04/23/24
March 23, 2016
NFL Adds Rule for Automatic Ejections After 2 Personal Fouls: The NFL has passed a rule that ejects a player automatically for two personal foul penalties. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the recommendation, which will define some personal fouls as infractions that are eject-worthy. The league also moved touchbacks to the 25-yard line and abolished chop blocks.
I think it is a good rule, but boy howdy, this is going to put a ton of scrutiny on every single personal foul call, as players will be (perceived or real) forced to play more cautiously after that first yellow card. Even if they don't end up ejected, fans will be furious that their player's hands were tied.
posted by Rock Steady at 01:54 PM on March 23, 2016
Also, even if they don't formally adopt the showing of cards (they won't), I hope broadcasters attach a little yellow card onto the player's name in any on-screen graphics, so we can keep track of who has been booked.
posted by Rock Steady at 01:56 PM on March 23, 2016
Do you like diving/embellishing? Because this is how you get diving/embellishing. How long will it take before someone does the soccer flop because the opposition put his hand on his chest during a heated moment?
posted by grum@work at 02:07 PM on March 23, 2016
They already throw a yellow flag. They just need to throw a red one immediately after for a second offense. And of course, change coach's challenge flags to a different color.
Also, I agree with grum. Yellow and red cards, as well as penalties are too steep a price beyond the norm and are the reason flopping permeates soccer.
posted by Ricardo at 02:20 PM on March 23, 2016
Do you like diving/embellishing? Because this is how you get diving/embellishing.
Absolutely. Especially in the case of a player with a reputation for playing on the edge. I foresee certain "wily" coaches incorporating attempts to get players ejected into their game plan.
Also, kudos on the Archer reference.
posted by tahoemoj at 02:22 PM on March 23, 2016
How long will it take before someone does the soccer flop because the opposition put his hand on his chest during a heated moment?
I really don't think referees will call personal fouls for a simple push in the chest, even when there is one of those frequent pushing and shoving contests that involve some interesting words that one does not teach his kids. The officials will be looking for the actual punch, the deliberate head butt, unsafe hits on defenseless receivers, illegally lifting the QB's skirt, and other such things. My fearless prediction is that there will be a number of ejections in the first few weeks of the season, and as the season goes on, you will see fewer and fewer. The players will adjust to the rule, and more importantly, the officials will figure out what is really a personal foul worthy of ejection and what is not.
As I wrote the above I was watching the NFL channel airing a playoff game from 2009, New England vs San Diego. Toward the end of the game a New England defender jumped across the line before the snap, and Phillip Rivers would up on his backside from the contact. Now the contact was from someone being knocked into Rivers, and it was not very hard, but it looked bad. Guess what -- no call except for the offside. Then at the very end of the game, with a few seconds on the clock, after it had been decided by a missed San Diego field goal attempt, New England players ran around the field waving their helmets in celebration. A flag was thrown and New England was penalized for removing their helmets. Technically this was a personal foul. Do you eject any of them who had one previous PF? Part 2 of the fearless prediction, you will see a lot of "situational" calls by the officials. Once again, this promises to be a weird season in the NFL.
posted by Howard_T at 03:06 PM on March 23, 2016
Helmet removal isn't a personal foul. It's unsportsmanlike conduct.
posted by rcade at 03:19 PM on March 23, 2016
So is this limited to taunting, punching a player and insulting officials or am I reading this wrong?
For reference I went back to a recent series of penalties from one player and checked if Aqib Talib would've been tossed from the SB. Nope - he had one taunting penalty in the 1st Q and then was good the rest of the way, the intentional facemask wouldn't add to the total. This Broncos fan doesn't mind that but wonders what this will achieve.
They've made this easy for the officials by limiting it to after-the-play penalties rather than anything called in the heat of the moment. Honestly I don't see too much in this, unless you completely lose the plot like Beckham nothing happens.
posted by deflated at 02:30 AM on March 24, 2016
I think intentional facemask penalties are personal fouls, aren't they?
posted by grum@work at 09:16 AM on March 24, 2016
checked if Aqib Talib would've been tossed from the SB. Nope
Interesting (to me): people are calling this the "Oddell Beckham Rule" yet it wouldn't have resulted in his ejection against Carolina.
posted by yerfatma at 01:36 PM on March 25, 2016
I only want this new rule if refs get yellow and red cards to flourish after an ejectable foul.