NFL should stop clock on first downs….

[jdbulldog]

never have understood why it doesn’t.

 

[MSUDC11]

I disagree, it’s one of the ways that NFL games don’t last 4+ hours like college games can.

 

[DAWG61]

TV coverage, they don't want all the early games bleeding over past all the late afternoon start times. They already cut the window narrowly close on purpose. Also the kickers in the NFL are way too good to be stopping the clock on every first down. You'd double/triple the amount of games decided by last second field goals. That position shouldn't influence that many outcomes.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

If they stopped the clock games would last forever.

 

[ronpolk]

I disagree, it’s one of the ways that NFL games don’t last 4+ hours like college games can.

Yep. If anything college should change to the NFL rules.

 

[philduckworth]

Yep. If anything college should change to the NFL rules.

Why would anyone want less plays and more commercials? FYI: that's exactly what Sankey wants to do in order to expand the playoffs.

average length of NFL game: 3 hours, 12 minutes. Actual minutes of play 11 minutes.

average college football game length: 3 hours 24 minutes. But remember NFL haltime is 12 minutes, college halftime is 20 minutes.

 

[8dog]

They shortened games in 2006. It reduced plays by an average of 14 per game and everyone hated it so much they went back to the prior clock rules the next year.

 

[anon1787432961]

Question: could Dak have thrown the ball out of bounds behind him to stop it without penalty?

 

[aTotal360]

I think they would have called "forward progress" and let the clock run.

 

[paindonthurt_]

I’d say that after the 2 minute warning they should stop the clock on first downs.

Shouldn’t depend on the refs to get a ball marked in any situation with time running out.

 

[MSUDC11]

They shortened games in 2006. It reduced plays by an average of 14 per game and everyone hated it so much they went back to the prior clock rules the next year.

It was the way they were doing it that was the problem, if I remember correctly. The clock would run immediately after possession changes and while the ball was in the air on kickoffs. If the opening kickoff was a touchback you could have almost a minute run off the clock before a single play happened.

 

[FlotownDawg]

Completely disagree. In fact, I wish college football would not stop the clock when teams get a first down. It’s not necessary and just makes the games drag on longer.

 

[FlotownDawg]

Of teams could just understand how much time is left and not run stupid plays that depend on how fast a referee will get there to spot the ball.

 

[kired]

I’d say that after the 2 minute warning they should stop the clock on first downs.

Shouldn’t depend on the refs to get a ball marked in any situation with time running out.

I’d be ok with this. Just during last two minutes isn’t going to add much time to the games. Maybe couple of minutes max

 

[philduckworth]

Completely disagree. In fact, I wish college football would not stop the clock when teams get a first down. It’s not necessary and just makes the games drag on longer.

So you like commercials more than football? Hot take.

 

[anon1787432961]

Why stop the clock when the ball or player goes out of bounds. There's multiple game balls that can be easily sent back to the playing field. We don't only have one game ball anymore.

As long as we are discussing outdated rules...

 

[philduckworth]

Why stop the clock when the ball or player goes out of bounds. There's multiple game balls that can be easily sent back to the playing field. We don't only have one game ball anymore.

As long as we are discussing outdated rules...

??? Should the clock keep running in basketball when the ball is thrown out of bounds? Why stop the clock on incomplete passes? Hell, why stop the clock at all. Let's go JV style and play with a 60 minute running clock. time for me to take a break from message boards.

 

[anon1787432961]

There currently aren't game ball guys standing on the sidelines on basketball.

And in football you do not have to throw the ball back into play to another player.

 

[FlotownDawg]

In football, the clock stops only briefly if it goes out of bounds until the last 5 minutes (NFL) or 2 minutes (college) of a half. Which is the way it should be. I love football, but I don’t want to spend 4 hours watching it, just like I wouldn’t want to watch a 4 hour long movie.

 

[anon1787432961]

The NFL rules as they stand today, with under 15 seconds, don't really allow for runs or complete passes without going out of bounds.

 

[paindonthurt_]

I mean I get it but the game shouldn’t depend on a ref and a chain crew running down a field to get set to snap a ball.

A simple fix is to stop the clock on first downs after the 2 minute warning.

It’s a no brainer. Won’t extend the game more than 60 to 180 seconds at most.

It’s gonna start right back as soon as the ball is set and ref signals the play.

 

[paindonthurt_]

Yeah so change the rule to make it logical.

Stopping the clock after a first down under 2 mins does nothing to the length of the game. It doesn’t give an unfair advantage to the defense either.

You can argue it’s an unfair advantage to the offense when you get a first down and the whole team is there and ready but the ref isn’t.

 

[FlotownDawg]

I don’t think it’s necessary to change a rule just because the Cowboys are too stupid to realize you can’t run the ball up the middle with 14 seconds left and no timeouts. I’ve never seen any other NFL teams have a problem with this.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Exactly. It’s their fault for trying to run like that with so little time. They knew the consequences.

 

[philduckworth]

In football, the clock stops only briefly if it goes out of bounds until the last 5 minutes (NFL) or 2 minutes (college) of a half. Which is the way it should be. I love football, but I don’t want to spend 4 hours watching it, just like I wouldn’t want to watch a 4 hour long movie.

Let's not exaggerate. Games aren't 4 hours. You can see my post above that they are 3 hours 24 minutes on average. They could shorten half time to 15 minutes and still have the bands play.

The NFL has to have fewer plays b/c of the 17 game reg season, 3 game preseason, and potential 4 game postseason.

 

[paindonthurt_]

Has Nothing to do with the cowboys.

It’s a dumb rule.

Felt that way for a while.

 

[patdog]

I love football, but I don’t want to spend 4 hours watching it, just like I wouldn’t want to watch a 4 hour long movie.

This X 1000. Watching a game live has become a chore. I'm down to 1 game per year and that's more for the tailgate experience than the actual game.

 

[BoomBoom.sixpack]

never have understood why it doesn’t.

Ideally the refs should spot the ball without much variation. If they can't, and judging by that game they can't, then the rules should change to eliminate that variability. Clock should stop in the last two minutes until the refs spots the ball.