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Post by prossman on Mar 19, 2009 6:26:25 GMT -7
DC.COM: Blog: Owners Will Talk Rules Changes Next Week
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Owners Will Talk Rules Changes Next Week
Posted by jellis at 3/18/2009 2:23 PM CDT on truebluefanclub.com
All 32 owners are expected to be on hand in Dana Point, Calif. for the NFL Annual Meeting, which runs Sunday through Wednesday. They'll discuss all sorts of things related to the game, including the pending negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement with the players, but the most readily apparent changes on the way will be in the form of adjustments to the rules.
NFL.com is reporting the owners are expected to approve three changes made to improve player safety, all of which were recommended by the NFL Competition Committee after its meeting in Naples, Fla. last week.
One change would come from a proposed rule making it a 15-yard penalty for a defender to hit a defenseless receiver in the head with any part of his body. Previously the defender would have had to actually launch himself at the receiver's head to draw a flag.
Also, if a pass rusher is blocked into the ground around a quarterback or at the quarterback's legs he would be subject to a 15-yard penalty for continuing the drive forcefully into the quarterback.
And the league will also consider doing away with the wedge on kickoff returns because of its history of causing injuries. That would seemingly make things a lot tougher for special teams return units.
-Josh Ellis __________________
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