Baltimore Ravens: Not Fans of NFL Rule Changes

The NFL passed seven rules changes today, but Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh is not on board with one of the new rules.

The NFL announced Tuesday that league owners have voted to approve seven new rules during league meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. The most notable change is the elimination of the chop block. Players were already penalized when an offensive lineman was engaged with a defensive player and another came in low to block, but the new rule makes all chop blocks illegal.

Many zone-blocking schemes use the chop block often and the Ravens are one of them. Harbaugh emphatically stated at the AFC coaches breakfast that he was against the rule change regarding the chop block.

“Defensive linemen don’t want it because they don’t want to have to worry about the cut block,” They want to hold onto that center and pull themselves through, so two guys are free runners to go hit the back. That cut block on the back side protects the running back from getting smashed in the side of the head from backside pursuit. And it does not put the defensive linemen in any kind of danger, unless it is done as a post and a cut – which if you told that one team, ‘That’s out, you’re going to get called for that. Don’t do it anymore.’ – we wouldn’t have this conversation.”

He further explained how the rule change will be a danger to the running game and possibly cause even more injuries as teams will be forced to run up the middle.

“The other two types of runs in the game are basically power runs and lead runs. A power run is a down scheme and a kickout scheme. The ball is designed to go in one or two gaps. That draws everybody’s attention right to that gap. So if I’m a fullback or guard, I’m going to kick out Terrell Suggs as the outside linebacker. Terrell Suggs knows that, so he’s going to come crashing down there and smash that guard or fullback as hard as he can. That’s a collision.

“A lead play is where a fullback, or a tight end, lines up in the backfield and his job is to hit that linebacker head-on-head. That’s an [isolation]. Those are head banging plays.” 

It remains to be seen how the Ravens react to the change. They could elect to no longer use the zone-blocking scheme and go with the traditional north-south approach.

“Teams have been running the stretch-zone scheme for years. Look at Denver. Look at Houston. It’s a great finesse run play.”

Here are the other rule changes that were announced on Tuesday:

• The line of scrimmage for an extra point will permanently be moved to the 15-yard line. Last year was a trial run for the league, and it did what it was intended to do: make the extra point not be automatic every time.
• Offensive and defensive play callers on coaching staffs are permitted to use coach-to-player communication whether they are on the sidelines or in the coaches booth.
• Teams who call a timeout when they are not permitted to do so will receive a delay of game penalty.
• The five-yard penalty for an eligible receiver illegally touching the ball after being out of bounds. It is now a loss of down.
• They have eliminated multiple spots of enforcement for a double foul after a change of possession.
• The horse collar rule now includes when a defender grabs the jersey at the name plate or above and pulls the runner to the ground.

Baltimore has proposed two rule changes that could be voted on tomorrow. Their first proposal would require ineligible players to wear a vest (similar to a practice pinnie) to become eligible on particular plays. The Ravens have been victim to two instances in as many years in which offensive linemen eligibility/ineligibility has come back to bite them.

The other proposal – and one I am 100 percent against – is to give teams three challenges. It also asks for instant replay to make all plays reviewable, with the exception of a few. Owner Steve Biscotti said today that he is a “huge proponent” of expanding replay. Two replays already slow down the game enough so count most fans out for this rule change.

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Owners will reconvene tomorrow and more changes could be made. The most scrutinized proposal is one that calls for a player to be ejected if he commits two unsportsmanlike penalties in one game. Several players and coaches have openly spoke against the change, but it’s up to the owners to make the final call.