What rule changes would you like to see in 07?

I would suggest that we already have plenty of rules to protect the QB, the rest is just plain football. This business with hitting below the knee, and a helmet slap, falling on him "too hard ", or hitting with the crown -- this should apply to everyone or no one.

I understand how you feel about the quarterback being a "sitting duck" when they are staring down field. The thing is, these rules don't make it any safer. They don't stop a guy from teeing off when the QB is looking downfield, the same hit that is legal from the blindside is legal from any side, and vica-versa(sp?). These flags get thrown regardless of what the QB is doing - whether he is scrambling, in the pocket, - whatever. Almost all of the below the knee shots can be seen coming by the QB. If he wants to stand there and deliver the ball, even though he knows he is gonna get creamed, that is a QB decision. We now have a game where defenders let guys go because they are afraid of a penalty. That is pathetic. If you even hit a qb a yard before he goes out of bounds you will get the late hit call.

If there is helmet to helmet contact, call it that - just like for every other player. If there is a facemask call it that. But a headslap is not a facemask. If you want to say that you can't hit below the knee from behind I wouldn't even mind that. But the QB is basically out of play now, there are still lots of injuries, and there always will be. It is just a violent game. You can't baby them forever.

1. Roughing the Passer - Call it if they are actually roughing him. If the defender is headhunting then throw the flag. Can a RB, WR, or TE get hit below the knees and it be legal ? Can they be gang tackled without a $10,000 fine being issued later that week ? ARE THEY FRIGGIN FOOTBALL PLAYERS ????? Look I understand that people feel that we must protect the QB, yes I can see if a defender comes on his blindside and wraps his arms around his neck and slings him around before bringing him down by his facemask but this IS tackle football right ? I swore that's what I was watching. I'll tell you what, as soon as they start penalizing QB's for setting a WR up with a high pass or a pass over the middle knowing that a defender will lay them out if whether they catch it or not then I'll say keep RTP the way it is. I hate it when they talk about protecting QB's that's bullshit if I've ever heard of it. Either play another position, learn how to run, workout over the summer and get your speed up you F'n punk!

2. Pass Interference - Now I think that if the defender is grabbing the jersey, or holding a guy you should call it, especially if the ball is in the air. Besides that quit your bitching. You've got two guys fighting for position, as long as no one is using their hands to pull a guy back and it's just strength vs strength then it should be fine.

3. Celebrations - If you don't like it then keep the guy from being able to do it ! Plain and simple ! You don't like TO celebrating, keep that punk out of the endzone. I understand where football "traditionalists" will shoot me down and tell me that it's bushleague to do that. That you are putting yourself above the team, that you are embarrasing the other player, that you just want the attention on yourself.... I say go to the doctor and ask him why your testicles still haven't dropped yet. I grew up watching the Fun bunch celebration. I saw the Ickey Shuffle, I loved it. Barry Sanders never celebrated but that was just him. Keep that f'n playclock going, if the team get's a delay of game they get one. The celebrations will dwindle down if that happens but let them have fun man.

4. Overtime - Give both teams a chance with the ball. When one team doesn't score games over.

Very true, that might have been the worst call in history. Aren't refs supposed to interpret the rules? How about interpreting that Brady would have thrown a completion to his own left foot if he was actually "tucking it". Horrible call.
i disagree. while i hate the tuck rule, i think the refs were right on with the call. its the rule itself that sucks

The part that pisses me off the most is the "blows to the helmet". Not the helmet to helmet hit, but the "blows". Honestly, if you put a football helmet on my head and had these guys hit me in the head the way they do unintentionally, I could do it for an hour and not feel a thing.

If a guy elbows a qb blatantley, then throw the flag...but these guys who hit a QB in the head when trying to block a pass and are flagged? Common. They wear helmets for a reason.

As far as protecting the quarterback with the intention of reducing injuries, I'm not too sure that's really happening.

These QBs have been injured, many of them the season has ended.

Donovan McNabb
Chris Simms
Matt Hasselback
Trent Green
Jack Delhomme
Aaron Rodgers
Byron Leftwich

My point is it's, if these rules weren't in effect would this list be any longer than it already is?


How many of those were outside the pocket when the qb was scrambling? While I can kind of understand the safeguarding inside the pocket, once a qb starts running, they should be considered a normal player with no special consideration.

The part that pisses me off the most is the "blows to the helmet". Not the helmet to helmet hit, but the "blows". Honestly, if you put a football helmet on my head and had these guys hit me in the head the way they do unintentionally, I could do it for an hour and not feel a thing.

If a guy elbows a qb blatantley, then throw the flag...but these guys who hit a QB in the head when trying to block a pass and are flagged? Common. They wear helmets for a reason.

Yeah. I don't understand how they can flag a defensive lineman who is making a push to the QB while being stood up by the OL, then he trys to reach over to the OL to get the QB and accidently touches the QBs helment in the process. Maybe they should call that on the OL for blocking in a way that could potentially cause harm to thier QB!

1 new rule I would not mind seeing is one that did not allow ANY player to talk to a ref, The only circumstance would be to call a time out! I hate seeing the refs huddle to make the correct call and having players :argue: "barking" in there ears. Thats what I would like to see..