The NFL approved a number of rule change proposals on Wednesday, one of which involves where ineligible receivers are allowed to line up. This particular change was inspired by the New England Patriots deceiving the Baltimore Ravens during the divisional round of the playoffs, and the Ravens are still crying about it.
As Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes, the new rule will require all players who declare themselves ineligible to line up within the tackle box. Here’s how the Ravens chose to describe the change:
NFL owners have passed the rule proposal banning the use of ineligible receivers like the Patriots did in the AFC divisional playoffs.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 25, 2015
The Patriots didn’t “use” ineligible receivers. They fooled the Ravens — and possibly officiating crew — by having running back Shane Vereen declare himself ineligible but still line up as a slot receiver. While referee Bill Vinovich clearly announced that No. 34 was ineligible, the Ravens were still confused and gave up big passes to the tight end.
The issue that the league found was with the rule, not what the Patriots did. While Vereen would not have been eligible to receive a forward pass, he still could have accepted and advanced a lateral. Now that players who are ineligible have to line up within the tackle box, defenses won’t have to cover them just in case they receive a lateral.
If you remember, Tom Brady took a swipe at the Ravens after the Patriots beat Baltimore with the help of that formation. Finding loopholes in rules isn’t the same as breaking rules. The way the Ravens phrased the tweet makes them sound like crybabies.
