Major Rule Change

[DaBruinz]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/08/05/career_has_run_its_course/?page=3

I hadn't heard about this, but the goal line is no longer extended to infinity outside the goal posts as it has been in the past. It seem that the ball must now pass over the goal line between the pylons, with the outer most edge of the pylons being the boundry.

 

[pats1]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/08/05/career_has_run_its_course/?page=3

I hadn't heard about this, but the goal line is no longer extended to infinity outside the goal posts as it has been in the past. It seem that the ball must now pass over the goal line between the pylons, with the outer most edge of the pylons being the boundry.

That infinite goal line rule should have been enacted against the Colts in the 2004-05 playoffs when Dillon dove for the touchdown but was spotted at the 1.

I actually preferred the rule as it was before - where you could dive as far out as you needed to, as long as the ball passed the infinite extension of the goal line. I didn't even know you had to make contact with the pylon in the past.

 

[37Harrison]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/08/05/career_has_run_its_course/?page=3

I hadn't heard about this, but the goal line is no longer extended to infinity outside the goal posts as it has been in the past. It seem that the ball must now pass over the goal line between the pylons, with the outer most edge of the pylons being the boundry.

Yeah, I never understood the whole "infinite goal line" in the first place. I think it's a good rule change.

 

[37Harrison]

That infinite goal line rule should have been enacted against the Colts in the 2004-05 playoffs when Dillon dove for the touchdown but was spotted at the 1.

Yeah, that WAS a TD. Corey was robbed.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I wouldn't really classify this as a "major" rule change, since it won't have all that much impact on the rules. Right now, how often does a player score a touchdown by staying inbounds while the ball goes out of bounds? I can't imagine it happening more than a couple of times per season, and I don't think coaches design plays to run that way anyways.

 

[DaBruinz]

I wouldn't really classify this as a "major" rule change, since it won't have all that much impact on the rules. Right now, how often does a player score a touchdown by staying inbounds while the ball goes out of bounds? I can't imagine it happening more than a couple of times per season, and I don't think coaches design plays to run that way anyways.

You're right. It won't have much of an impact on the rules. It will, however, have a major impact on the game.

See, this rule will get used more than a couple of times a year. Why? Because there are plenty of times where a player goes to cut inside the pylon with the ball outside the pylon to use his body to protect it. Now, the rule CLEARLY states that the ball must pass over or touch the pylon, where as, previously, only the guys body had to nick the pylon.

It will have a bigger impact than you think, if the refs call it as a point of emphasis the way they have the pass interference and chucking.

 

[spacecrime]

I actually preferred the rule as it was before - where you could dive as far out as you needed to, as long as the ball passed the infinite extension of the goal line. I didn't even know you had to make contact with the pylon in the past.

I don't think you did need to make contact with pylon. Any part of your body had to pass over the goal line between the pylons. The ball could be outside as long as a foot or arm was inside.

I wouldn't really classify this as a "major" rule change, since it won't have all that much impact on the rules. Right now, how often does a player score a touchdown by staying inbounds while the ball goes out of bounds? I can't imagine it happening more than a couple of times per season, and I don't think coaches design plays to run that way anyways.

Happens a lot. It gives a sideline-running ball carrier an extra two yards of playing field to avoid a tackler with an angle. Ball carrier is running for the sidelines, avoiding defensive player coming from inside. At the two or three yard line the ball carrier launches himself. Even when defensive guy hits him, the ball carrier doesn't hit the ground until he is past the plane of the goal line. Touchdown.

 

[sieglo]

I don't think you did need to make contact with pylon. Any part of your body had to pass over the goal line between the pylons. The ball could be outside as long as a foot or arm was inside.

Happens a lot. It gives a sideline-running ball carrier an extra two yards of playing field to avoid a tackler with an angle. Ball carrier is running for the sidelines, avoiding defensive player coming from inside. At the two or three yard line the ball carrier launches himself. Even when defensive guy hits him, the ball carrier doesn't hit the ground until he is past the plane of the goal line. Touchdown.

I agree. Happens a lot. This is significant.

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

I like this rule change. It isn't a big deal, but the new rule seems like an easier, clear, and more consistent ruling. I never understood why the end zone should be any different from the rest of the field.

 

[PonyExpress]

At least we won't have to hear another goofy color analyst tell us that the "goal line goes all the way around the world" - but avoids Switzerland, of course, which remains neutral.

 

[signbabybrady]

I like this rule change. It isn't a big deal, but the new rule seems like an easier, clear, and more consistent ruling. I never understood why the end zone should be any different from the rest of the field.

did it work like that for first downs in the past? I always thought if you were going for a first you could leap and the first down line would extend infifnitely too. Was it that way in the past and if so how does it work with the new change?

why the change I don't recall much controversy over such plays? I can invision the change creating controversy though.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

This is even bigger than when they went from the "invisible plane" of the goal line to the "invisible pane of glass" it became after much garbled Tank McNamara/John Madden type mouthings.

I'm sure there will be a "HUH?" look on the face of at least one back this year. Then there won't be.

PFnV

 

[AzPatsFan]

This new rule makes it entirely possible to use modern means, like they do in tennis, to determine if the ball pierces the "plane" of the goal.

All it would require is to chip the ball between two receivers placed in or about the pylons. Piercing the plane would be confirmed by the sensors.

The same technology could be used to determine First Downs with sensors placed in the forward yardsticks.

 

[signbabybrady]

This new rule makes it entirely possible to use modern means, like they do in tennis, to determine if the ball pierces the "plane" of the goal.

All it would require is to chip the ball between two receivers placed in or about the pylons. Piercing the plane would be confirmed by the sensors.

The same technology could be used to determine First Downs with sensors placed in the forward yardsticks.

if that was the eventual reason for the change than that would be cool...

 

[rbkgoalr]

I think I might like the change

 

[rabthepat]

They covered this on the NFLN the other night and showed some examples. I like the change. I also like the new rule change if you spike the ball in the field of play it is a 5 yard delay of game spot foul. I was getting tired of guys celebrating after the most common of plays.

 

[italia44]

At least we won't have to hear another goofy color analyst tell us that the "goal line goes all the way around the world" - but avoids Switzerland, of course, which remains neutral.

....or in the Duchy of Grand Fenwick,

which technically,is still at war with the United States of America.:rocker:

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

This new rule makes it entirely possible to use modern means, like they do in tennis, to determine if the ball pierces the "plane" of the goal.

All it would require is to chip the ball between two receivers placed in or about the pylons. Piercing the plane would be confirmed by the sensors.

The same technology could be used to determine First Downs with sensors placed in the forward yardsticks.

I've made just such RF chip & multiple camera proposals here in this forum several times. The technology is cheap. In the Globe Dillon article BB supports more cameras so that goal line challenges of calls can be more rationally decided. We have the technology to take some of the really simple bad calls out of the game while still leaving it in control of the humans.

 

[JoeSixPat]

I don't think you did need to make contact with pylon. Any part of your body had to pass over the goal line between the pylons. The ball could be outside as long as a foot or arm was inside.

Happens a lot. It gives a sideline-running ball carrier an extra two yards of playing field to avoid a tackler with an angle. Ball carrier is running for the sidelines, avoiding defensive player coming from inside. At the two or three yard line the ball carrier launches himself. Even when defensive guy hits him, the ball carrier doesn't hit the ground until he is past the plane of the goal line. Touchdown.

That's my understanding as well - what gives? This doesn't make sense to me... RB has the ball in hand - jukes and avoids a tackle... tiptoes in for a TD - but if the ball is held outside of the pylons its not a TD?

That's how I read it.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

It's a horrible rule change. The "rule" that the goal line extends all the way to infinity is misunderstood -- it's not a special goal line rule. Every yard line on the field extends to infinity.

The point is that you're never out of bounds until you TOUCH out of bounds. So, for example, if a running back runs down the left sideline with the ball in his left hand, he's not out of bounds just because maybe he held the ball out of bounds. If a receiver leaps and grabs the ball as it's sailing into the bench, having crossed the sideline but not having touched the ground, it's a legal catch so long as he has his feet in bounds.

So why do we need a different rule at the goal line?

It's a simple rule. The ball should be as far as you advanced it until the instand when you became out of bounds, which doesn't happen until a part of your body (or the ball while you're holding it) touches dirt/grass.