The Ball Carrier Down By Contact Rule

Needs to be changed.

There needs to be a clause stating that downing a ball carrier must clearly be an intentional act and not the result of incidental contact. 2 hand touch, if you will, would be perfect. Both hands on the downed ball carrier to clearly constitute a 'tackle'. IE Michael Griffin fumble recovery a couple games back, when a linemans shin 'downed' him, negating the TD run after he got up. IE Kenny Britt's should be TD catch Sunday. The CB barely touched him as he was catching the ball falling forward. Just my opinion. Accidental or incidental things like those two examples (especially the first) shouldn't be counted as downing the ball carrier.

Please. The NFL cant even figure out what a catch is and now you want them to figure out what a tackle is? LEAVE THE NFL ALONE!!!

Jenkins' contact was clearly intentional and how on earth do you propose the officials should be able to tell if contact was intentional or not?

One thing is at what point does the touch no longer count? Two steps, three steps, or when? what if he is touched, takes three steps, then falls down? What is it then?

I wonder if you would feel this way if it was against the Titans and the other team scored or are you just being a :bighomer:

a rule change would only muddy the waters.

I like the idea of needing to be touched by two hands in these instances. It is "tackle" football for crying out loud. Make the defender accountable for being the reason the play ends. Don't let them luck out by brushing the receivers with a pinky.

Lol, i thought the same thing :ha:

a rule change over this would generate so many blown calls and needless reviews. it's WAAAAY too subjective and far too common. It's kind of cool that you can get up at all and advance the ball. What's next? One foot in bounds should be a catch?

The last thing the NFL needs is more long reviews. Asking referees to decide whether a touch was intention would never work.