Offseason rule changes?

[Steve-LA Chargers]

So are these the only two things we are considering?

1) Requiring a minimum of 2 TEs to be A/O

2) Limiting use of 2 DL plays to obvious passing situations by limiting profiles to only calling RL, RM, RR on 1st ad 2nd downs 0-10 between the 5s with >5 min left in the half?

Everything else is fine, correct?

[Jerry-Redskins]

I think the 2 DL is not down to a proposal yet. There are multiple ideas and discussions on that one.

[Charlie-49ers]

Correct, 2 TEs (A/O) for next season.

At this point (still open to further discussion) I see no particular reason to limit 1st & 2nd down defenses to RL, RM & RR! If we archive the 2-DL Pass Short, and move all the 2-DL Pass Medium plays to the R&S Pass Long, that leaves all the current 3-DL and 4-DL Pass Short, Pass Medium, and Pass Long plays available for 1st & 2nd down calls.

Clearly, anyone that really likes the 2-DL formation is at liberty to call Pass Long and Pass Razzle-Dazzle as much as they want on any down and yardage as one of their two defense categories.

Also, any new 2-DL Pass Long defenses will also require 2-LBs, at minimum. If you want 8 or 9 DBs in place of LBs, that will be a Pass Razzle-Dazzle defense. Again, you can call all the PRD defenses you want in any down and distance situation.

[Mitch-Oilers]

I vote for 1st and 2nd down defenses from 0 -10 be restricted to RM, RL, and RR. I'm not sure why wouldn't have that restriction since we restrict the offense. If we move the 2 DL plays to raz daz, I believe the PM and PLs should be moved to Pass Raz Daz and PS should be move to Run Raz Daz.

[Jerry-Redskins]

I like the Commish proposal. Keeps creativity, keeps more varied play calling styles, calls the play what they really are, easy rule to follow. Means redoing some planning PPP's, but that has to happen a little anyway.

[Mitch-Oilers]

Or... if we go with the odd channels, start in the basement and switch everytime, that would work. A little Smokey and the Bandit humor for you.

Serious question, why are we ok with having flexibility for defense on early downs but not offense? I'm not advocating for opening up the offensive categories on early downs. However, if we restrict the offense, why not the defense?

[Jerry-Redskins]

There is not really much of a restriction on Offense. For example, the rules to build any PS O play are the same. Just what you may want to call. 3rd and 5 is way different than 1st and 10 in PS, but you are free to have plays that accomplish the same in the categories. We just look for 5 yards for the PSR category. Don't need any extra. Same theory with PM. So they look restricted in theory but they aren't in reality. The defenses are just one category only.

[Mitch-Oilers]

I thought the reason for the different categories, particularly on offense, was to ensure personnel used in the plays was more in line to personnel used in certain situations in real life. Since we can't call audibles or change personnel groupings between plays, the play category restrictions is a way to ensure personnel match ups on offense and defense were in line with each other.

That was my understanding.

[Jerry-Redskins]

I've always felt it was line up play calling to reality to some extent. Like I explained with PSR. Charlie. You created VPNFL stuff. What say you

[Charlie-49ers]

The original thought process was personnel! Don't forget, it's 1998-99 and very few teams used four or five WRs on 1st downs. They started using four on 2nd and long, and 3rd downs other than short went to four and even five WRs. So, you get to 2020, make that 2019, and anything goes. Thus, the concepts of 20-years ago do not apply to what the NFL and the PNFL does today. Many plays from different categories on offense have transitioned into other categories because that is what they do in the NFL. The best example is the seniority rule that we use to have from the start! You could not have a "2" player in the game unless the "1" was in there (e.g. the HB2 could not be in the game unless the HB1 was in the game). Some NFL teams now use three HBs interchangeably, so the PNFL changed its rules to allow any HB in a play, or any other player. After discussion, we change things, as necessary, to mirror as much as the game allows what the NFL does today. The 2-DL was innovative when expanded beyond Long and PRD, but it messed up the run game and we restricted it to passing only. Now we see that it is not NFL like except for the initial concept of Pass Long and PRD. Sure, we could allow anything we want, but then it would not be like the NFL, which is really our goal. If we started over, we would do some things differently. However, we are where we are, not perfect, but still fun.