Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

I consider 2009 to be as important a year for rule changes as 1978 was. To me, the Tom Brady rule, along with the added rules to protect defenseless receivers and the basic elimination of the wedge block on kick returns, changed the game just as much as the Mel Blount rule did.

My question is, did the NFL’s transition to the almost video game-like passing that we have now start before 2009?

I didn’t realize that the Tom Brady rule was mostly just an emphasis on a preexisting rule put in place in 2006 after a Steelers defender dived into Carson Palmer’s knees in 2005. Still, to me it didn’t seem to have as big an impact in 2006 as it did in 2009.

In your opinion how did we get to the passing game that we have today? Was it the rule changes of 2009 that altered the game, or would you say there’s more to it than that?

For passing, I think part of it was the implementation of illegal contact. That was following the Patriots/Colts 2003 AFC Champ Game, where New England constantly held Indy receivers but no calls? Then, defensive holding became a call we started to see more frequently. I think at that point, teams decided to pass more because the defenses could not make as much physical contact with receivers. Thus, making it more difficult to play pass defense.

Also, I do not believe that pass interference was always a spot foul, correct? Was it not a 15-yard penalty in the past?

sluggermatt15 wrote:For passing, I think part of it was the implementation of illegal contact. That was following the Patriots/Colts 2003 AFC Champ Game, where New England constantly held Indy receivers but no calls? Then, defensive holding became a call we started to see more frequently. I think at that point, teams decided to pass more because the defenses could not make as much physical contact with receivers. Thus, making it more difficult to play pass defense.

Also, I do not believe that pass interference was always a spot foul, correct? Was it not a 15-yard penalty in the past?

It's been a spot foul in the NFL for as long as I can remember and I saw my first NFL game in 1946. It's a spot foul in college football if it takes place 15 yards or less beyond the LOS; otherwise, it's a 15-yard penalty.

The college rules committee made pass interference a spot foul in 1917, and it reverted back to a 15-yard in 1984 (retaining a spot foul for deliberate interference). So DPI was always a spot foul in the NFL.

65 toss power trap wrote:The college rules committee made pass interference a spot foul in 1917, and it reverted back to a 15-yard in 1984 (retaining a spot foul for deliberate interference). So DPI was always a spot foul in the NFL.

Makes sense, since the NFL used the college rule book until the early 1930s.

rhickok1109 wrote:

sluggermatt15 wrote:For passing, I think part of it was the implementation of illegal contact. That was following the Patriots/Colts 2003 AFC Champ Game, where New England constantly held Indy receivers but no calls? Then, defensive holding became a call we started to see more frequently. I think at that point, teams decided to pass more because the defenses could not make as much physical contact with receivers. Thus, making it more difficult to play pass defense.

Also, I do not believe that pass interference was always a spot foul, correct? Was it not a 15-yard penalty in the past?

It's been a spot foul in the NFL for as long as I can remember and I saw my first NFL game in 1946. It's a spot foul in college football if it takes place 15 yards or less beyond the LOS; otherwise, it's a 15-yard penalty.

I wish the N.F.L. would do it the way the C.F.L. does - (generally a) spot foul if the interference by the defense is considered to be deliberate (such as that play in the N.F.C. championship game in 2019 that was ignored by the refs), but only 10 yards and an automatic first down if it is deemed to be accidental (a rule that would have benefited Dallas, considerably, in S.B. XIII had it existed).
https://cfldb.ca/rulebook/passing/forward-pass/

I am not sure when the "defenseless" receiver penalty started but Rodney Harrison and his borderline-headhunting hits is what made the referees change the way secondaries were playing, in terms of over the middle aggressiveness. I would say around 2003, the year the Chargers had decided they had enough of Harrison's fines and reputation and let him go, where he played even better for Belichick and the Patriots. Personally, I loved Harrison as a player and feel he is deserving of the HOVG or HOF but we fans -who love no-holds-barred hitting- can thank him for the officials changing the rules to benefit forward passing and todays basketball scores ...

My question is, where is the constant and consistent press coverage that defenses SHOULD be doing to top receivers ?
Why are defenses not taking the top players out of the game the way George Allen and Bill Arnspager tried to do with their respective team defenses ? Do the networks influence what coaching and personnell decisions are made ? Is there a network mandate for "entertainment" and last minute finishes or do the networks simply enforce the fine print of their contracts with the NFL teams that says "This has been a PRESENTATION of the National Football League" ?

Not trying to sound cynical or conspiratorial but the professional game I loved disappeared by 2009 ...

Sorry, the competition and other committees, changing these rules for the officials to enforce ... didnt clarify right.