OXNARD, Calif. - There has already been one rule nicknamed after a Cowboys player - the horse-collar infraction, widely connected with safety Roy Williams - and now it seems there might be another: the Marion Barber Rule, aimed at eliminating the wild punch-like stiff arm Barber is known for throwing.
Although the three NFL officials who have been at camp since Thursday's practice - meeting with the team that night and the media Friday morning - insist the rule is not focused on Barber, many will undoubtedly connect this change to him.
The rule isn't actually new, nor will it be interpreted any differently - just more often. That means whenever any player, not just running backs, deliver a blow to the head of another player, it will result in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
As for rule changes, there seemed to be fewer this year than in the past, but here's a brief overview of what's new:
Elimination of incidental facemask penalty: Previously, there were two varieties of facemask penalties - incidental (five-yard penalty) and intentional (15 yards). Officials will no longer penalize incidental facemasks, which occur when one player's hand hits another's facemask, grabbing accidentally but immediately releasing. The 15-yard penalty will still be in effect, characterized by the grabbing and twisting or turning of an opponent's facemask.
Elimination of force-out call: On sideline catches, officials will no longer judge whether a receiver is forced out or not, meaning if the receiver would have placed both feet inbounds if not hit by a defender. Catches on the sideline will only be called inbounds if the receiver has control of the ball and gets both feet down. The only exception will be when a receiver is physically carried off the field by a defender.
Defensive headset communication: Like on offense, one defensive player on the field will be able to wear a speaker-equipped helmet to hear sideline communication with the defensive signal caller. Teams will designate two players - a primary and a backup - to have the communication device in their helmets, although only one of the two can be on the field at a time. If the primary player leaves the game and the backup enters, the backup must alert the referee of the switch. If both players are on the field at the same time or the backup fails to notify the referee, the team will face a five yard illegal substitution penalty. Chances are the backup player will have two helmets, one with and one without the speaker.
Option to defer on coin toss: Like in college football, teams will now have the option to defer choosing to kick or receive the football after winning the opening coin toss. This means the choice can simply be delayed until the start of the second half, giving the other team the option to kick or receive to start the game. Previously, the winner of the game-opening coin toss had to choose immediately whether to kick or receive.
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