Playoff seeding change, tush push ban among 2025 NFL club playing rules, bylaw, resolution proposals

[SkinsGuy99]

Looks like some teams are proposing to change the playoff setup in the rules so that if a wildcard team has a better record than a division winner, the wildcard team will be ranked higher in the playoff seeding.

If that scenario existed last season, Washington would've hosted a home game against Green Bay.

Do you like the proposal?

They are also considering banning the "tush push" and eliminating automatic first downs for defensive holding.

And other proposals.

Here's the link:

Playoff seeding change, tush push ban among 2025 NFL club playing rules, bylaw, resolution proposals

 

[clskinsfan]

I like all 3 of those proposals if I am being honest. Always felt it unfair that a team with more wins has to go on the road in the playoffs because some other team won a crappy division.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I like the seeding proposal.

I would just change the tush-push thing to "a player cannot be intentionally pushed from behind" and call it a day.

The defensive holding is tough, though. If they eliminate the automatic first down, I'd like them to up the penalty yardage to 10 yards. Let's say Terry is breaking open, has a window and if he catches the ball, he could get a lot of YAC. If the defender just grabs him and pulls him down, and gives up 5 yards, then eh, you're going to see that a lot more. I'd teach CBs to be handsy and grabby in situations and just concede the call if it happens in certain situations.

If it's 10 yards, then that's a really big deterant. Anything 3rd and 10 and less, it's a first down anyway. And, offensive holding is 10 yards. I always thought the discrepancy between offensive and defensive holding was odd.

This was a rule proposed by Washington:

• By Washington; to permit clubs that may qualify for the postseason to obtain scouting credentials for two consecutive games (Weeks 17 and 18) played by a potential postseason opponent. Also requires clubs hosting Wild Card games to provide scouting credentials to all teams within the same conference who are participating in the postseason.

I'm in two minds on that. One is, I don't care. The other is, do you learn a ton more by having a scout/junior coach in person than watching the film?

 

[Boone]

I like the seeding proposal - just seems fair to me. I don't get wound up about the tush-push thing, but I think the rules consistently prohibit things like not being allowed to step on another player's back to elevate to block a kick, and the tush push is kind of the same type play (using another player's body to gain an advantage). I think to be consistent they should probably outlaw it. I agree with Voice on the defensive holding proposal. I think someone also proposed getting rid of the coin toss and giving the home team the right to pick. I don't like that only because meeting at midfield is such an NFL tradition and I hate the incessant need to change things that aren't necessary. Some stuff they just need to leave alone or they risk making the game unrecognizable over time.

 

[SkinsGuy99]

Yep, I agree with VoR about the defensive holding.

Defenders will start intentionally holding because they would rather just give up five yards on a penalty then a big YAC pass play.

They would have to up the yardage if they eliminate the automatic first down.

They debated something like this a few years ago when they were considering changing the penalty for defensive pass interference from the spot of the foul to just fifteen yards.

Problem with that is, every time a defender is about to give up a fifty yard pass play, he'll intentionally interfere because he'd rather give up the fifteen yard penalty than the fifty yard pass play.

Unless they up the yards on defensive holding, they should leave it alone.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

This is a minor rule, but I wish they would say that any penalty on a kick, whether it’s a kickoff, FG, PAT, or punt, has the option of being enforced on a re-kick or post play. There are a lot that are now tacked on after the play, but some still require a re-kick. For example, it’s 4th and 17 and the receiving team lines up offsides on a punt. The kicking team should have the option to move the ball back 5 yards to the end of the return instead of just declining or re-kicking. Same with a FG, the kicking team should get 5 yards on the kickoff. Or a kicking team holds on a missed FG, give the defense their 10 yards plus the missed kick.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

Yep, I agree with VoR about the defensive holding.

Defenders will start intentionally holding because they would rather just give up five yards on a penalty then a big YAC pass play.

They would have to up the yardage if they eliminate the automatic first down.

They debated something like this a few years ago when they were considering changing the penalty for defensive pass interference from the spot of the foul to just fifteen yards.

Problem with that is, every time a defender is about to give up a fifty yard pass play, he'll intentionally interfere because he'd rather give up the fifteen yard penalty than the fifty yard pass play.

Unless they up the yards on defensive holding, they should leave it alone.

Alternative (tongue-in-cheek) proposal:
On DPI, have it be a 15-yard penalty, BUT, give the refs discretion to decide if the defense is behaving "palpably unfair" on repeated DPI!
Then the refs can just reward a touchdown if they want, give vague threats, even blatantly take sides. Full ref discretion! That should solve it.