Comments on: Report: League will consider abolishing all blocks below the waist in 2013

By: hailrg3

hailrg3 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:46:53 +0000

I agree with this decision. 300 lb D linemen aren’t usually great hurdlers, which is why chop-blocks are so effective. To those of you screaming about the NFL moving toward flag football, consider this: when the NFL loses players to injury, particularly career-ending/limiting knee injuries, we all lose. Just ask fans of any team who has lost defensive players due to a chop-block-ACL-tear. Plus, you could also make the argument that chop-blocks are cowardly. If you really want to see an NFL that is about tough athletes fighting tooth-and-nail, then why wouldn’t you get of plays that come across as cheap shots to the casual observer? Hand-to-hand combat in the trenches is what football used to be all about. Stay on your feet and block like a man.

By: stillers213

stillers213 — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:22:12 +0000

I picture the old vibrating electronic football game I had when I was 10 years old. The players just move around with their arms in front of their face.

By: savvybynature

savvybynature — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 05:13:56 +0000

This is exactly what we need. The game is already too fast paced as it is with too much action, hitting and excitement.

We need more penalties. Watching the refs is clearly the best part of sitting down to watch a football game, so the more the better. I say mandatory penalties for something, anything, every five plays, just to break up all the action. It can be really distracting.

By: lovefootball4life

lovefootball4life — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:16:52 +0000

Late in commenting but why don’t we go the other way. Players are getting faster, stronger, and injured easier with the padding and hits we have now. This style of padding has been around forever. Instead of changing the hits, let’s change the padding. If we have knee injuries lets find a device that augments knee safety. Some guys do it already with knee braces. Protect the speed, intensity, and admittedly violence of the game but protect the player.

By: Nickstixx

Nickstixx — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:34:03 +0000

All I want for Christmas, is a new NFL Commissioner. Stop ruining the game!!! If this happens, the game will literally be unwatchable. If you can’t cut block, you can’t run. Plain and simple…
I’m going to start a petition to have Roger Goodell impeached from his position. Let’s get it done!
If you vote me in as Commish, I promise to take all these news rules out of the book and go back to playing good ol’ football. Injuries are part of the game, it’s a violent sport, in which these players are very fairly compensated. Nobody is twisting their arms to play.
I’m Nick Allen, and I approve of this message.

By: nflrule

nflrule — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:59:35 +0000

Whats happened to this league?Watched the NFL Network the other day and saw their Top Ten Touchdown dances of the weekend with the hot anchor lady with the permanent smile on her face.The game is quickly becoming unwatchable.

By: dallascowboysdishingthereal

dallascowboysdishingthereal — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:57:30 +0000

Let’s just be done with it already. NO MORE TACKLING or BLOCKING. Someone may get hurt.

By: bangitfootball

bangitfootball — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:50:06 +0000

I only watch the NFL for fantasy. I watch the SEC and the Big 10 for real football.

By: monkeesfan

monkeesfan — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:10:02 +0000

The league knows it can’t be enforced – they’re just floating the idea to make it look like they’re concerned – the fact is they need to stop babying the players and trust in their toughness.

By: patsfiend

patsfiend — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 01:25:24 +0000

Why don’t they just eliminate all touching? Maybe they can rig up helmet lasers and chest targets.

By: beanocook

beanocook — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 23:46:11 +0000

Every rule change to protect players has had the unintended consequence of encouraging more passing. It is passing plays that are by far the most dangerous in the sport. Vast majority of injuries occur in passing game. QB hits, WR hits, OL being undercut and DB/LB converging on player in space. All passing plays.

Passing is way way more dangerous than running. Nice job NFL encourage more passing.

By: beanocook

beanocook — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 23:41:20 +0000

What a joke. The NFL is a sissy football. If you want to watch physical play watch college.

By: spicymudbugs

spicymudbugs — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 22:13:58 +0000

bobzilla1001 says: Nov 23, 2012 8:40 PM

bathroomben:

Plus, I’m a little tired of seeing rookie quarterbacks show up and post Hall-of-Fame stats. Because of today’s rules, quarterback is no longer the most difficult position to play. That distinction now belongs to cornerbacks.
===========================

yea, tell that to the Cardinals.
QB will ALWAYS be the most important position on the field

By: mintberrycrunch1

mintberrycrunch1 — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:24:16 +0000

I would love to see a big name star player put his name into the CFL draft instead of the NFL draft. It would cause a huge media firestorm.

By: dlmcc1010

dlmcc1010 — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 20:58:11 +0000

Just a product of the time unfortunately. We are becoming soft as a country and its starting to manifest itself now on football. No one is forced to play the game. you take on risks of getting injured on every play and theres no way to avoid them all unless you ban tackling, which is probably coming next at this rate. I was ok with them eliminating helmet to helmet as some of these guys were using their helmets as a battering ram. But now were heading down a slope to where its getting ridiculous. Guys are getting fined way to often for hard hits that appear legal on the replay.

Leave the league we all know and love alone. Otherwise some competing product will eventually come along that will catch on. Thats what always happens when you keep tinkering with something people like. I would hate to see that happen

By: ghjjf

ghjjf — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:43:29 +0000

Good idea, add these following rules too:

- Get rid of the 5 yard contact rule.
- Make any throwaway pass intentional grounding, even if the passer is outside of the pocket.
- Offensive linemen all have to line up on the actual line of scrimage and not in these silly V formations.

Make the offense earn their points, stop trying to make the NFL like the arena football league.

By: kombayn

kombayn — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 19:36:58 +0000

I see what the NFL is thinking, you want to prevent as many injuries as possible. And for anyone to think that professionals can’t adjust to hitting above the waist are not thinking properly.

I won’t mind it especially if star football players are prevented from getting injured over stupid hits. You also can’t tell me certain players don’t look for hitting a player to injure them, because they totally do.

So anyone that wants to complain about this and think it’ll change the game drastically, will still watch this game and it’ll barely change becoming just a yellow flag penalty. Get over it.

By: benniehifive

benniehifive — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:22:44 +0000

sarcastaball 2013!

By: johninpa

johninpa — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 17:06:57 +0000

I’m all for making the game safer. I’m tired of thinking I’ve got a good team to start the season, and finishing with a completely different team. I prefer to see skilled athletes play the game as it was meant to be played, and I don’t think that means smaller players gain advantage over larger ones because they can legally target their knees. If you want brutality, watch mixed martial arts.

By: thelastpieceofcheese

thelastpieceofcheese — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 16:48:47 +0000

Let’s also ban ALL blocks in the back!

By: pauliepacker

pauliepacker — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 16:44:58 +0000

If this rule is passed there will be so many penalty flags the games will last much longer. The flow of the game will be affected and so will the fan experience.

By: nflfollower

nflfollower — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 16:15:29 +0000

“As we explained last month, the cut block is as old as the game of football”.—-Very, very poor rationale as to why it shouldn’t be illegal, if you look at recent actions by the league.

Head to head collisions when a WR goes over the middle are guess what?—as old as the game of football. And that didn’t stop them from making those illegal. So is the NFL really about player safety or just high scoring games? I will be surprised if they institute this rule, because it will heavily favor the defenses, and you will see many more blitzes if RB’s aren’t allowed to cut block in pass protection.

By: bigdogsolec

bigdogsolec — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 15:56:51 +0000

OK, time for Chris Kluwe and his whiteboard explaing the “leagle zone ” for where you can hit players. i’m thinking it would only be allowed between these lines

_________

_______

By: fissels

fissels — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 15:41:36 +0000

There must be technology for a lightweight, compact knee brace that would prevent these injuries. The NFL should concentrate their resources into findidng such a device

By: 76raiders

76raiders — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 15:19:29 +0000

The NFL a.k.a ” The National Fix League”, wants to add another lame rule, so they can continue to control the outcome of games. As I continue to watch this sport I can’t help from thinking it is turning into the WWF. It’s all about TV ratings.

By: ocgunslinger

ocgunslinger — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 15:19:27 +0000

The CFL is the answer when the NFL goes limp. Faster and much more open game and a lot more fun to watch.

By: johnnyjagfan

johnnyjagfan — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 14:58:29 +0000

Won’t happen. Maybe a tweak a la illegal contact rule for certain down-field blocks but as a whole, it would kill the game.

By: kenstabler

kenstabler — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 14:50:23 +0000

Great another rule to put the Zebras in control of a game. Every year we see the slow and deliberate destruction of the best game in sports. Fantasy Football might be the only game left to play on Sundays if they keep this up. You might as well have Congress run the NFL, the outcome would be the same, the end of the game.

By: tarznatz

tarznatz — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 14:40:59 +0000

“jschwanny says:
Nov 23, 2012 7:14 PM
Outlaw blocks below the waist everywhere on the field except behind the line of scrimmage on pass plays. That way a player doesn’t get cut down field, and it eliminates the cut blocks on running plays at the line of scrimmage (i.e. the Houston Texans run blocking scheme), but it still allows for a RB in pass protection to cut a DE or blitzing LB.”

Yes, this is a good idea…. I might also suggest that maybe cut blocks only be legal when players are in a one to one blocking situation and they are directly facing each other, straight up. Other than that, there should never be blocking below the waist on the line.

By: datsanono

datsanono — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 14:31:03 +0000

Just like politicians. Make a rule and when it doesn’t work…make another one…when that doesn’t work…..make another one. Before you know it we are knee deep in rules that don’t work and all you have left is one or two ways to tackle a guy and primadonna quarterbacks who have twenty years of dominance because you can’t touch them. The NFL has become the most distorted pro sport ever. If it was all left on the field and up to the players everything would take care of itself. The speed of the game would be slower and the players would be bulkier and safer. They would learn how to protect themselves. But because of slimy lawyers and and a bunch of crybaby liberals…..this game will never be the same. Don’t worry though everyone will be PERFECTLY safe and your kids can sit on the couch playing video games for the rest of their lives. UTOPIA will be the end of mankind someday!