NFL 2019-20: The Patriots Are A Terrible 11-3 Team!

[Kepler]

Always hated that rule.

 

[LynahFan]

Thinking about it some, and seeing the highlight (missed it during the game- went on a walk)....

Yes, bad rule.

However, it's been a rule for a very, very long time. And this is not even near the first time a player took a risk to score a TD when they didn't need to and lost the ball. Should rail on whoever it was who stretched out when players were all around him. Dive, and let the ball be downed on the 1. Then you have 3 chances to score before dealing with 3 points.

Given how many times this has happened in the past, I don't expect players to really learn it, but they do need to learn it.

Proposed fix: there should be some "punishment" for taking a ridiculous risk to score a TD (first rule: protect the ball), so how about a "reverse touchback," where the offense retains the ball but gets it 1st and 10 on the opponent's 20? The right play is still to down the ball at at the 1, but the punishment for not doing so is 19 yards of field position, not losing the ball entirely.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Always hated that rule.

Yeah, it’s utterly ridiculous when compared to similar situations in other sports. It’s ultimate stupidity is that it encourages players to not try to score.

I’ll say it again: It’s the dumbest rule in sports, and I say this as a soccer referee who has to interpret some pretty dumb rules.

 

[Kepler]

Yeah, it’s utterly ridiculous when compared to similar situations in other sports. It’s ultimate stupidity is that it encourages players to not try to score.

I’ll say it again: It’s the dumbest rule in sports, and I say this as a soccer referee who has to interpret some pretty dumb rules.

What is the dumbest rule in soccer?

 

[Jimjamesak]

What is the dumbest rule in soccer?

Probably the new handball rules. I don’t want to explain here because it’d take many paragraphs but, they wanted to “clearly define” things and just made things more confusing.

 

[MichVandal]

Yeah, it’s utterly ridiculous when compared to similar situations in other sports. It’s ultimate stupidity is that it encourages players to not try to score.

I’ll say it again: It’s the dumbest rule in sports, and I say this as a soccer referee who has to interpret some pretty dumb rules.

If that was true, the fact that it's called reasonably often would not come up.

Yes, it's a dumb rule.

But it's been a rule for a long time, so if a player wants to risk losing the ball via turn over, they should know better. If players want to ignore the risk of the current rule, it's their known risk.

 

[Kepler]

Probably the new handball rules. I don’t want to explain here because it’d take many paragraphs but, they wanted to “clearly define” things and just made things more confusing.

I think of handball as:

1) contact
2) intent

 

[French Rage]

It’s ultimate stupidity is that it encourages players to not try to score.

No it doesn't, it just makes sure you do so in a way where you have control. You're welcome to try to score dangerously, but you don't get free reign if you get close and lose control, nor should you. You're also welcome to fling the ball downfield every play, but the fact that you might get intercepted a lot discourages you from doing that (unless you're Rex Grossman). We don't claim allowing the defense to intercept the ball encourages someone not to score.

 

[Spartanforlife4]

Other sports have similar penalties for offensive actions, it's just the risk/reward isn't as high as the endzone fumble is in football. In basketball if you air ball a free throw, it goes to the other team. In baseball, if you bunt foul with two strikes, you're out. In hockey, depending on the league, if you shoot it out of play the face-off moves back to the neutral zone.

I think the bigger issue on this play is that the helmet-to-helmet was missed.

 

[Jimjamesak]

No it doesn't, it just makes sure you do so in a way where you have control. You're welcome to try to score dangerously, but you don't get free reign if you get close and lose control, nor should you. You're also welcome to fling the ball downfield every play, but the fact that you might get intercepted a lot discourages you from doing that (unless you're Rex Grossman). We don't claim allowing the defense to intercept the ball encourages someone not to score.

Except on an interception the other team actually has to do something which is a risk on their part, catch the d- ball. In this situation the defense benefits because of the situation, if the ball goes out at the 1 yard line they don't get the ball but if it goes out a yard further they not only get the ball but they get it up field.

 

[bronconick]

NFC Championship Game appearances since 1997:

Tom Brady: 1
Dallas Cowboys: 0

Years in the NFC since 1997:

Tom Brady: 1
Dallas Cowboys: 24

-From NFL Memes

 

[Kepler]

It was one dude all along.

The Pats have always sucked. They just lucked into somebody for a while. It might as well have been the Lions.

 

[Slap Shot]

Probably an unpopular opinion but, the "fumble out of the end zone results in a touchback" rule is one of the dumbest in all of sports. It's like a slap shot being deflected out of the rink by the goalie resulting in a delay of game penalty on you.

No it isn't and no it isn't.

What's a proper alternative result to fumbling through the back of the end zone?

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

No it isn't and no it isn't.

What's a proper alternative result to fumbling through the back of the end zone?

Same as if the ball was fumbled out of bounds. Spot of the fumble.

Nobody should be penalized for trying to score, and nobody should be rewarded for not recovering a fumble.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Same as if the ball was fumbled out of bounds. Spot of the fumble.

Nobody should be penalized for trying to score, and nobody should be rewarded for not recovering a fumble.

 

[RaceBoarder]

How do you define a "fumble" fumble and a fumble from trying to score?

Like JJ said regarding his ruleset: The more specific you get, the muddier the water can become...

 

[Scarlet]

It was one dude all along.

The Pats have always sucked. They just lucked into somebody for a while. It might as well have been the Lions.

I would be curious to know how the Patriots would have done this season if Brady had stayed. They had no receivers and crap defense. I don't think they would have been as bad as they were this season but I seriously do not think they would have made it to the AFC Championship game.

 

[rufus]

They'd have been like they were the second half of last season.

 

[Kepler]

I have no idea if this person is a boy or a girl. They are the exact average.

 

[Slap Shot]

Same as if the ball was fumbled out of bounds. Spot of the fumble.

Nobody should be penalized for trying to score, and nobody should be rewarded for not recovering a fumble.

You can't spot a ball "through the end zone" as you can at the spot if it instead went out of bounds. Perhaps you could spot it at the yardage marker where the player loses the ball, but then what do you do if lost past the goal line - give it to them at the 1?