What Rules changes?

[Ellard80]

I'm in the mood for repeated word of mouth fallacies at the moment - I hear this everywhere. Oh offenses this year are at a all time high because of "rules changes"

Can someone tell me a rule that was changed this year? Because I can't think of one. The weight on the QB thing earlier this year maybe, but that has died off. Targeting? I mean I still see dudes get lit the eff up, and even if so is that really stopping or allowing people to throw deep ins. They threw deep ins in the 70's when you could murder people, never stopped anyone.

When I watch football games I see the same amount of grabbing on receivers that I've seen in the past 20 years. I mean are the rules different than the 70's... well yeah.

I just here this rule changes stuff over and over - yet I can think of none. It's bizarre.

 

[Ellard80]

Cool... only thing I see in there that kind of forgot about is the adjustment to the catch rule.

But I have not heard one person point to that as the reason points are up.

 

[Ellard80]

Dunno I saw Cooks get grabbed a couple times nothing called.

Also saw Peters grab Adams a couple times in the Packers game and they didn't call it.

Sometimes they call it sometimes they don't. Seems the same to me as it has been for the past two decades.

 

[Merlin]

The rule change on roughing the QB I suspect has affected the rush, in that QBs aren't as scared of being pile driven and as a result play with a little more nuttage. Makes it more like a practice environment tbh which is good for them.

I also suspect OL holding call percentages per snap are down, due to a desire to keep QBs from being hurt which I am sure most owners favor. This is just my eye though, I don't know any site that has that raw data. Would love to compare amount of dropbacks each of the past, say, three seasons and suspect the holding call percentage per play drops each year.

Only way to evaluate the penalties, really, is to do that. I still see missed holding calls on DBs but is it as much as it used to be? Seems to me that it tends to be favored towards the lesser team, as well, but again perception might be an issue there.

 

[Ellard80]

The rule change on roughing the QB I suspect has affected the rush, in that QBs aren't as scared of being pile driven and as a result play with a little more nuttage. Makes it more like a practice environment tbh which is good for them.

I also suspect OL holding call percentages per snap are down, due to a desire to keep QBs from being hurt which I am sure most owners favor. This is just my eye though, I don't know any site that has that raw data. Would love to compare amount of dropbacks each of the past, say, three seasons and suspect the holding call percentage per play drops each year.

Only way to evaluate the penalties, really, is to do that. I still see missed holding calls on DBs but is it as much as it used to be? Seems to me that it tends to be favored towards the lesser team, as well, but again perception might be an issue there.

Right it's just a lot of conjecture... there aren't any real rule changes that I see.

 

[Merlin]

Right it's just a lot of conjecture... there aren't any real rule changes that I see.

No. It isn't conjecture. The NFL added an article to its roughing the passer rule. Here's a link: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2018/9...-the-passer-penalty-explanation-clay-matthews

 

[Ellard80]

No. It isn't conjecture. The NFL added an article to its roughing the passer rule. Here's a link: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2018/9...-the-passer-penalty-explanation-clay-matthews

I mentioned that rule in my original post on this thread. They have pretty much completely backed off that rule since about week 3 or so.

 

[1maGoh]

Rule changes will also have a cumulative effect. If they make a change that favors the offense, say something about defenseless receivers. That year or may not affect the numbers much because the penalty would be called more early in the season, later in the season defenses would back off. The next year, defenses are adding to the new rule all year, so numbers do go upa statistically significant amount.

Them they make a rule change about head shots and you see the same pattern. Little effect first year, bigger effect second year, in addition to maybe some small effect from the change 2 years ago.

Year 3 they make no change and numbers go up. You look back and say "but nothing changed this year". Nothing had to change this year. We're still gaining from previous changes.

The rules on how, when, and where the defender can hit someone favor the offense in a few subtle ways. Compound that over a few seasons in addition to the new data driven analytical mindset, and the fact that defenses are, by nature, reactionary and you have serious advantage for the offense.

Also, consider that the longer a rule is on place the more the next generation is going to consider it according to the letter and not in relation to the previous standard. Let's take contact downfield as an example. If there was no restriction on the 60's (just guessing here, I'm not super old yet), but in 1970 they made the no contact past 5 yards rule, then it would be viewed by those refs and fans in relation to what was happening in the 60's. "Last year they could bear hug a wide receiver all the way down field. Now they can barely hold both arms down without a penalty!"

Fast forward 40 years and "no contact" doesn't mean not bear hugging a guy, it means no contact, not hindering the WR at all. Little things like a hand around the waist are allowed, but not blowing a guy up for no reason.

Leave today's rules in place for 20 straight years with no changes at all and I'd guaranty we see it even out. As long as they keep changing stuff up, even little things, it will always be in flux. Player safety favors the offense.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I don't have a great memory but I don't recall holding being called on any pass plays during Rams games. I do remember it on run plays. It is very easy to tell refs not to call offensive line holding on passing plays, or call very little of it, without telling anyone else. If you think this billion dollar league doesn't manipulate the game to increase profits then that's your prerogative.. The league won't leave anything to chance when it may screw up their profit margin.

Major league baseball doesn't announce when they decide to have the balls made to produce more pop. But it's known that they've done it in the past and this past year, they really overdid it.

These are self governing leagues run by cut throat businessmen that would scoff at allowing profits to rise and fall by chance.

 

[XXXIVwin]

Can someone tell me a rule that was changed this year?

Just for clarification— every year there are “rules changes” and then there are also “points of emphasis.”

The points of emphasis may not necessarily involve a changing of the rules language, it may just be a decision to call some fouls more strictly (or loosely).

Roughing the passer calls have definitely tightened up. And from what I’ve seen, O Lineman get away with more holding on pass pro than in prior years. Maybe I’m biased because I see how often AD is held and it’s not called.

Anyway, yes, these points of emphasis increase scoring, and protect their marquee players.

 

[Karate61]

Lately, seems to me the problem has been with enforcing the rules. They don't call it; they do call it. When they can't get a replay call correct (a la Hekker's 1st Down), it's just all gone to hell. Officiating has gone to hell.

They need more refs on the field, with more narrow responsibility.

 

[Ellard80]

Some people say "They are allowing holding more"

But sack rates are at an all time high this year.

Wouldn't seem that those two things would go together.

 

[Ken]

Some people say "They are allowing holding more"

But sack rates are at an all time high this year.

Wouldn't see that those two things would go together.

Ask yourself, what would the sack rate be if they called O holding per the rules? AD is the best, but there are many good DTs (DLinemen in general). I believe they are doing it both to protect the QBs and generate more O. If they aren't going to enforce the rules as written, they need to write rules they will enforce. They always come out with officiating points of emphasis every season, but if they had clear rules that we're being fairly enforced, what would be the reason for yearly 'points of emphasis'? The simple reason they are allowing more holding: The DL are just too good for the OL to block within the rules without having games with 15+ sacks (that is more dangerous for the star QBs and would cripple scoring, which the league obviously craves). So instead of rewriting the rules to allow most OL holds on pass plays (except maybe for holding from behind or choke holds), they ignore nearly all holding, except when they don't.

 

[Ellard80]

Ask yourself, what would the sack rate be if they called O holding per the rules? AD is the best, but there are many good DTs (DLinemen in general). I believe they are doing it both to protect the QBs and generate more O. If they aren't going to enforce the rules as written, they need to write rules they will enforce. They always come out with officiating points of emphasis every season, but if they had clear rules that we're being fairly enforced, what would be the reason for yearly 'points of emphasis'? The simple reason they are allowing more holding: The DL are just too good for the OL to block within the rules without having games with 15+ sacks (that is more dangerous for the star QBs and would cripple scoring, which the league obviously craves). So instead of rewriting the rules to allow most OL holds on pass plays (except maybe for holding from behind or choke holds), they ignore nearly all holding, except when they don't.

I'm sure there is evidence somewhere that shows if there is less or more holding being called this year. Not sure if its available to plebes like us.

 

[Ram65]

Some people say "They are allowing holding more"

But sack rates are at an all time high this year.

Wouldn't seem that those two things would go together.

I haven't checked but, I imagine passing attempts are at or near an all time high. There could be teams with big leads teeing off because they know the pass is coming.

 

[Faceplant]

Something HAS to have changed for Cam fucking Newton to be completing passes at an almost 70% clip.:headexplosion:

 

[tklongball]

Quick check of Pro-Football-Reference.com shows the following for Offensive holding calls/game
2018 - 1.36
2017 - 2.59
2016 - 2.75
2015 - 2.77

Penalty data is by year under Other

That is a drop of approx 50% in holding calls. That is the kind of thing O Linemen notice.

Add to that the fact that teams are passing more every year.

 

[Ellard80]

Quick check of Pro-Football-Reference.com shows the following for Offensive holding calls/game
2018 - 1.36
2017 - 2.59
2016 - 2.75
2015 - 2.77

Penalty data is by year under Other

That is a drop of approx 50% in holding calls. That is the kind of thing O Linemen notice.

Add to that the fact that teams are passing more every year.

Nice find!

Wow oh wow - I think we have probably found perhaps the biggest reason for the offensive explosion (not that it's the only one).

A broadcaster needs to latch onto this one.

Going to be blunt - since our offense is our bread and butter its a good stat for us.