NFL News

[Futureshock]

Ravens to propose revolutionary “spot and choose” overtime procedure

Posted by Mike Florio on March 4, 2021, 12:18 AM EST

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The overtime rules are poised for a potential shakeup far more intriguing than a simple reversion to true sudden death.

Per multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, the Ravens will be proposing a pair of overtime procedures premised on the concept of “spot and choose.”

It works like this: One team picks the spot of the ball to start overtime, and the other team chooses whether to play offense or defense.

If the one team picks, for example, the offense’s own 20 yard line, the opponent would then choose whether to play offense from their own 20 or to play defense, with the other team having the ball on its own 20. This would minimize greatly the impact of the coin toss; under this proposal, the coin toss would be used only to give the team that wins the toss the right to pick the spot of the ball (along with the end zone to be defended) or to choose offense or defense.

Under one of the two proposals to be made by the Ravens, overtime would proceed in sudden-death fashion, with the first score by either team ending the game and up to 10 minutes of extra time. (If the game remains tied at that point, the game’s outcome would be a tie.) Under the other proposal (favored, we’re told, by Patriots coach Bill Belichick), the game would continue for another seven minutes and 30 seconds, without a sudden-death component. Whoever leads after the extra time has ended would be the winner. (Again, if the game remains tied after the extra session, the game’s outcome would be a tie.)

As one source involved in the development of the proposal pointed out to PFT, it actually traces to an idea articulated in 2003 by our own Michael David Smith, who at the time wrote for FootballOutsiders.com.

It’s believed that the break-even point would be the 13 yard line. For the 14 or beyond, the team choosing offense or defense will be more likely to take the ball. For the 12 or closer, the team choosing offense or defense will be more likely to opt to defend. Obviously, however, the final decision will hinge on a variety of factors, regarding offensive and defensive personnel, weather conditions, range and accuracy of the kickers on both teams, etc.

Regardless, the “spot and choose” approach replaces chance with strategy. One team picks where the first drive in overtime begins, and the other team picks whether it will take the ball or give the ball to the other team. It’s a fascinating wrinkle that would truly revolutionize overtime and — more importantly — make it fair to both teams.

Like all rules proposals, 23 other teams will have to agree with the Ravens before the rule changes. Count us as being in favor of the approach.

[Futureshock]

<Welp> He better be a soldier...


Kellen Winslow II sentenced to 14 years in prison for sex crimes

Posted by Curtis Crabtree on March 3, 2021, 11:23 PM EST

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Former NFL tight end Kellen Winslow II was officially sentenced to 14 years in prison on Wednesday after accepting a plea agreement on sex crimes against five women.

According to Julie Watson of the Associated Press, the 14 years is the maximum possible sentence for Winslow under the terms of the plea agreement. Winslow was convicted on charges of forcible rape, rape of an unconscious person, assault with intent to commit rape, indecent exposure, and lewd conduct in public.

“The vulnerability of the victims was no accident,” San Diego County Superior Court Judge Blaine Bowman said. “It was the type of victim that you sought out yourself because you felt that perhaps they wouldn’t report the crime” or “wouldn’t be deemed credible by the jurors.”

Bowman also described Winslow as a “sexual predator” in handing down the sentence.

Winslow, a first-round pick of the Browns in 2004, played 10 NFL seasons with Cleveland, the New England Patriots, New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

[Futureshock]

NFL will consider reverting to true sudden-death overtime

Posted by Mike Florio on March 3, 2021, 8:32 PM EST

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When it comes to overtime, the NFL previously has decided not to let perfect be the enemy of good. Now, the league may be reverting to awful.

Buried at the bottom of an item on the league’s official website regarding the possible expansion of replay review to roughing the passer calls and non-calls is a bombshell that merits its own major headline: Overtime could revert to true sudden death.

The league adopted modified sudden-death overtime in 2010, after the Saints advanced to the Super Bowl with a decent kickoff return, a few first downs (two of which were sparked by questionable defensive penalties), and a walk-off field goal. Currently, a field goal on the first drive of overtime gives the other team a chance to match, with sudden death happening on the first drive only if a touchdown is scored. If anything, the league should consider allowing the team that lost the coin toss a chance to match any score (especially in the playoffs), given the manner in which the rules have become skewed toward offense.

So why would the league choose not to make overtime procedures more fair but to turn the clock back to the days when the toss of a coin had a gigantic impact on who won and who lost? Given that the league already has reduced overtime from 15 minutes to 10 minutes in the regular season in order to prevent a team from, for example, playing 75 minutes on Sunday and another 75 minutes four days later, the move to re-embrace true sudden-death overtime could (emphasis, could) be part of laying the foundation for more short-week games.

So why would there by more short-week games? Well, in order to maximize the revenue potential from in-game betting, which will explode once the technology eliminates all latency from the stadium to the living room, the NFL needs more stand-alone games. It will make tremendous sense when in-game betting arrive to get away from having eight or nine games at 1:00 p.m. ET and moving them into as many unique spots as possible.

For now, the windows consist of three on Sunday (a fourth could be added at 9:30 a.m. ET, for London games), one on Monday, and one on Thursday. Some expect that the next wave of TV deals will make more liberal use of doubleheaders on Monday nights, creating another stand-alone game.

Although Fridays and Saturdays are off limits from Labor Day through mid-December as part of the broadcast antitrust exemption (don’t be shocked if the NFL eventually tries to make that go away), Tuesdays and Wednesdays remain available, and were used in 2020 due to the pandemic. It becomes impossible, however, to give every team seven days between games on a regular basis if the schedule hopscotches around from Sunday to Monday to Tuesday to Wednesday to Thursday. Ultimately, there could be a five-day gap or two to go along with the four-day short week that most teams currently endure once per year. Six-day gaps would become much more common, too, if a team plays on (for example) a Wednesday and then a Tuesday (and then a Monday and then a Sunday).

While a full embrace of what would be nine windows per week may be several years away, there’s no better way to clear the deck for any impediments to more short-week games than to adopt now a set of overtime procedures that would lead to shorter games.

Is it fair? Nope. Will it matter if the objective is to maximize revenue arising directly from enhanced gambling opportunities? Nope. Given the money to be made from in-game betting, it’s impossible to rule out a return to the days when, if the game was tied after 60 minutes, they’ll just call it a tie and move on.

[Futureshock]

NFL to consider making roughing the passer subject to replay review

Posted by Mike Florio on March 3, 2021, 7:57 PM EST

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Good news: Roughing the pass could become subject to replay review.

Bad news: Roughing the pass could become subject to replay review.

According to Judy Battista of NFL Media, owners could vote to make roughing the passer subject to replay review. On one hand, it’s necessary. On the other hand, pass interference calls and non-calls were subject to replay review for a year, and it was a disaster.

Given the way the rules are written, the replay process would entail scanning on a frame-by-frame basis any and all available angles for any and all potential instances of roughing based on broad, literal application of the rule. It would become, from a coach’s challenge perspective, a potential emergency option to extend a key drive. And for every interception, which makes the replay process automatic, part of the second look will entail checking to see whether any potential roughing the passer happened.

In support of the possibility of making roughing the passer subject to review, the item at NFL.com points to a horrendous roughing call that helped the Vikings beat the Lions in a Week 17 game to which no one paid any attention. Without replay review, the seemingly phantom call could not be reverse.

Still, while it’s a good idea in theory, the league potentially would be stepping on another rake given the manner in which the rule would be applied. It also could result in the same kind of shifting standard for what does and doesn’t result in a reversal of a ruling on the field, in the same way the bar for interference seemed to move up and down in 2019.

So what’s the best way to prevent a truly egregious blunder? Sky judge. That’s the answer. Specifically, the NFL should add an extra member of the officiating crew who sits in a booth and watches all available angles and communicates with the referee, the same as any on-field official. That’s the way to properly allow for a truly obvious blunder to be quickly fixed, without relying on a replay process that tends to excessively micromanage and overofficiate and, ultimately, render rulings on judgment-type calls with all the reliability of a Magic 8 Ball.

[Futureshock]

Mike Mayock: Jon Gruden and I would pound the table for Derek Carr

Posted by Myles Simmons on March 3, 2021, 3:48 PM EST

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By now it’s well known that Russell Wilson‘s agent said the Raiders are one of the four teams on the quarterback’s short list if he were to request a trade.

But Las Vegas already has a quarterback under contract. And at least for now, the club seems content to roll with Derek Carr.

During his Wednesday press conference, Mike Mayock was asked indirectly about Wilson under the guise of a hypothetical: If an elite player is supposedly available, do you make the call? Or do you say I have my guy, I don’t need to pick up the phone?

“Obviously, I can’t talk about anybody else’s players, so I won’t,” Mayock said. “I’ll just talk about Derek and I’m going to tell you the same thing I’ve told you guys the last couple years, which is I think Derek Carr had his best year yet under Jon Gruden. I think he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and we couldn’t be happier with him.

“And I tell you every year, we evaluate every position every year. I have no idea who might call me or who might not call me. So you have to do the evaluations both on your own players, and every other player in the league. And you’ve got to stack your board and understand what league value is all around the league — and we do that. But if you’re asking me about Derek, I think Jon and I would both stand shoulder to shoulder and pound the table for Derek Carr.”

While Mayock effusive in his praise for Carr, he did leave a little wiggle room in what effectively amounts to a compliment sandwich. He said the Raiders couldn’t be happier with Carr, but noted any team could call. And if that team were to offer a player Las Vegas has rated higher than Carr, then anything could happen.

At this point, it still seems likely that the Raiders will have Carr behind center in 2021. But Mayock didn’t outright dismiss the possibility of acquiring a better quarterback should a team come calling.
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The biggest problem with the Raiders is they do not have a defensive identity. They should be trying everything in their power to getting some more guys like Johnathan Abram who play with a chip on their shoulder.

They actually have a lot of talent, which is why they could beat KC last year. But, just having a lot of talent isn't enough. Scheme and attitude matter. I, again, am not a fan of Gruden. I think he gets a lot of credit (like FMP) for one shining moment in time and have been fairly mediocre the rest of his career. He needs to be a game manager and let his Coordinators run the various units.

I do like Mayock though and Carr (like MS) needs a good/great tea around him to be ultimately successful.

BUT, they are letting their mamouth right side of their OL go (reportedly). Jackson and Brown are nearly 750 lbs of human blocking coming at a defense. I get it though

[Fraquar]

Lol, on a pass play the chief cook and bottle washer has 1 responsibility - to watch for roughing the QB. That's it - and they can't even get that right?

[TheLondonLion]

Anyone worried Watson or Wilson end up in Chicago?

[froot loops]

That goes against type for the Bears. I think Watson is the more dangerous acquisition, Wilson has been very good over his career but I think he may be a little delusional in how good he thinks he is. I'd be surprised if Watson is traded, it looks like an ugly situation and if/when the Texans decide they would trade him it will be too late for this year.

[jaadam4]

I’d prefer to keep Watson out of Chicago for sure. Wilson wouldn’t bother me

[Futureshock]

I doubt either ends up there.

[The King]

If I’m SEA I move on from Carroll. That may be a minority opinion, but he just hasn’t adapted. His decision to take the ball out of Wilson’s hands when they were 6-2 was awful. Sea was winning without Adams (injury.) They have a HOF QB and won’t let him cook.

I think Dallas is the darkhorse. Jerrah loves him some good pub. Wilson gets major exposure in Dallas as he transitions to a post career. He’s going to be around in the public sphere post NFL.

[Cody_Russell]

Wilson is still a top 5 QB in the NFL. Some people argue top 3. Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson ... all in that top tier.
Would not want the Bears to trade for Wilson unless they give up way too much.... like four 1st RD picks. I agree Watson would be worse for us because he is much younger.

Another thing to consider is this would make Seattle much worse. Could give the Rams two free wins in the NFC West. Potentially hurts the Rams (Lions) 2022 1st RD pick.

So yes, I’m hoping the Bears don’t trade for Wilson. Bring back Trubisky or something stupid like that.

[jaadam4]

At his age I don't think Wilson is worth 4 first rounders. That's bananas to me.

[DanO]

I don't see what people why people like Deshaun Watson so much. Ya he can run but I think he's just an average QB.

[jaadam4]

I don’t know DanO, I think he’s pretty damned good