I think that quarterbacks and kickers are football players too, and both rules and referees are too easy on them. When tackling a running back or receiver, the defender is allowed to tackle them as hard as they want, but for quarterbacks we have rules like "in the grasp" and "don't throw the QB down against the turf too hard or you'll get penalized." I understand that the idea is to protect quarterbacks, but like I mentioned above, quarterbacks are still football players. You should be able to treat them just like you'd treat any other offensive player holding the ball, and you should be able to tackle them just as hard, and with just the same amount of force. Quarterbacks shouldn't be able to avoid getting hit by sliding on the ground either. The same goes for punters and kickers. I see all of these 40-year old pot-belly guys with one lone bar serving as their "facemask" who can get away with being 40 and fat because they do almost nothing physical in the game. That's okay, I guess, and I don't think changing the rules a little bit would alter the fact that the oldest NFL players would still be kickers... but just because a punter falls over at any sign of a stiff breeze shouldn't mean that their team should get an automatic first down.
I think that it's unfair that an offense gets the ball at the 1-yard line if defensive pass interference is called in the endzone. Such a rule basically assumes a catch by the receiver, and in my opinion you're getting into some murky waters when you start assuming success. I do think the defense should be penalized, but automatically placing the ball at the 1 is a bit much. It should be 15 yards from the line of scrimmage, and maybe an automatic first down. The way rule is currently, a lousy QB could launch the ball toward a lousy receiver, and if the defense interferes (a stupid thing to do, I'll grant you), the offense gets first and goal from the 1? I just don't like it.
I think it's funny that the NFC representative in the Super Bowl will either be a 9-7 team (the Cardinals) or a 9-6-1 team (the Eagles).
4 comments:
I had no idea you had a blog. I was all excited, until I saw the Cowboys stars all over the place. Then I threw up in my mouth.
Oh c'mon, can't we still be friends?
I would like to see a short quarter overtime. Clock control is a huge part of the game. With 5-8 minutes they would still have to get first down after first down on the ground to run out the clock. If the defense can't stop that, they deserve to lose. Of course you could then say we should leave it as it is. I don't know, with kickers they way they are now they only need to go about 30 yards to be in field goal range assuming they start on the 30 yard line. As for the pass interference in the end zone. Give them 15 yards and a first down. As for the quarterbacks and kickers. I have to disagree and this is why. You have a quarterback in the backfield standing straight up and not moving much. If he gets hit at top speed he is taking 100% of the force from the hit. From guys the size of NFL players, that is just suicide. Same with kickers. I DO agree that they shouldn't get to slide feet first. That is just grade "A" wuss. Running backs very rarely get hit square because they are moving. Even when they do get hit pretty head on, they are absorbing a lot of force because they are giving some of it back. Not only that but if they do get hit square they are usually prepared for impact. Receivers, on the other hand, are the real super studs. They have to take the worst hits as far as I'm concerend. They just take fewer.
I think I'm mostly in agreement with you on everything. Your quarterback argument is a good one. I get a little amped-up sometimes. They should probably be protected more than I suggested.
Your overtime suggestion is probably the best one I've heard. I started to change my "don't change it" tune when I read some stats (I think it was from Peter King) about starting field position. When the current overtime rule was instituted, kickoffs were from the 40, resulting in more touchbacks and 20-yard line starts. Now the kickoff is at the 30 and average drive starts is the 27. Like you say, with kickers being as good as they are these days, an offense doesn't have to go that far to get into range. Adding more time to clock also makes the most sense because it doesn't fundamentally change the game.
Thanks for the comments.
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