Lions’ Playoff Proposal Put on Hold, ‘Tush Push’ Stays for Now
The Detroit Lions made some big rule change proposals at the NFL owners’ meetings in Florida, but they didn’t get the results they were hoping for.
One of their ideas changing how playoff seeding works was put on hold. The Lions suggested that teams with better records should be seeded higher in the playoffs, even if they didn’t win their division. Basically, they wanted to make sure a strong team wouldn’t get a lower seed just because another team won a weaker division. That discussion isn’t over yet it’ll come up again at the Spring League Meeting in May.
The Lions also pushed for a rule change to eliminate automatic first downs on defensive holding and illegal contact penalties, but the league shut that down.
Meanwhile, the much-debated “tush push” play used effectively by the Eagles was also tabled. Some teams, like the Packers, pushed to ban it, but for now, it stays in the game.
One rule that did pass? A tweak to kickoffs. Now, if a team kicks the ball into the end zone for a touchback, the receiving team will start at the 35-yard line instead of the 25, to discourage unnecessary kickoffs.
The NFL also voted to align overtime rules for both regular season and playoffs. This means in playoff games, both teams will get a chance to possess the ball, regardless of what happens on the first drive. However, regular season overtime will still be 10 minutes long instead of 15.
Lastly, the league is expanding instant replay, allowing officials to get more input on clear and obvious mistakes during games.
So, while the Lions didn’t get everything they wanted, there’s still a chance their playoff seeding idea could move forward. As for the “tush push,” it lives to see another season at least for now.
Playoff Shakeup & ‘Tush Push’ Standoff: What Went Down at NFL Meetings
