2012 Rule Changes

[GSG]

1. Kickoffs/Punts. You probably already know about this one. Kickoffs will be moving to the 35-yard line, and a touchback will give the ball to the offense at the 25 instead of the 20. Receiving teams can also call for a fair catch on onside/squib kicks on the first bounce, and if so the kicking team can not make contact until the ball hits the ground twice.
On punts, defenders can no longer try to jump over the punt shield blockers, or they will be flagged for a personal foul.

2. Helmets coming off: This is the rule change that could prove the most controversial.

3. Low blocks: Blocking below the waist is now mostly prohibited with very few exceptions.

http://espn.go.com/b...12-rule-changes

I guess I hadn't heard the one about the fair catch on the bounce. :blink:

 

[Enhance]

I hadn't heard about the bounce stipulation. So, if we try to do an onside kick, as soon as the ball bounces once, the opposing team can call fair catch and we can't touch it unless they muff it?

And I already talked about the helmet rule in another thread - I like the idea of stopping play if a helmet comes off, but everything else about the rule is utterly stupid.

 

[NUance]

On punts, defenders can no longer try to jump over the punt shield blockers, or they will be flagged for a personal foul.

WTH? I don't ever remember any player getting hurt because of this. Is this rule change even remotely necessary?

 

[caveman99]

I hadn't heard about the bounce stipulation. So, if we try to do an onside kick, as soon as the ball bounces once, the opposing team can call fair catch and we can't touch it unless they muff it?

And I already talked about the helmet rule in another thread - I like the idea of stopping play if a helmet comes off, but everything else about the rule is utterly stupid.

I hadn't heard of the bounce fair catch, but that one seems to be the biggest can of worms IMO.

 

[ZRod]

Most of these rule changes are idiotic, they have basically ruined the onside kick and made it useless. It was always a high risk play to start with but now the odds of being successful are almost zero. On the plus side of the helmet issue, I don't think that is something we have had a problem with very often. Most of our guys seem to be able to keep them on.

At least Ameer got some love.

 

[BigRedBuster]

And, they just keep making it harder and harder for O linemen to block without a flag.