CFL rule changes were announced yesterday.
-The BOG moved single-point convert attempts to the 32, and two-point convert attempts to the 3. (They ixnayed the 3-point convert proposal.)
-The other biggie is banning DBs from contacting receivers more than five yards downfield.
Other, less significant stuff (from
here):
Quote:
— When a punted ball hits the ground and a five-yard no-yards call is made, the penalty will automatically be added to the end of the return or the point where the ball was first touched by the return team, whichever results in better field position.
— Offences will now be allowed to signal to the referee they don't want to substitute and rather use a tempo offence, resulting in the officials blowing the play in immediately once the ball and yardsticks are set.
— A coach's ability to request a measurement has been removed, leaving it to the referee to measure when he is unsure if a first down has been made.
— On punts, the five interior linemen on the kicking team won't be able to leave the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked. A 10-yard penalty will result for violating this rule.
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I honestly wonder if they didn't overreact to the decline in scoring last season. I suspect that preventing DBs from jamming receivers much beyond the line of scrimmage is going to result in a lot of big gains, to the point where it might cease to be exceptional and exciting.
And I think the CFL would have been better off just moving the 2 point convert attempt to the 3... the 32 yard line for single point attempts is overkill. I honestly wonder who will even bother going for 1 anymore unless a team has a comfortable lead.