I realize some on this site absolutely hate any rule changes to our fair CFL game ... still look how the changes to our convert rules for  example have made the game more interesting for the fans

For the coming year I suggest some kind of adjustment to the review process is in order ... I am interested to see how we can do it better, more fairly, and remove the frivolous reviews while keeping the referees in check/

To me one of the strangest most foreign rules is our touchback rule. It feels like NFL envy. In every other kicking situation we have the rouge, but on the kickoff we want to suspend the rouge for a team making an amazingly good kick. Lets change the rule back to scoring a rouge for kickoffs through the end zone. Lets get back to rouge consistency though our whole game.

Third, something a touch more surprising: change the scoring on a safety from two points to three points. The way the rules have changed teams are able to "buy" their way out of bad field position. All the hard work of good defense and punting coverage, can be disposed of for slightly more than a rouge. Make teams trapped deep in their own end work their way out of it, not buy their way out of it. Faced with the prospect of giving up three points and the either giving the ball back or getting the ball back which would you choose?

I would also like to see a change on infractions away from the play, especially on kick returns and on passing plays. I mean if you can't have pass interference because the ball was not "catchable" lets apply similar thinking to  slight contact infractions away from the play. I am not talking roughing but the normal jostling that is happening all over the field.

The last thing I would like to see different in the coming year is more certain and costly penalties and suspensions for injury maker infractions like helmet to helmet and roughing the passer. We need to keep our starting QBs upright. It seems the NFL  is doing a better job of this than we are. I don't know how exactly to make it better but we have to do something. I would like to see some "non-reviewable" or "non-appealable" automatic suspensions after so many roughing infractions. One game suspension and perhaps a two game and then three game if the practice by that player persists. I don't mind a player losing his livlihood for a week if he is taking it away from another player's career.

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Edited December 5, 20169 yr by BigBlue

1 hour ago, Jpan85 said:

They play a lot more games a week than the CFL does. I am sure if there was 12-15 CFL games a week there would be a lot more CFL returns. Its not even all the returns for TD its the excitement of a punt return watch the guy try to weave his way through everyone.

Only to be nullified by a penalty.  

For the record, 752 punt returns in the CFL season and 768 (approx, don't have my #s in front of me) to date in the NFL. Pretty comparable.

48 minutes ago, Jaxon said:

In no way, shape or form do I want to see a "Fairy Catch" rule instituted in our game.   We have better rules than our friends down south, especially in time clock and kicking game.

Time clock I'll give you.  It's what I love about the Canadian game .. 2 minutes left, there's still a chance.  NFL .. not so much.

The one rule I'd love to see changed is "ball last touched before going O/B".  

11 hours ago, Noeller said:

the fair catch rule is one of the worst things in all of pro football....

that and the current state of PI in the cfl. Idk which is worse. 

9 hours ago, voodoochylde said:

Only to be nullified by a penalty.  

For the record, 752 punt returns in the CFL season and 768 (approx, don't have my #s in front of me) to date in the NFL. Pretty comparable.

How many games played in each league? Cfl is what 81 games? NFL so far is probably double that played?

Delete, piling on

Edited December 7, 20169 yr by MOBomberFan
Already brought up

20 hours ago, 17to85 said:

and when you say moving you mean not moving because the returner just takes a knee and doesn't go anywhere right? At least in the CFL you get the opportunity for a return every play which is well worth the few seconds it takes to call a penalty and set the after the infraction. 

I mean moving, as in cutting out at least 4 penalties per game.

For the time it takes to march out 5 or 15 yards, the game IS kept moving. There is that change of offence and defence/ST, so really, there is no real time lost.

Besides it's better than watching grown men circle a ball until one man is knowledgeable enough to stop its momentum.

For those who like the American rules..you can view it several times a week, but don't expect any CFL rules fans to throw a plug in for them.

2 hours ago, basslicker said:

I mean moving, as in cutting out at least 4 penalties per game.

and how much time do those 4 penalties add to the game? half a minute? They gotta set the ball after a kick regardless, all that gets added in terms of time is the time for the official to turn on his mic and call the penalty so it's really insignificant. All the time wasted on frivolous challenges is a bigger concern than penalties on a return. 

I'm just wondering if the CFL can handle its ADD enough to be able to keep the same rules for 2 consecutive years.

On 06/12/2016 at 4:35 PM, voodoochylde said:

Only to be nullified by a penalty.  

For the record, 752 punt returns in the CFL season and 768 (approx, don't have my #s in front of me) to date in the NFL. Pretty comparable.

But it's not only about the TD's. How many times in the CFL did a solid punt return flip the field? I'd like to see the total yards gained per punt return between CFL and NFL to date...then you might have a legit comparison.

On 12/7/2016 at 0:43 PM, BBlink said:

I'm just wondering if the CFL can handle its ADD enough to be able to keep the same rules for 2 consecutive years.

no chance. It seems we must re invent the wheel every off season. 

On ‎2016‎-‎12‎-‎07 at 11:08 AM, 17to85 said:

and how much time do those 4 penalties add to the game? half a minute? They gotta set the ball after a kick regardless, all that gets added in terms of time is the time for the official to turn on his mic and call the penalty so it's really insignificant. All the time wasted on frivolous challenges is a bigger concern than penalties on a return. 

It's not so much the time it takes, it's the mere fact that so many penalties are called in a CFL game, it's embarrassing.

On 12/8/2016 at 7:23 AM, Bigblue204 said:

But it's not only about the TD's. How many times in the CFL did a solid punt return flip the field? I'd like to see the total yards gained per punt return between CFL and NFL to date...then you might have a legit comparison.

It's 2:1 (a bit better) in favour of CFL returners.

The only reason I used "TDs" as a measure of anything was in response to the comment that in the NFL "the returner just takes a knee and doesn't go anywhere". To illustrate, I referenced the most explosive sort of special teams play (one that all football fans, regardless of league affiliation, hope to see).  Changing field position with a well kicked ball is more easily accomplished on the shorter, narrower American field. To that end 'flipping the field' via punt return isn't a meaningful metric.  I'd be more interested in an offenses ability to capitalize on field position after a punt (or conversely, not giving up points after a successful return if the offense doesn't do much).

I'm not a fan of the No Yards rule. Said simply, it drives me nuts to see players being flagged when they clearly weren't in the 5 yard zone or when they make noticeable effort to give the returner space (especially when the distance inside that bubble is marginal).  It's just as bad seeing players not draw a flag when they clearly were in that zone .. it's worse when it happens on the very next punt or in the same game.

*shrug*

 

 

 

but with only 3 downs in the CFL getting some field position out of a kick return can have a huge impact because it gives an offense, or even defense some breathing room. It's no secret that special teams are a much bigger part of the game in the CFL than they are in the NFL and the number of downs is a big part of that I believe so if you take away on aspect with which a team can get yards (taking away the no yards penalty) you're just going to make out game worse. 

5 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

"getting some field position out of a kick" is a big part of our game for sure... thats why I would like to see the safety touch  changed from 2 points to 3 ... so a team can not buy itself field position in our punting battles

 

Why remove a strategic coaching decision from the game? It's a unique aspect of the CFL game and forces a sometimes tough decision. We should be celebrating the difference in our game, not looking for ways to dumb it down.

I think we can all agree PI calls is the biggest area needing improvement, if possible, I'd update the books to have a more clear, concise definition of what exactly pass interference is, if possible make it measurable and more black and white. Possible suggestions:

1. Instead of the ball has to be "catchable" (which is subjective at best) how about in order to call PI, the ball has to land within 5 yards of the receiver. It'd force the receiver to continue to try and make the play, instead of giving up on it because they know PI will be called.

2. Maybe find a way to define what "hand-fighting" actually is, and whether or not it is allowed.

Even if you just had a laundry list of what situations PI is considered to be...I know it wouldn't be perfect by any stretch, but if the referees at least had a measurable set of standards to be met in order to call PI, it'd help in a number of ways... it would make it easier to train them as well as easier for the players and coaches, because they could then actually coach players on what they can and cannot do.

As it stands right now, players are often robbed of good, clean plays with a tacky PI call, and coaches often will throw a challenge flag just on a whim in the hopes that command centre rules the defensive player sneezed too close to the receiver.

Once again they don't look if the ball is catchable in making a call. 

Whats confusing for the fan is that they do look at "not calling" PI if the ball is deemed "uncatchable".

Rule 6 article (ii) If a player commits pass interference when a forward pass is deemed uncatchable, no penalty for pass interference shall be applied

And they do use the term "reachable" ball in determining whether a player has a reasonable chance to catch the ball or bat it down. And I do prefer to use the term reachable ball because who is to be the judge in determining whether a 'reachable' ball is 'catchable'?

6 hours ago, Jpan85 said:

Once again they don't look if the ball is catchable in making a call. 

Interesting, learn something new everyday I guess. If they don't, they really should. I guess by the very nature of PI it's almost always going to be a judgement call.

 

Keep No Yards but eliminate it after the first (or maybe second) bounce on a punt. Tired of the returner letting it bounce in an attempt to draw the penalty. Still call the penalty if someone other than the punter on the Kicking team touches it before the returner does.

Let the Riders, and only the Riders play with 13 men on the field. I'd love to hear Jonesy explain away how the league is against them after another losing season with 13 men on the field.

day at 08:16 PM · 

"Why remove a strategic coaching decision from the game?"

When you are kicking out of your own endzone into a breeze there is not much strategy to taking a safety, just sanity in giving up just two points to put the other team on their 40 instead of our 40 yard line.

Let good defense and special teams  play have its reward and not be bought off...

1 hour ago, BigBlue said:

Let good defense and special teams  play have its reward and not be bought off...

Well, as near as I can figure it, if the defence and STs hold the opposing offence enough to warrant the opposing team conceding a safety, then that is their reward. 

Lets go through this together - 2 points is > 1 point BUT is < 3 points which is the reward for a successful FG attempt.

 

On 2016-12-09 at 3:44 PM, BigBlue said:

"getting some field position out of a kick" is a big part of our game for sure... thats why I would like to see the safety touch  changed from 2 points to 3 ... so a team can not buy itself field position in our punting battles

Now, why in the name of #screamingbluejeebees would you want to give 3 points for a safety? That doesn't make any sense whatsoever. As a Coach, you have a choice, put in plays to move the ball, concede the safety or put it in your kicker's foot and STs tackles, and your defence. As a fan I've seen it work in every category imaginable, and it's unique and totally CFL. I love it.

Take the 2- point safety out of the game?  Might as well give automatic 7 points for TDs.      You know, to reward the offence...

    

 

 

I am about the only one who doesn't mind the PI/contacting enforcement. Now enforce holding. I enjoy good defence to. 

Scrap reviews altogether. Reffing is done by humans and humans make mistakes. At speed and at field level you simply cannot catch every penalty. 

I would also like to see more protection for all players and not just the QB. I saw a lot of head shots and shots blow the knees (not tripping/shoestring tackles) this year that just makes me cringe. Dessler first went out on a vicious head shot this year.

There is no problem with how no yards was called this year or any other year. Yeah they missed some but that happens. I surely do not want to see that sissy fair catch rule here. One of the many things about the NFL that makes it so .... Sleep inducing.

The points awarded on a safety are just fine.