Arizona Cardinals, NFL will experience new rules in 2018

Another season goes by, once again new rule changes are implemented for the Arizona Cardinals and the rest of the NFL

Listen up folks, more rules changes to supposedly make the NFL game safer.  The Arizona Cardinals and the rest of the NFL will have to start playing by these new rules in 2018.

The NFL centered changes around kickoffs.  The kicking team will now have to have all of its players within one-yard of the line of scrimmage.  In years past, five-yards was the rule.

At first glance, that doesn’t seem too harsh.  That is until you realize it will mean no more running starts for players.

Return teams are now no longer allowed to wedge block.  They also will be restricted in certain areas from blocking until the ball is touched.  Confusing?  Maybe, but it will take some practice from teams this summer to get used to it.

There will now also be a 15-yard penalty for lowering your head to initiate contact with the helmet.  It could now also lead to an ejection from a game.

We should all be for safety as we’ve seen recently what this game has done to some players.  However it really leaves a lot of room still for subjectivity.  In some cases we’ll still be left asking what was the player supposed to do there?

Let’s hope it does filter out those players though that are labeled as dirty to begin with.  There were some no doubters we saw last season.

The other change has to do with what is a catch?  The rule that the player must survive the ground has been eliminated.

That sounds all fine and good.  However the player still has establish himself inbounds, have control of the ball, and make a football move.

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Again, that leads to subjectivity in cases.  What constitutes a football move?  Part of the controversy seems to have been eliminated but not all of it.