The Competition Committee met this week to discuss and vote on changes to CFL rules for the 2015 season. The focus, for the CFL, is making the game more offensive after disappointing point tallies in 2014. Here is a quick look at some of the proposed changes.
30-second play clock
Currently there is a 20-second play clock in the CFL between offensive plays. The clock only starts when the referee spots the ball and blows his whistle, at his discretion.
The proposed change would implement a 30-second – or even a 35-second – clock that starts as soon as the referee spots the ball for the offence. This makes the clock much like a basketball shot clock, which begins when the offensive team gains possession.
I say, let’s do it. Let’s have an even faster moving game where defences are kept on their toes. It might also work better for broadcasters, as they like to work in 30-second increments for commercials.
Elimination of No-Yards penalties on punts
For many years, a growing pocket of fans and league personnel has been calling for the abolishment of the no-yards rule. Fans and cover teams complain because the oblong ball often bounces back toward the pursuit teams.
Today, the rules committee will discuss a formation where the kicking teams players would stay behind the line of scrimmage until the ball is punted. It is still unclear how returners would be protected from the onslaught of tacklers if no-yards calls were abolished. This solution might allow the receiving team an extra second or two to set up their blocking for the return.
Only whiners complain about the no-yards rule. The rule has worked very well 99% of the time since its introduction. If you want to see a silly rule governing punt returns, all you have to do is look south of the 49th parallel. This rule change is a poor solution to a non-problem.
Reviewable offensive PI calls (or non-calls)
In 2014, the CFL instituted the luxury for coaches to ask for a review for defensive pass interference. If a coach thinks his receiver has been interfered with, then he throws the little yellow flag and it is reviewed.
This year, the league is looking at adding offensive pass interference. If a coach believes his defender was in position to make a catch, but was interfered with before the ball arrived, he could ask for a review on a call that wasn’t made on the field. So could the coach of the offensive player on a call that is made.
Defensive pass interference was a mistake and these changes would be a further mistake if implemented. Challenges take more time than on-field conferences. In a league concerned with the three hour game slot as part of their broadcast deal with TSN, it only stands to reason then adding lengthy reviews will cause problems.
Going for two
In the CFL, currently and historically, teams have gone for two points when the score indicates that they need to do so. Otherwise, teams typically elect to kick the conversion for a single point.
The committee will discuss moving the converted extra point back 10 yards to make it less of a chip shot. This, in combination with moving the two point conversion attempt up from the current five yard line-of-scrimmage to the three yard line, will provide teams more incentive to go for two and less incentive to settle for one.
The logic may be flawed on this one. I see the coaching and strategy remaining much the same should these new rules be introduced in our 103rd year.
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