Steelers MMQB: NFL Offseason News

Dec 14, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; NFL officials Dave Meslow (118) and Tony Veteri (36) and Ron Marinucci (107) discuss a play in the second quarter of the Atlanta Falcons game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Georgia Dome. The Steelers won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

What We Learned This Week in the NFL Offseason:

• Rules changes come out of NFL Owners Meetings
• Patriots and Jets swap tampering charges
• Everyone wants the extra point changed
• Falcons to loose draft pick over pumping in crowd noise
• Browns GM Ray Farmer to be suspended for texting
• Latest McShay Mock has Steelers taking Arik Armstead

The NFL Owners Meetings wrapped up in Phoenix last week and what came out of it was some rule changes, rule change proposals, tampering charges and more of Roger Goodell talking but not saying anything worthwhile.

The rule changes that were already approved from the meetings were:

Medical spotter: The NFL will now mandate a medical spotter for each game to allow the game to be spotted if they believe they see “clear visual evidence” that a player may have suffered a head injury. The player would then be removed from the field and evaluated. Both teams may make substitutions during this break but coaches will basically not be able to “coach” during the breaks and communicate with the players via headsets.

Game clock review: Officials will now be able to review the game clock if it appears to have expired in error and be able to add time back to it. Time can only be added back in the second half of a game if the score between the two teams is one score or less.

Defensive formation: Teams cannot push their own teammate on the defensive line into a player on the offensive line in an effort to try and block a punt or a kick. The penalty for the infraction will be a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty.

Pell back block: This applies to all offensive players regardless of where they are lined up; it is now illegal for peel back blocks to the side and below the waist of opposing players outside of the tackle box.

Defenseless player extension: The defenseless player protection will now extend to players immediately after catching an interception. The player hitting the defenseless player will receive a 15-yard penalty and the interception will stand.

Chop blocks by running backs: It is now illegal for running backs to go after defenders already engaged above the waist that are lined up outside of the area where the tight end was originally.

Patriots’ ineligible receiver rule: The rule the Patriots used to substitute eligible receivers to report as ineligible and line up outside of the tackle box is now illegal.

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