A quick review of the proposed rule changes

These have not yet been enforced, but are being discussed by the NFL Competition Committee.  I'm stealing Bucs Nation's numbered breakdown:

1. All scoring plays will automatically be reviewed, no challenge necessary.
2. Kickoffs will be moved to the 35-yard line from the 30-yard line, and a touchback will give the receiving team the ball at the 25-yard line.
3. The 2-man wedge will also be made illegal on kickoff returns, and players on the kicking team must line up between the 30- and 35-yard line.
4. The Defenseless Player rule will be rewritten, and players will be suspended for illegal hits on defenseless players.

My thoughts:

- I think I like #1. The NFL generally reviews plays pretty quickly, save for Alberto Riveron in the first Eagles-Redskins game this past season, so I don't think this will slow the game down a whole lot, although I don't like the idea of reviewing every run play near the goal line that doesn't score.  Still, anything that takes the decision to throw the red flag or not to throw the red flag out of Andy Reid's hands is fine by me.

- I LOVE #2, but only because I'm an Eagles fan.  There will be far, far fewer kicks returned in the NFL if this rule makes it through, which is fine by me since the Eagles haven't had a great kick returner since Brian Mitchell.  As an added bonus, the Eagles don't have to worry so much about guys like Devin Hester or NFC East foe Brandon Banks burning them.  The downside is that the Cowboys would likely have no more use for David Buehler, and I'd prefer they keep trying to make that failing experiment work.

 

- I don't understand the second part of #3.  So the players get less of a running start?  So what?  They'll still be full speed by the time they reach the returner or anyone that'll be trying to block them for that matter.  This should also lessen the effectiveness of onsides kicks.

- I HATE, that's H-A-T-E #4.  Why, competition committee?  Why?  Don't you guys already have enough issues to deal with in the labor dispute, and you're going to introduce something new that the players will hate?  Stupid.