment proceedings. Anyway, got to thinking about how Miami's decision makers have never disputed that they are looking for a quarterback. To the point, where we hear Miami wants to trade up for Burrow. They are "all in" on Tua, spent the most time on Herbert etc. The fact that Grier and company aren't denying this is interesting. Maybe the need is so apparent that it just makes sense to acknowledge it. But could it be the Dolphins are open to other possibilities at #5 and want to give the impression its got to be a quarterback. Get teams to trade up and get the player you want?

The Return of the Running Game
Tennessee and San Francisco went old-school in the playoffs, daring teams to stop their running games. Eventually, KC was able to limit Derek Henry who ran all over New England and Baltimore. San Francisco had nearly 300 yards rushing against the Green Bay Packers to get to the super bowl. Most defenses are now geared to stop the pass. Are we returning to more of a running game in the NFL?
 
They're going to try out the proposed onside kick change in the pro bowl; it might be almost worth watching to see how it goes.

Personally, I don't like it, and not just because Miami has a long history of giving up first downs on 3rd and long.

I think Henry probably just got tired. He didn't really have a lot of carries until the last few games, but they all came late, obviously, and he didn't get a week off.
 
Rule Changes?
Apparently the NFL is considering changing the onside kick rule. I've heard a couple of versions, but one would have the offense starting at the 25-yard line. The team would need to get 15-yards in one play to retain possession. In general, I like it. I think the success of the onside kick was at an all-time low this year and that rule would add excitement. I do think teams would try to throw deep and get a pass interference call. But that happens anyway late in games when teams are playing catch up. It does take away from the element of surprise, though, and I liked that about the onside kick. We've seen teams use it at non-traditional moments where it's actually been a game-changing play.

Patriots Penalty?
Already in MLB, three managers and one general manager have been fired over the cheating scandal. I'm not sure what other penalties will be enforced and haven't paid to much attention to it. There was a caller on sports radio here that suggested the NFL should closely follow the NCAA in how they handle violations. NCAA sanctions often place penalties on recruitment and postseason (bowl) berths. Can you imagine, New England being barred from the playoffs for a year? We know that won't happen, but apparently there needs to be stricter penalties. This is three strikes now for the Patriots, although I'm still unclear how deflate gate gave the team a competitive advantage.

All the Quarterback Talk

I woke up thinking about conspiracy theories. Maybe that was because I spent too much time listening to the Senate's impeachment proceedings. Anyway, got to thinking about how Miami's decision makers have never disputed that they are looking for a quarterback. To the point, where we hear Miami wants to trade up for Burrow. They are "all in" on Tua, spent the most time on Herbert etc. The fact that Grier and company aren't denying this is interesting. Maybe the need is so apparent that it just makes sense to acknowledge it. But could it be the Dolphins are open to other possibilities at #5 and want to give the impression its got to be a quarterback. Get teams to trade up and get the player you want?

The Return of the Running Game
Tennessee and San Francisco went old-school in the playoffs, daring teams to stop their running games. Eventually, KC was able to limit Derek Henry who ran all over New England and Baltimore. San Francisco had nearly 300 yards rushing against the Green Bay Packers to get to the super bowl. Most defenses are now geared to stop the pass. Are we returning to more of a running game in the NFL?
If I remember correctly, their fumble count was waaaaaayyy down during deflategate. Much easier to keep the ball secure that's for sure. My memory is shot but I recall someone on the telly showing the numbers and my jaw dropped. It was a staggering difference. They did it for a reason!
 
If I remember correctly, their fumble count was waaaaaayyy down during deflategate. Much easier to keep the ball secure that's for sure. My memory is shot but I recall someone on the telly showing the numbers and my jaw dropped. It was a staggering difference. They did it for a reason!
That makes sense. Maybe easier to hang onto the football.
 
That makes sense. Maybe easier to hang onto the football.
Absolutely! I'm hoping someone smarter (& with more initiative) can look up the actual numbers for the years of deflategate versus the prior same amount of years to compare those fumbles lost numbers.
 
I like the onside kick renovations so long as we increase the distance (maybe 4th and 20 or 25) to retain possession and also move the ball to the same yard line as an onside kick. That way a team might be able to shift from Kickoff to onside without stopping the play. This helps to increase the chance of a surprise.
 
Patriots Penalty?
Already in MLB, three managers and one general manager have been fired over the cheating scandal. I'm not sure what other penalties will be enforced and haven't paid to much attention to it. There was a caller on sports radio here that suggested the NFL should closely follow the NCAA in how they handle violations. NCAA sanctions often place penalties on recruitment and postseason (bowl) berths. Can you imagine, New England being barred from the playoffs for a year? We know that won't happen, but apparently there needs to be stricter penalties. This is three strikes now for the Patriots, although I'm still unclear how deflate gate gave the team a competitive advantage.
Just look at their fumble % during that time... its unprecedented vs opponent and league average
 
I hope the league does something about that killing the clock thing where the punting team can run the clock down close to zero when it's late in the game, then false start just before it hits zero and get a reset of the game clock and have the damn thing start counting down all over again on the reset. More and more special teams on 4th down will continue to pull that crap until the league just kills the game clock on the infraction, measures off the penalty if the defense takes it and just leaves the damn clock STOPPED for the punt team thereafter. Really needs to be fixed. Belicheat used it first on the Jets. Then Vrabel did it to him in the wild card game and didn't the Packers do it to Seattle too late in their NFC playoff game as well? Gonna keep being "a thing" unless the league just kills the clock on a false start infraction. Until they do, it's a nice loophole to kill off over 2 minutes of the clock when you do it right.
 
I wish the NFL would resort back to the old kickoff rules that allowed teams to stack more players on one side of the line (and allowed players to run up to get a running start. I understand it is for safety, but is ruining an exciting part of the game. Even if they allowed teams to stack players (i.e 4 on one side of the tee and 6 on the other--not counting the kicker), it would be an improvement over what exists now. Onside kick percentage went from something like 25% down to below 10%. In my opinion, it was much more exciting when a team was down by 11 and scored a TD with 45 seconds left. You knew they would attempt an onside kick (and they still will). The difference is, there was a lot more suspense when there felt like they had a chance to recover it. Onside kicks now feel like a hopeless situation.

By the way, the 4th and 15 idea stinks too.:)
 
I can’t imagine mimicking the NCAA for anything. They are one of the most inept and ineffectual organizations you will ever see, regardless of industry. The punishments they mete out are so arbitrary and capricious that it’s truly ridiculous.
 
I wish the NFL would resort back to the old kickoff rules that allowed teams to stack more players on one side of the line (and allowed players to run up to get a running start. I understand it is for safety, but is ruining an exciting part of the game. Even if they allowed teams to stack players (i.e 4 on one side of the tee and 6 on the other--not counting the kicker), it would be an improvement over what exists now. Onside kick percentage went from something like 25% down to below 10%. In my opinion, it was much more exciting when a team was down by 11 and scored a TD with 45 seconds left. You knew they would attempt an onside kick (and they still will). The difference is, there was a lot more suspense when there felt like they had a chance to recover it. Onside kicks now feel like a hopeless situation.

By the way, the 4th and 15 idea stinks too.:)

The old onside kick rule not only led to one of the most exciting plays in the sport but also it led to high drama down the stretch of a game even if a team were down two scores.

Surely the league has data on how many injuries there were statistically on these plays. It honestly didn‘t seem to be that many, but they’ve got the data. Hopefully this isn’t based on “feeling” and they have cold data supporting the league‘s decision.

But keep in mind, this is a league that literally couldn‘t figure out what a catch was. All they had to do was ask a group of fifth graders playing in the yard. They could figure it out.
 
The old onside kick rule not only led to one of the most exciting plays in the sport but also it led to high drama down the stretch of a game even if a team were down two scores.

Surely the league has data on how many injuries there were statistically on these plays. It honestly didn‘t seem to be that many, but they’ve got the data. Hopefully this isn’t based on “feeling” and they have cold data supporting the league‘s decision.

But keep in mind, this is a league that literally couldn‘t figure out what a catch was. All they had to do was ask a group of fifth graders playing in the yard. They could figure it out.
I miss the old kickoffs as well. A very exciting play that is now mostly a ho hum.
 
The incidence of concussion and the permanent brain injuries that they cause may eventually lead to the death of the game of football... at least as we've known it.

Things have got to change if we are to stop seeing guys like Junior Seau killing themselves.

Sure, the new rules are not as exciting, but we've got to give these poor bastards a chance to have a life after football.
 
Patriots Penalty?
Already in MLB, three managers and one general manager have been fired over the cheating scandal. I'm not sure what other penalties will be enforced and haven't paid to much attention to it. There was a caller on sports radio here that suggested the NFL should closely follow the NCAA in how they handle violations. NCAA sanctions often place penalties on recruitment and postseason (bowl) berths. Can you imagine, New England being barred from the playoffs for a year? We know that won't happen, but apparently there needs to be stricter penalties. This is three strikes now for the Patriots, although I'm still unclear how deflate gate gave the team a competitive advantage.

Regards recruitment in the Pats case strip them of their next two 1st round draft picks and may be another high pick the third year. Another way is to be limit them to signing FA's for only a couple of mill per year, that would down grade the quality they could bring in.
 
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