Let’s hope this isn’t penalty in the regular season bc if it is it’s going to be a longgggg season

[Angry Ram]

The rules committee and commsih is in the process of totally destroying the game.

No, not really. Tell that to all the fans in the stadiums and those that attended the various camps. Voluntarily and spending their own money mind you.

The rules committee is composed of head coaches, GMs, and owners. Why on earth would these guys want to "destroy" the game in which in they make a living off of?

I've watching a little bit of several games and have seen a whole bunch of God awful calls, personal fouls.

Tis the norm in preseason. Preseason is sloppy AF, full of 3rd and 4th string players with terrible technique and disregards to the rules.

Over and over....runner lowers head, defender lower his head to protect himself while making tackle....no helmet to helmet contact....flag.

The new rule applies to everybody. Players best to adapt.

It will make the NFL in watchable.

Well OK. I've been hearing that for years now and people are still watching. Passionately.

Guess what will happen? Players will still get injured.

Sure they will. But the point is trying to decrease head injuries, in which players have to tweak their tackling, and coaches to teach them that.

Making it so defenses can't play is going to ruin the game viewing experience for all but idiots who want a 78-62 flag football 7 on 7 passing league. It's pathetic.

No, nothing is being ruined despite how much you want to say that. Some of the 4th quarters of these preseason games have been pretty exciting.

 

[RamBall]

It looked like a classic form tackle to me. That is how coaches teach tackling. Squat wrap and lift.

after he had the QB going down the tackler drove his full weight onto the QB as he was on the ground. Definetly looked like he was trying to do more than just tackle the QB. A similar but on any ball carrier it would probably also be flagged. There is a difference between tackling and trying to injure. The NFL is trying to get away from attempt to injure. Player safety is becoming part of the game today.

 

[KNUCKLEHEAD]

Geeze... Looks like I'm gonna need a cheaper TV for throwing stuff at.

 

[1maGoh]

I was thinking the other day how we need more subjective penalties. That way we can never really be sure what the hell is going on.

As a positive side effect it will be even easier for them to fix games. If a team misses third and one, you just call lowering the helmet on the defense. Or if they made it and they weren't supposed to, you call lowering the helmet on the RB. You sacked Tom Brady!? How dare you? You didn't try to roll away from him fast enough.

 

[fearsomefour]

No, not really. Tell that to all the fans in the stadiums and those that attended the various camps. Voluntarily and spending their own money mind you.

The rules committee is composed of head coaches, GMs, and owners. Why on earth would these guys want to "destroy" the game in which in they make a living off of?



Tis the norm in preseason. Preseason is sloppy AF, full of 3rd and 4th string players with terrible technique and disregards to the rules.



The new rule applies to everybody. Players best to adapt.



Well OK. I've been hearing that for years now and people are still watching. Passionately.



Sure they will. But the point is trying to decrease head injuries, in which players have to tweak their tackling, and coaches to teach them that.



No, nothing is being ruined despite how much you want to say that. Some of the 4th quarters of these preseason games have been pretty exciting.

The rule applies to everyone....like leading with the head does now.
But it won't be called that way.
I think we will see terrible calls by officials out in an impossible situation early weeks, then they will back off as the season progresses.

 

[Mackeyser]

Body weight in tackling? Unheard of. Can we just put freaking flags on them already. FFS!

Respectfully I disagree.

We don’t have the head slap anymore nor do we have clipping and/or chop block.

There are things which aren’t allowed and the sport is better for it.

I surely don’t want QBs playing in red shirts in actual games, but we can all acknowledge that the game is significantly less than it could be without starting QBs.

I don’t see how a sack needs to be a means of removing a player from the game.

Win on physical execution, superior talent and outstanding game planning.

We’d likely agree on a lot, but when it comes to driving the weight into the QB or anyone leading with the crown of the helmet, I’m all for them removing that from the game.

All it means is that the aggression and physicality needs to be more accurately channeled and deployed. Football is still plenty physical. I mean I couldn’t last a single practice let alone a down in a game...as a kicker... Not that that’s any metric beyond it’s still a meat grinder of a sport.

Keep Calm and Ram On!

 

[ausmurp]

I really believe now is the perfect time for one of the other professional football leagues to start, like the AAF. If they can compensate players near or more than the NFL can, and avoid stupid rule decisions like this, they can be equal to or more fun to watch. It would be smart of them to use the rule book from before Goodell became commish. Give me 90s football with great players and illI watch it. Hell it would be amazing if they did this, and then some of the NFL teams moved over to AAF bc they disagree with the soft bs of the NFL. I'm actually really excited for AAF. Could be a game changer.

 

[ausmurp]

These rules are so dumb. It's like the MMA trying to change and become plain boxing. So stupid you'd think they'd see that. It's a violent sport and that is why we watch it. Make the players read and sign terms acknowledging what they're getting into and 90+% of those dudes would absolutely still sign and play. I hate every single rule change Goodell put in place.

 

[LuvMeThemRams]

One thing no one has mentioned, this is going to create 5 hr games.

 

[Angry Ram]

The rule applies to everyone....like leading with the head does now.
But it won't be called that way.

With the way they are being called in the pre-season, yes it will.

I think we will see terrible calls by officials out in an impossible situation early weeks, then they will back off as the season progresses.

I think those terrible calls will be in the minds of fans of teams that lost that week.

 

[fearsomefour]

With the way they are being called in the pre-season, yes it will.



I think those terrible calls will be in the minds of fans of teams that lost that week.

Wrong on point one.
Who cares on point two?
Shit calls are shit calls.
I say this as the guy who, more than most on board, never think the refs have it in for the Rams.
If you think rules like the one we are talking about in point one (already a rule last year) are enforced evenly you are delusional.
Offense rules the day.
I understand the NFLs sudden self interest to "protect" players. But these sorts of rules, judgement calls, when something as simple as a runner shifting his body on the way down can make a clean hit appear dirty....these sorts of calls at game speed are almost impossible to enforce in a real and even handed way.
The NFL is making a mistake.

 

[Ramhusker]

All these rule changes will end up having adverse injury consequences. Defensive player injuries will end up increasing. Watch and see.

 

[Angry Ram]

Wrong on point one.

I'm not though.

Who cares on point two?
crap calls are crap calls.

Umm the ones bitching about ref calls? Not surprisingly they are from fans from teams that lose.

I say this as the guy who, more than most on board, never think the refs have it in for the Rams.
If you think rules like the one we are talking about in point one (already a rule last year) are enforced evenly you are delusional.

Please provide examples on where there is proof of this statement, other than what you perceive. Call me delusional all you want, but I'm not backing down.

New rule = don't lower your head and lead with the helmet. Don't like it? Adjust or don't play.

Offense rules the day.

No...the top teams in the leagues (Rams, Vikings, Eagles, and even Saints) all have hard hitting defense that can smother opponents.

I understand the NFLs sudden self interest to "protect" players. But these sorts of rules, judgement calls, when something as simple as a runner shifting his body on the way down can make a clean hit appear dirty....these sorts of calls at game speed are almost impossible to enforce in a real and even handed way.
The NFL is making a mistake.

It's not that simple. You can't lower the head, offense or defense.

You are taking with is the norm with preseason (high flag rate) and trying to apply that to the regular season. That doesn't happen.

And if the NFL is making a mistake, maybe more people should put their money where their keyboard is and stop watching. But they keep watching. Every year. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Mackeyser]

These rules are so dumb. It's like the MMA trying to change and become plain boxing. So stupid you'd think they'd see that. It's a violent sport and that is why we watch it. Make the players read and sign terms acknowledging what they're getting into and 90+% of those dudes would absolutely still sign and play. I hate every single rule change Goodell put in place.

I'm sorry, but as someone who's followed MMA since slightly before the first UFC fight, your analogy makes no sense...at all.

They standardized scoring/rules and removed aspects that can only lead to injury like you can no longer kick someone who's down...and they defined what constitutes being "down".

As someone who's rolled BJJ and has rolled with people who are doing MMA as well as having supported an MMA fighter (I specifically gave my Network Admin special hours so he could train and attend bouts), I'm not disconnected from the actual sport.

The idea that moving the sport so that it could be sanctioned in the US and so that it would focus the skill, execution, durability, stamina and technique rather than allowing moves that cause severe injury (which depletes the talent pool as well as alienates many casual fans) isn't making it "become plain boxing".

MMA certainly has issues, but that's not one of them. Getting rid of bad referees like Steve Mazzagatti...or...this guy is a much bigger issue:

SPOILER: This video involves a choke to an unconscious fighter that goes on a full NINETY seconds after he is unconscious. I'm still so upset and angry after watching this video my hands are shaking.


View: https://twitter.com/BrMassami/status/1031350697084649472


Sorry to derail this thread, but I have strong feelings about this.

Football doesn't need to be Thunderdome or a blood sport in order to be entertaining. In fact, because the best players end up as casualties in situations like that due to the team nature of the sport, the entire sport is diminished when those aspects remain. The entire league is worse off when Aaron Rodgers is out, for example.

 

[fearsomefour]

I'm not though.



Umm the ones bitching about ref calls? Not surprisingly they are from fans from teams that lose.



Please provide examples on where there is proof of this statement, other than what you perceive. Call me delusional all you want, but I'm not backing down.

New rule = don't lower your head and lead with the helmet. Don't like it? Adjust or don't play.



No...the top teams in the leagues (Rams, Vikings, Eagles, and even Saints) all have hard hitting defense that can smother opponents.



It's not that simple. You can't lower the head, offense or defense.

You are taking with is the norm with preseason (high flag rate) and trying to apply that to the regular season. That doesn't happen.

And if the NFL is making a mistake, maybe more people should put their money where their keyboard is and stop watching. But they keep watching. Every year. Rinse and repeat.

We shall see.
Youre right, there are always higher flag rates in preseason for rules they are looking to enforce.
The rule is ill conceived and stupid.
Refs will blow the calls because it is a judgment call at game speed.
You say you wont back down.....um.....back down from what?

 

[Faceplant]

The defender drove the QB into the ground. It was the right call. If that had happened to our QB, I am guessing that 99% of the people complaining here about the end of pro football as we know it, would SCREAM for a flag. Perspective.. .

 

[RamFan503]

We don’t have the head slap anymore nor do we have clipping and/or chop block.

There are things which aren’t allowed and the sport is better for it.

Those aren't great examples as they are pretty clear in definition. Yes there will be questions with calls on any penalty but I think this latest attempt and a few others are just making it more difficult for officials and players to officiate and play the game at full speed.

I say this as the guy who, more than most on board, never think the refs have it in for the Rams.

Blasphemy!

I understand the NFLs sudden self interest to "protect" players. But these sorts of rules, judgement calls, when something as simple as a runner shifting his body on the way down can make a clean hit appear dirty....these sorts of calls at game speed are almost impossible to enforce in a real and even handed way.
The NFL is making a mistake.

Totally agree.

Umm the ones bitching about ref calls? Not surprisingly they are from fans from teams that lose.

Not true at all in my case at least. Sure I bitch about a call I view as suspect going against my team but I watch - especially in the preseason - for how rules/players are going to affect the season. When you have a rule that is overly subjective, it lends to refs having far too great an ability to screw up a call and therefore affect the outcome of a game or drive. The refs have to make ridiculously quick and difficult calls. I want clear definitions for the refs as much as I do the players and MY team. This latest couple of changes are very difficult to define and can lead to emotional decisions by the refs in many cases and instead MAKE them look for motive even if there is none.

It may seem counter to what I'm saying but a ref knows what he sees on the field in most cases. A dirty hit doesn't necessarily need to be defined. If helmets collide, a ref shouldn't need to look for a penalty. He is down there watching the players and the game. If at that moment, he sees a player going in for a kill, he should be able to call it as unnecessary roughness. If he sees a player unnecessarily drive a player into the ground, he should be able to call it even if the player technically does it right. What it appears to me is that now they have to consider too much. Now if a player looks to lower his crown as I've already seen several times, he has to take his attention away from the play in looking to see if it's a penalty rather than if it fit within the play of a violent sport.

Either way, I don't like these two as RULES. They are too much akin to "a football move".

 

[Adi]

I hope the refs were told to make a statement in preseason. Remember none of these calls matter. I just want good NFL football ! Why is that so hard to do now ?

 

[RamFan503]

I hope the refs were told to make a statement in preseason. Remember none of these calls matter. I just want good NFL football ! Why is that so hard to do now ?

Maybe I'm just cynical but I think it is more a CYA attempt by the NFL in general. If they can show they are trying to reduce injuries, they have something to lean on. It doesn't even have to work or be effective but if they show they are trying....

I don't think most fans want injuries or want to see players have to deal with life altering plays. But I also don't think many fans want to see the game change much - especially if it appears to be a meaningless gesture that makes the game less watchable.

 

[fearsomefour]

Those aren't great examples as they are pretty clear in definition. Yes there will be questions with calls on any penalty but I think this latest attempt and a few others are just making it more difficult for officials and players to officiate and play the game at full speed.


Blasphemy!


Totally agree.


Not true at all in my case at least. Sure I bitch about a call I view as suspect going against my team but I watch - especially in the preseason - for how rules/players are going to affect the season. When you have a rule that is overly subjective, it lends to refs having far too great an ability to screw up a call and therefore affect the outcome of a game or drive. The refs have to make ridiculously quick and difficult calls. I want clear definitions for the refs as much as I do the players and MY team. This latest couple of changes are very difficult to define and can lead to emotional decisions by the refs in many cases and instead MAKE them look for motive even if there is none.

It may seem counter to what I'm saying but a ref knows what he sees on the field in most cases. A dirty hit doesn't necessarily need to be defined. If helmets collide, a ref shouldn't need to look for a penalty. He is down there watching the players and the game. If at that moment, he sees a player going in for a kill, he should be able to call it as unnecessary roughness. If he sees a player unnecessarily drive a player into the ground, he should be able to call it even if the player technically does it right. What it appears to me is that now they have to consider too much. Now if a player looks to lower his crown as I've already seen several times, he has to take his attention away from the play in looking to see if it's a penalty rather than if it fit within the play of a violent sport.

Either way, I don't like these two as RULES. They are too much akin to "a football move".

Thanks.
Said what I was trying to say in a much better way that I was.