Possibly an important change in the helmet rule

[Prime Time]

"Inadvertent or incidental contact with the helmet and/or facemask is not a foul."


View: https://twitter.com/NFLfootballinfo/status/1032362764705181700

 

[Merlin]

The fact that they had to actually define that to the refs is what concerns me.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Back-tracking already. that's what happens when you make "knee-jerk" decisions without fully thinking it through.

 

[Akrasian]

Ideal for major rule changes would be to test it one year the first couple games of preseason, so they have more data on how it actually plays. I don't blame them for wanting to enhance safety, but it's hard to know all the implications of changes until you see it on the field.

MLB tests some rule changes in the minors to see what happens first.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

This is just what the league wants. It's another ambiguous rule that refs can abuse to change the outcomes of certain key games.

 

[Adi]

I feel as nfl refs have not ever played the game , they just know the description of the rule.

If you have never played tackle football in pads, you could never understand what you can and can not to do once u commit to hit someone. Players are used to playing a certain way for 20 years , hard to break those habits. Seems like these refs jut dont understand that some aspects of this rule are unrealistic at full speed.

Replay would only make this worse , it would be like the catch rule last year. Once you watch a catch is slow mo , it's too easy to find flaws or see the ball moving.

I dont like where this is going , I hope these pre season calls are just to make a point. If not this can cost teams wins.

 

[Ram65]

"Inadvertent or incidental contact with the helmet and/or facemask is not a foul."

A little flexibility for the refs. Players are moving too fast to avoid all helmet and facemask contact.

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https://www.google.com/search?q=Ina...nt&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
in·ad·vert·ent
ˌinədˈvərtnt/
adjective

1. not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning.
   "an inadvertent administrative error occurred that resulted in an overpayment"
   synonyms: unintentional, unintended, accidental, unpremeditated, unplanned, innocent, uncalculated, unconscious, unthinking, unwitting, involuntary;

https://www.google.com/search?q=incidental&oq=incidental&aqs=chrome..69i57&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
in·ci·den·tal
ˌinsəˈden(t)l/
adjective

1. 1.
   accompanying but not a major part of something.
   "for the fieldworker who deals with real problems, paperwork is incidental"
   synonyms: less important, secondary, subsidiary; More
   • 
     
2. 2.
   liable to happen as a consequence of (an activity).
   "the ordinary risks incidental to a fireman's job"
   synonyms: connected with, related to, associated with, accompanying, attending, attendant on, concomitant to/with
   "the risks incidental to the job"

 

[Classic Rams]

Welp, preseason is for testing.

Even for rules.

Still, football is not a safe sport unless it's flag.

 

[Angry Ram]

Back-tracking already. that's what happens when you make "knee-jerk" decisions without fully thinking it through.

How is is backtracking when no changes are being made.

I wonder the reaction if internet and twitter was around in the 1920s, when helmets and facemasks were required. League is too damn soft, dagnabit!

Get over it. Use your damn arms and tackle. Don't lower your head. Not too fuckin complicated.

 

[LARams_1963]

Well we just saw us get flagged for it today on the one sack. Inadvertant contact, still got flagged.

 

[snackdaddy]

Great. More rules that rely on a ref's judgement. We all know how that will work out.

 

[Akrasian]

Well we just saw us get flagged for it today on the one sack. Inadvertant contact, still got flagged.

Yup. Yet another rule that favors the offense. Yes, technically it applies both ways, but we're seeing how it will actually be called. Likely a personal foul a game for the team that can get to the QB.

 

[jrry32]

May want to actually tell the refs that to prevent them from calling more of those dumbass penalties.