Sophia Michaels
Each year the NFL’s competition committee meets and discusses potential rule changes for the upcoming season, as teams can officially propose rule change ideas for debate. This year, there are a few such proposals on the table, including a joint effort from the Ravens and Chargers to add a “booth umpire” as an eighth official, as well as a number of ideas from the Eagles.
Among them is a proposal to create an alternative to onside kicks, a play that has been rendered nearly obsolete by various rule changes to kickoffs. They’ve been made less dangerous, but the success rate has plummeted to the point that they are rarely a viable option to regain possession if the element of surprise doesn’t exist. As such, the Eagles have proposed a rule change that is very similar to one Greg Schiano proposed for college football previously, which is to allow teams the chance at a 4th and 15 attempt from their own 25.
Going for it from the 25 would increase the risk involved, as an incompletion gives the opposition the ball near the red zone, a concession made understanding the success rate would be much higher, whether through a successful play or the ever-present possibility of an automatic first down via penalty. It would not only create a better opportunity for teams to get the ball back and make a late charge to close the gap on a team, but it would be far more exciting to watch as a fan.
Hopefully this possibility is seriously considered and, one can dream, actually implemented into the NFL rules because it would make end of game situations far more interesting when a team scores late to make it a one-possession game, rather than having to hope and pray an oblong ball bounces perfectly.
Written by: Uproxx
