Illegal hands to the face 5 yard penalty and AUTOMATIC FIRST DOWN.

This is the most rediculous rule change I have seen in the NFL this year. Why is this an automatic first down? Why not a spot foul? Didn't the Bears have like a 3rd and 25 on us and get an AUTOMATIC first down out of this? I'm sorry that's absurd. Spot it. 3rd and 20 instead of 3rd and 25. No way you should reward a team that much because somebody gets a fingernail on the helmet inadvertently. This is the dumbest rule of all and unfair to epic proportions.

The don't hit high, don't hit low, don't hit in the middle too hard all have problems. But the automatic nature of this is too much.

f**k you Goodell for ruining the game!

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:
f**k you Goodell for ruining the game!

This is symptomatic of all the other things he has done. I agree. This rule ruins the game.

How about 3rd and 45? Give them an automatic first down. Nobody else sees this as game breaking and hugely problematic?

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:
f**k you Goodell for ruining the game!

This is symptomatic of all the other things he has done. I agree. This rule ruins the game.

How about 3rd and 45? Give them an automatic first down. Nobody else sees this as game breaking and hugely problematic?

This rule and other rules today is to manipulate games and control them, even prevent teams from winning.

When are we going to wake up? The real game is advertising and making the billionaires richer.

Agree. I can understand illegal contact being an automatic first down, but not hands to the face. Makes zero sense, but I guess that's why it's the rule in the first place. I always thought it was impossible to ruin football, given the history and popularity of the sport, but Goodell and his goons are really going for it. They just may succeed.

Originally posted by SofaKing:

Agree. I can understand illegal contact being an automatic first down, but not hands to the face. Makes zero sense, but I guess that's why it's the rule in the first place. I always thought it was impossible to ruin football, given the history and popularity of the sport, but Goodell and his goons are really going for it. They just may succeed.

They will hide behind the veil of "player safety" when it comes to hands to the face, likely arguing it has to do with it being the "head/neck area".

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
They will hide behind the veil of "player safety" when it comes to hands to the face, likely arguing it has to do with it being the "head/neck area".

I'm sure they will. I understand their reasoning, just don't agree with it. The contact there seems trivial when comparing it dozens of other situations during a football game. Players get more head/neck trauma from hitting the ground after a tackle than from hands to the face. Should be a penalty, just wish it wasn't automatic 1st down.

FACE is the key word my friend.....FACE.

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:

Originally posted by SanDiego49er:

Originally posted by ninerfan4life:
f**k you Goodell for ruining the game!

This is symptomatic of all the other things he has done. I agree. This rule ruins the game.

How about 3rd and 45? Give them an automatic first down. Nobody else sees this as game breaking and hugely problematic?

This rule and other rules today is to manipulate games and control them, even prevent teams from winning.

especially because these types of calls can often go either way. Therefore they can choose when and when not to call them....hence controlling the games. When officials have too much power, it is only natural that people come to think that they will eventually manipulate the games.

I'm not sure that Goodell has a dog in this fight. I believe the competition committee, which is made up of old coaches like Jeff Fisher comes up with this garbage.

Originally posted by tondiman:
FACE is the key word my friend.....FACE.

Originally posted by SofaKing:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
They will hide behind the veil of "player safety" when it comes to hands to the face, likely arguing it has to do with it being the "head/neck area".

I'm sure they will. I understand their reasoning, just don't agree with it. The contact there seems trivial when comparing it dozens of other situations during a football game. Players get more head/neck trauma from hitting the ground after a tackle than from hands to the face. Should be a penalty, just wish it wasn't automatic 1st down.

I don't even understand the reasoning. You're not gonna get concussions or break your neck because somebody puts their hand on your face. All that does is makes it harder to keep your balance and have better vision. Has anyone even had to come out of a game because illegal use of hands to the face?

Also, the new illegal contact and defensive holding penalties are also joke. Nothing to do with protecting a player but more to do with helping an offense just score more. It's going to come to the point where you don't even need a QB anymore, just throw your punter out there and he'll be able to put up 500 yards passing every game.

Originally posted by Jason:
I'm not sure that Goodell has a dog in this fight. I believe the competition committee, which is made up of old coaches like Jeff Fisher comes up with this garbage.

lol BS. goodell has a big say in this. he's making the owners money, he thinks this is helping the league become more popular and prevent future law suits. jeff fisher or former players / coaches, just wouldn't f**k up the game this bad for the sake of money.

I have to say that I am really becoming disenchanted with the NFL's offensive friendly penalties. Its really ruining the game.