5. Fake field goal loophole tightened up, but with a new gray area (Rule 2-16-10)
For an offensive formation to be legal during a regular play, at least five linemen must be numbered 50 to 79. No matter where they line up, these players are all always ineligible receivers (by number).
When an offense is lined up for a scrimmage kick (field goal, extra point, or punt), they get an exception and can have fewer than five. Some coaches have exploited that to trick defenses into covering the wrong players, or lulling them to sleep, before attempting a fake.
The rules committee tightened up the loopholes.
First, to get the numbering exception the offense must have either:
- at least one player 10 or more yards behind the line of scrimmage, or
- two players at least 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
Until this year, they only had to have one player at least seven yards back, leading teams to have him take the snap and run. Now they have to be considerably more strategic with their fakes, if they want to take advantage of the "numbering exception."
The other change is one simple word that may be even more restricting. The rule used to say it has to be "obvious that a kick
may be attempted." That "may" is now "will," as in, "it must be obvious that a kick
will be attempted."
Now, when a team puts a snapper wearing No. 88 on the end of the line so he can run out for a pass, the offense must meet standard-play numbering rules (i.e., must have five other linemen wearing 50 to 79). A snapper on the end of the line does not make it clear to everyone in the stadium that a kick
will be attempted, so the offense gets no exception.
Of course, this creates a different gray area. A kick doesn't have to be attempted under the rule, it just has to be obvious that one
will be. For example, after a muffed snap, the player attempting to kick could roll out and legally run or pass. Heck, the snap doesn't even have to be muffed. They just need to fake the kick really, really well.