The 58 yarder

[Peg]

Is it normal for the NFL Officials to just 'decide' two games into the season that something should suddenly be a penalty that wasn't before? Shouldn't that go through some kind of rules committee or something?

It's pretty funny though.

My thoughts exactly, Anni!... I read about it in the last PFW...
There is no rule about this and they suddenly make one up?!?!... Something like this should definitely have to go through the proper channels of the rules committee or something--during the OFF-SEASON!... Changing rules mid-stream is just wrong... It is not like this new rule is gonna prevent someone from sustaining a serious injury or something like that--which would be the only scenario under which I could see adding a new rule, once a season has started...
I can see it now, on the agenda of the next rules committee meeting: Item #1--What new rules can we create or emphasize, to prevent those ingenious Pats from winning so much?...

Besides all of that--what the heck happened to the idea of just playing until the whistle blows?!... The kicker should have just followed through with his kick, unless he heard a whistle... I've seen this happen before... But, the BIG difference here, is that the kicker MISSED... If he hadn't missed, then we would never have heard anything about this, because as I said--this sort of thing HAS happened before, but no one ever whined about it!

 

[lobster]

Curran said back-to-back TO's aren't allowed? Consecutive team TO's are allowed, however the second TO is limited to 40 seconds. We see that happen occasionally with for example too many men on the field after a TO. The 40-second limit means the TO can't be extended to 110 seconds by a TV commerical.

There is already a 5-yard penaly and automatic first down for "Excessive time out(s)". I'm not sure how that differs from what Vrabel attempted to call.

 

[Peg]

There is already a 5-yard penaly and automatic first down for "Excessive time out(s)". I'm not sure how that differs from what Vrabel attempted to call.

Thanks for the info, Lobster... If this is the case, then why don't they simply enforce this one, rather than creating a new one that seems severe, with 15 yards?!...

 

[lobster]

The definition of Excessive Timeout's is: "Calling a time out after having used the three allowed per half." I checked Google's cache and that rule was in there on Sept. 5.

 

[Peg]

The definition of Excessive Timeout's is: "Calling a time out after having used the three allowed per half." I checked Google's cache and that rule was in there on Sept. 5.

Exactly! You hit the nail right on the head... Perhaps the refs need to refresh their memories on the existing rules, before the NFL enacts new ones...
I have a strong feeling that if this whole thing had gone through the proper channels and hadn't been "rail-roaded" through for expediency, then this clarification would have come to light... Sheesh!!!...
BTW--thanks for taking the time to look that up, man!