Annual League Meetings Produces even more Rule Changes

The Competition Committee was busy at the Annual League Meetings this year in Dana Point California. The successfully passed 4 new rules on Tuesday with emphasis on players safety, they added to the rule changes today, including a rule that will forever be known as th "Ed Hochuli" rule.

Hochuli famously ruled Denver quarterback Jay Cutler to have thrown an incomplete pass in the final moments of a Week 2 game with San Diego last season. Replays clearly showed it was a fumble that the Chargers recovered, but the play was not part of the review process. Denver kept the ball and won the game seconds later. Now, it's reviewable.

Also, replay now can be used to determine if a loose ball hit the sideline. A Cardinals kickoff in January's NFC championship game was ruled to have gone out of bounds even though it was recovered in bounds by Arizona. Replays showed the ball never hit or crossed the sideline.

The draft order for playoff teams was reworked and will be based on where teams were eliminated in the postseason. Last season, the Chargers (8-8) beat the Colts (12-4) in a wild-card game, but San Diego will pick before Indianapolis in next month's draft. The new procedure begins in 2010.

A rule change was also applied to the onside kick, in which there will be no re-kick if the ball goes out of bounds on an onside kick. It will be immediately awarded to the opposing team. This rule was openly rejected by Eagles owner Jeff Lurie, who claims that this rule will force teams to re-think the use of surprise onside kicks to gain an advantage. Lurie explain that this is one of the most exciting plays in football and this rule may all but eliminate it.

Finally, on all fumbles and laterals that go out of bounds, the clock will start when the referee signals ready for play.