FanShot

Highly entertaining suggestions for improving the game

2

Please add what changes you think would help the game. Me, I would eliminate the OL ineligible rule. Make only the center ineligible, but anyone else can catch a pass. So, would you have your RG a big bruiser, or a small TE type pass catcher? Anyway, back to the article, some of my faves. 2. Narrow the goal posts - Field goals are the least interesting, most random, but often the most decisive play in the entire sport. A single specialist rolls the dice in a classic example of sample-error theater. We should encourage fewer FG attempts and more 4th down conversion attempts, which are some of the most exciting and pivotal plays. 11. No coin flip in OT - This is one of my long-held pet peeves. No matter how contrived the NFL makes the OT rules, why does it have to start with a coin flip? Why not award the flip based on home field? Home field advantage is already an accepted part of the game, and playoff teams have to earn home field during the season. This way both teams, as they head toward a potential tie in regulation, will know who would have the advantage. If I'm marching down the field to tie things up with a FG, I might be more aggressive knowing I would start OT on defense. If I need a TD to tie, I might just go for the 2-pt conversion knowing I might not ever get the ball. There are lots of other interesting options for how to decide who starts with the ball in OT: -A yard-line bid, either sealed or an open auction a la Name That Tune -A split-the-cake method, where one coach picks the kickoff yard-line and the other chooses whether to kick or receive -And so on. There are a million other ideas here. 14. No roster size limit - If there's a hard salary cap, why shouldn't teams be able to dress 60 guys on Sunday? Teams would have different philosophies, quality vs. quantity. If you sign a big free agent, you might have to get by dressing 45 guys. 15. Eliminate the draft - The draft is almost a sport unto itself, and it provides grist for us to talk about in the spring. But if there is a hard salary cap, what's the point? If all teams must limit the total resources they spend on players, why shouldn't new rookies enter the league as free agents? 17. One foot in-bounds.