2008 NFL "Almost Perfect" with Rule Changes for 2008

I nearly performed a back flip when I heard of the NFL's long overdue rule changes for 2008. But, the NFL owners need to push for one more rule change in 2009 to make the NFL a near-perfect entertainment/athletic machine.

Here is some of what the owners and league officials got right for 2008:

1. Receiver pushed out of bounds is out of bounds. Previously, if a receiver caught the ball in mid-air and was shoved out of bounds by a defender, referees had to enter the realm of metaphysics, trying to determine where a receiver would have landed.

Now, with the "you're in or you're out" clause, they only have to practice physics. This establishes a scientific, black-or-white protocol which will heighten the potency of a defense and the excitement accompanying down-to-the-wire playoff moments. Good call.

 2.   Face masking, automatic 15-yard penalty. Again, good call. Recall the days when roughing the passer was a slap on the wrist. Quarterbacks were wrought with career curbing (or ending) knee and shoulder injuries because an obese lineman bull rushed them, absorbed them into their gravitational field, hurt them, knocked them out of the game, and then put on their best "oopsie me" face.Notice how much body control these padded sumos suddenly got when the penalty got very stiff. Face masking can end a career. Watch the hand control from defenders "suddenly" evolve after week four of this season.

3. Field goals can be reviewed. Why not? Baseball is flirting with reviews (welcome to the 21st century MLB!). Why can't a review saturated sport like the NFL have game-deciding (heck, Super Bowl-deciding) moments reviewed too?

4. Game-worthy overtime! This is by far my favorite rule change. A playoff time grid-iron lockjaw epic combines the fans' delirium, the players' heroic athleticism, and the home audience's family mosh pit into an orchestra of entertainment ecstasy. This should not crescendo to a nearly perfect climax and then anti-climactically thud into mute silence because a 40-yard field goal flies through the uprights on the first drive. Now we have an extension of the game which befits a tight-fought war. Drive against drive. Show me what you can do, and I have one drive to do you better. It's about time!

So what's still missing? What am I calling for in 2009? Simply this:

Forget divisions.

Toss 'em. Take the best eight NFL teams, regardless of division, and let them waltz into the playoffs. Why wouldn't you want the top eight teams anyway? Spreading playoff invitations (which is what they become, invitations) seeks to keep teams in different parts of the country "in the game." The NFL fears you could get an entire west coast audience without a team to root for and therefore shut off your TV in post-November.

Ridiculous! I have never met a diehard Raiders fan that cares whether San Diego or Pittsburgh is in the Conference finals. They'll watch football, believe me. And with the drama of the "best of the best" going for it, the NFL playoffs will continue to deliver the goods football fans want.

Divisional boundaries force really good teams to sit down after playing better than the Patriots, who've only managed to outplay the Dolphins and Co.

Everybody now! Sign my petition!