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No more force-out calls for NFL receivers
When push comes to shove, NFL receivers had better have their feet inbounds this season.In a rule change that should be popular with defensive backs, a receiver must have both feet inbounds for a completion — even if he is being knocked out of bounds while trying to do so. Officials no longer have to make the judgment call of whether the receiver would have landed inbounds had he not been hit.
"We've been looking at it closely for the last two years," said Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating. "It's a difficult call because it forces the officials to judge, one, would he have come down inbounds? Two, was the contact overt enough — was the defensive back shoving the receiver out of bounds, or legitimately trying to intercept the pass? And three, did the receiver hold onto the ball?"
Team owners, who voted in favor of eliminating force outs at their annual meeting in March, also decreed that defenders must have both feet inbounds for a successful interception. Force-out calls are rare, but they can be game-changing. There were 18 of them last season, and, by the league's count, five were called incorrectly by the official on the field. The plays are not eligible to be reviewed on instant replay.
Former Dallas Cowboys star Michael Irvin thinks the new rule could cause some teams to adjust their offensive strategies, particularly in passing situations.
"It used to be that I could tap in, make sure I get in, even if it's high I can go up and get it," Irvin said. "And the defensive back had to give me the right to come down inbounds. Now, without that, the sideline becomes like another defensive back. Now I've got to be thinking about staying away from that on third and eight, third and nine. That means guys have to go inside more and try to make those plays.''
Source: Los Angeles Times
When push comes to shove, NFL receivers had better have their feet inbounds this season.In a rule change that should be popular with defensive backs, a receiver must have both feet inbounds for a completion — even if he is being knocked out of bounds while trying to do so. Officials no longer have to make the judgment call of whether the receiver would have landed inbounds had he not been hit.
"We've been looking at it closely for the last two years," said Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating. "It's a difficult call because it forces the officials to judge, one, would he have come down inbounds? Two, was the contact overt enough — was the defensive back shoving the receiver out of bounds, or legitimately trying to intercept the pass? And three, did the receiver hold onto the ball?"
Team owners, who voted in favor of eliminating force outs at their annual meeting in March, also decreed that defenders must have both feet inbounds for a successful interception. Force-out calls are rare, but they can be game-changing. There were 18 of them last season, and, by the league's count, five were called incorrectly by the official on the field. The plays are not eligible to be reviewed on instant replay.
Former Dallas Cowboys star Michael Irvin thinks the new rule could cause some teams to adjust their offensive strategies, particularly in passing situations.
"It used to be that I could tap in, make sure I get in, even if it's high I can go up and get it," Irvin said. "And the defensive back had to give me the right to come down inbounds. Now, without that, the sideline becomes like another defensive back. Now I've got to be thinking about staying away from that on third and eight, third and nine. That means guys have to go inside more and try to make those plays.''
Source: Los Angeles Times
won't change anything from a D-backs perspective bud....they will drill you any chance they get! atleast that's how i did it !
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