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Blandino: PAT change likely tabled until May

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The 2015 NFL spring owners meeting came and went with only minor alterations to the rulebook.

Most notably, the unanimous approval of medical timeouts and modified language defining what is not a catch.

“We really want to make an effort to simplify the rules,” said NFL director of officiating Dean Blandino, appearing Tuesday on the Dan Patrick Show. “We feel overall this allows us to be very consistent.”

The flashpoint for conversation around the rule continues to be what was ruled an incompletion in the NFC playoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. Wide receiver Dez Bryant’s apparent reception, when he skied inside the 5-yard line over cornerback Sam Shields to catch the ball with two hands, braced himself with a hand on the ground on the way down and lunged toward the goal line. Because the ball shifted in his hand when he came to the turf, Bryant was not considered a runner.

“It’s not unreasonable to think he did those things, but the football move does not trump the requirement to hold onto the ball going to the ground,” Blandino said. “It’s pretty concrete – if you’re going to the ground and you’re not a runner going to the ground, you have to hold onto the ball.

“If he’s a runner, it’s a touchdown,” Blandino said. “In Dez’s case, he was still attempting to gain possession.”

–Blandino said the competition committee was concerned about unintentional impacts expanding instant replay. Several proposals came to the committee, from the ability for coaches to challenge any play to expanding to allow review of some penalties without a challenge from the sideline.

For now, the committee passed on all replay alterations.

Owners voted 32-0 to add “medical timeouts” whereby spotters and trainers on hand to point out possible head injuries can signal to have the game stopped.

“The spotter can call down and say ‘We’re holding up the game. This player has to leave the field before the next play,'” Blandino said. “It changes the timing of it. It says ‘we’re not playing football until he’s off the field.'”

–For all of the talk about changing the extra point – narrowing the goal post or a bizarre proposal from the Colts to add a 50-yard extra point when a two-point conversion is converted, creating 9-point touchdowns — there is no imminent move coming short of a surprise vote Wednesday. It’s likely the matter will be discussed at the NFL’s May owners meeting.

The proposal being weighed was crafted originally by the Patriots.

“There’s a proposal that’s been put forth by New England to move the extra point to the 15-yard line,” Blandino said, noting that adding 13 yards from the current PAT spot is the only proposal, in writing, considered by owners.

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Buccaneers admit mistake, boot Aguayo

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Source: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk

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Source: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk

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Broncos holding their breath on Derek Wolfe

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Only two days after losing Billy Winn for the year with a torn ACL, the Broncos are now sweating out another potentially serious injury along the defensive line. Via multiple reports, Broncos defensive lineman Derek Wolfe was carted off the field during practice on Saturday. It’s being described as a right ankle injury by coach [more]

Source: Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk

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