My Top 5 Changes to NFL Rules

The NFL instituted a new rule this season to make extra points more difficult.  I'm not sure the rule needed to be changed; but, I do have a list of some changes that I think should be made.

Why did the league change a rule?

Before I get to my suggested rule changes let's consider why a rule should be changed.  Obviously a rule change should make the game better.  One way to make the game better would be to make the game more exciting.

That was the intent with the extra point rule change. The extra point had become so automatic that the league felt it needed to make a change.  Though I'm not sure how much excitement is gained by the increase chance of a missed extra point.

An even better reason to change a rule would be to make the game more exciting AND more fair.  That's what I think my rule changes would do.

#5 - Move the ball up to the half yard line rather then only half the distance to the goal line for penalty enforcement

Putting the ball closer to the goal line increases excitement as the chance of a score (safety or touchdown) is increased.  But this change is really about fairness.  I recognize that the yards near the goal line are valuable; but, by committing the penalty the team likely prevented a loss of yardage or a score.  The current rule errs in favor of the penalized team which I don't believe is fair.  

#4 Place the ball at the one yard line instead of awarding a touchback for a ball fumbled out/through the end zone

Again this adds excitement and greatly improves fairness.  The defense allowed the other team to get near their goal line; yet, the ball gets moved all the way out to the twenty?  If the ball rolls out at the half yard line it doesn't go to the twenty and a half.  One could even argue that the defense shouldn't even get the ball. Putting it at the one would at least remove some of the imbalance in the current rule.

#3 Place the ball at the one yard line instead of awarding a touchback for a ball intercepted or recovered in the end zone

So let me take you back to the last game that mattered, Super Bowl forty-nine.  The Patriots intercepted a ball at the half yard line and had to take possession near their own end zone.  At that moment the Seattle defense could still have made a play to change the game back in their favor.  Yet, if Seattle had thrown into the end zone and been intercepted the ball would have gone out to the twenty.  A defense should not get better field position when they get a turnover in a position deeper within their territory.

#1 A pre-snap penalty by the offense within a yard of their own end zone shall result in a safety

#2 A pre-snap penalty by the defense within a yard of their own end zone shall result in a <TDB>

These are obviously related so let me justify rule change number one before discussing its counterpart.
There is already a precedent for awarding a safety on a penalty; a holding penalty while the quarterback is in the end zone for example.
Let's go back to last year's Super Bowl again.  The Patriots have the ball inside their own one yard line and are in danger of suffering a safety.  It turned out that the Seattle defense was undisciplined and quickly jumped offsides.  But did the Patriots ever intend to snap the ball?  And, did they need to?  Any penalty (delay of game, illegal motion, etc) designed to get the defense to jump offsides would result in the ball basically getting placed exactly where it already was.  If they snap the ball there is a chance they lose.  The Super Bowl was on the line; so does coach Belichick let Brady take a snap?  That is a huge loophole that this rule change would close.

As for my number two rule change, it is only fair that the defense should also be subject to the same pre-snap penalty.  There is no real punishment right now if the ball is an inch from the goal line and a defended jumps into the offense early.  While I don't have a definite idea on what the punishment should be I do have a few thoughts.  Possible punishments could be the offense getting a first down (but what if it is first down?), the defense losing a timeout, or forcing the defense to play the next snap with one less player.  Regardless, there needs to be a bigger disincentive for the defense to jump offsides.

2015 Football Season

As you watch football games this year I hope you enjoy the longer extra points; but, the minute you see a defensive touchback I bet you'll wish they were putting the ball at the one.

Go, Steelers!