New 2010 NFL Rule Changes

[Nemesis]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_NFL_season#Rule_changes

[o-BacklasH-o]

I knew about most of those, but there was a few that I didn't. These in particular:

 

A play will now immediately be whistled dead once a ball carrier's helmet is knocked off.

 

Punt returners who make a fair catch signal but then muff the ball are now entitled with the opportunity to catch the ball before it hits the ground without interference. If there is interference during such a scenario, the receiving team would be awarded the ball at the spot of the foul, but no penalty yardage would be assessed

 

In the first one I can understand the safety issue, but what if the player is facemasked by the last defender, his helmet pops off, and he sheds the tackle? He can't then run it in for the free score, but the ball is spotted where the foul occurred as the whistle blew...that seems silly. Even with the extra 15 yards for the facemask, it's still not the score that should have resulted. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I can see that play getting whistled dead and a bunch of hooplah ensuing.