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NFL to test out two potential rule changes in Pro Bowl
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By Kevin Patra
Around the NFL Writer
Published: Jan. 21, 2020 at 10:43 a.m.
Updated: Jan. 21, 2020 at 01:35 p.m.

The NFL will once again use the Pro Bowl as a testing ground for potential rule changes.

The league's officiating office announced two changes that it will be experimenting with in Sunday's all-star game.

The first change could be a potentially systemic one.

After a successful field goal or extra point try attempt, the scoring team will have options with no kickoff.



The scoring team, Team A, will have the following options:

1. Team A may elect to give Team B the ball at Team B's 25-yard line, beginning a new series of downs with a first-and-10.

2. Team A may elect to take the ball at its own 25-yard line for a fourth-and-15 play. If Team A is successful in making a first down, Team A will maintain possession and a new series of downs will continue as normal. If Team A is unsuccessful in making a first down, the result will be a turnover on downs and Team B will take possession at the dead-ball spot.

This rule tweak is the latest attempt to minimize kickoffs, which are among the most dangerous plays in football. The biggest challenge in curtailing kickoffs has always been the threat of getting rid of onside kick options, which would hinder a team's chance of retaining possession in a comeback attempt.

Allowing a team to try to retain possession, but with the threat of failure setting up their opponents in potential scoring range, would represent a massive rule change if adopted in regular-season play.

The second rule change for the Pro Bowl pertains to false starts by a flexed wide receiver:

It is not a false start if a flexed, eligible receiver in a two-point stance who flinches or picks up one foot, as long as his other foot remains partially on the ground and he resets for one second prior to the snap. A receiver who fits this exception is not considered to be "in motion" for the purposes of the Illegal Shift rules.

It is a false start if all 11 offensive players have been set for at least one full second and any flexed, eligible receiver breaks his stance by picking up both feet.

All notes on the rule tweaks for the Pro Bowl can be viewed on the NFL's operations page.

The 2020 NFL Pro Bowl will take place Sunday, Jan. 26, at 3 p.m. ET in Orlando, airing on ESPN.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001...tZxszmZHC5ry_YI

Oh dear God......

I bet the onside kick rule will happen eventually

The rule change allowing a team who just scored to run 1 play for 15 yards in essence will be the way a team can keep the ball rather than kick a on side kick. Probably have better chances at keeping possession.

Edit...I get your comment now...

Imagine rule 1. Ehh, remember the Career of Devin Hester and Josh Cribbs,

Never again! I mean, I don't even need to "make a tackle" at all on a kickoff,

There's 3 seconds left and I just scored to tie the game, and all there is one play, and I'm not good at special teams kick coverage, and in danger of losing the game

ehh, no sweat, NEW RULE, I don't even have to kickoff, or make "one tackle", all I got to do is
"ELECT" ... To give them the ball at their own 25,

THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND DUMB AND IT AIN'T FOOTBALL!

Stop this Goodell!

" Rule 2! CAN BE NAMED THE (inclined plane rotating around a central axis point) Screw the Cleveland Browns rule!

Are you kidding me! With what passes for a penalty and an automatic first down on any given play anymore, you want to put onside kicks in the hands of biased refs?
Roughing the passer,
illegal man downfield
illegal crack back block, back back block, or whatever it is called
defensive holding
defensive pass interference,
defense looked cross eyed at a rich fella, automatic 1st down.
If this rule goes through, I could see the Browns blowing a 35 point lead with less than 4 minutes to go in the 4th quarter, maybe less than 3 minutes. (ya, that's 5 touchdowns, 5 scoring drives, in 2:55 of game time)

(You know this can happen, you saw the Bears game a few years ago, you are Browns fans!
This rule would make those situations 4 times worse for teams that have the lead and have lost momentum.)

THIS IS ALSO OUTRAGEOUS AND IT AIN'T FOOTBALL!

They ought to be testing out "automatic 4 down" penalties, instead they are doing more to make sure "offenses" don't actually have to make plays to move the ball and get scores

THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND IT AIN'T FOOTBALL!

PUT A STOP TO THIS GOODELL!!

Lol, I agree. They really do need to get rid of some of those "automatic first down" penalties.

They need to cut the rule book to about 1/4 of its current length. There are way too many unnecessary rules.

Yeah, I didn’t type it out precisely. But I can see the new rule sticking. It makes for more drama/realistic comebacks

Running a pass play is statistically safer than on-side kick.. that's the reason they will give.

My concern, as was mentioned above, is that it opens it up to roughing the passer and PI calls, which are SOOOOOOO subjective. Wonder if, just for this one play, both of those could be made 10 yard penalties with no automatic 1st down or keeping of possession?

True, but block in the back, blindside blocks, etc are just as subjective on KOs. For me, I would like this rule if you score with 5 seconds in the half left. I would take the 4-15 play and take a shot at the endzone again:)

They are but this KO is going to be onside kicks.


From your own 25? Who you got playing QB that can throw it 80 yards? I guess you could get the PI call and kick the untimed FG.

Josh Allen...
With the alternative being an onside kick - the clock would expire and you can't advance the ball.

Whats it matter who the QB is, its still a chance and by the time the play would be over the time would be out. Theres the small chance I guess of an INT pick 6, but even your weaker arm QBs are gonna throw it 50 yards, so that's a 75 yard return to make.

I would still take the shot

Jarvis Landry = dodgeball legend.

https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1220542637188505600

Yikes