10 Things We Would Change About the NFL in the New Year

From time to time, we all want to play NFL commissioner.

It is a fun game. You get to make the rules, suspend the players you want, and you have control of one of the most profitable organizations around.

For many of us, our first move would be to change a few things up.

Nothing is more infuriating then consistently seeing something that we just don't like. Unfortunately, reaching Roger Goodell just isn't as easy as writing to one of your state representatives. 

If we could make a change, these 10 things are what we would want to make different in the NFL with the new year.

Field Goal Kicking

One thing that continues to make no sense to me is that the NFL has less width between the hashes than the NCAA. Why are college kickers getting the more difficult angles? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

There are not many rules that I prefer in the college game over the professional level, but this is one that I encourage the NFL to look into.

While distance will always be a challenge, we need to make these short kicks much harder.

Challenges

One of the stupidest rules in the NFL is that once you use a challenge, you lose it. Sure, if you get two correct you get an additional challenge, but why should a team be penalized for the officials making the wrong call?

It just doesn't make sense. It is illogical. It is actually surprising that this rule has never been changed over the years.

If a team gets their first challenge right but the second wrong, where do they go from there? It just doesn't make sense. Why not just give teams three challenges if you are going to stick to this whole method?

Maybe someday, someone will be smart enough to realize that they are punishing people for the wrong reasons.

Player POV Cameras

The NFL is typically one of the best when it comes to cutting-edge technology, so what is taking so long to get cameras on players' helmets?

Nothing would be sweeter than watching the game through the eyes of Aaron Rodgers. I want to see that defensive end coming at him. It would make the game even better, and it would bring an entirely new dimension to watching the game.

Just imagine looking straight into the eyes of Brian Urlacher as he is about to make his move at the quarterback.

More Channels, More Games

Nothing is more aggravating then being restricted to just two games on national television. More often than not, it is a game between two teams we don't even care for.

What gives? Not everyone wants to shell out cash just to get a satellite dish, and NFL Redzone gives me a headache.

Why not just find a way to provide more content on more channels? All four broadcast companies have deals with the NFL, but only ABC (a part of the Disney Corp., i.e., ESPN) doesn't show NFL games.

Of course there is the whole money issue, but it would be great to see them sort things out to make more games available on Sundays.

Change the Playoff Seeding

It is bewildering that the NFL allows a division winner with a worse record to host a playoff game.

This season, the Denver Broncos (8-8) are hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4). How does that make sense?

Do the Broncos really deserve to be at home from playing mediocre football and winning in what was a pathetic division? No, they really don't. The Steelers lost four games, two of which to the Baltimore Ravens, the second-best team in the conference.

It just doesn't make sense.

Keep the division winners in the playoffs, but give those who deserve home-field advantage what they are entitled to.

Drop the Franchise Tag

The franchise tag is a stupid rule. Who are the owners to say that a player has to stay?

The players all play hard to get to where they are, so no one but them should be able to make decisions on their careers.

While the tag makes sense for the fans and the owners, it just doesn't feel right from the perspective of the player.

How would you like it if you wanted to go get a new job, but your boss said, "Sorry buddy. We just tagged you for 2012. Sorry, try again next year."

Create a "D-League"

It is great and all that NFL teams have practice squads, but how about they create a system similar to what both the NBA and MLB have?

While it may be a long shot, it would give teams a much better look at perspective players. There have been other leagues created, like the UFL, but those ultimately didn't pan out.

A league backed by the NFL could possibly work.

Put the Kickoffs Back to Where They Were

While the NFL has been making an effort to look out for players' safety, one thing they shouldn't have done was change where teams kick off.

This season, the NFL decided that it would be better to have teams kick off from the 35 yard line instead of the 30. With that, teams have been less effective on kick returns.

According to ESPN, teams have taken a knee 27.1 percent more times this season than just a year ago. This has caused one of the most exciting parts of the game to occur less often.

The beauty of the kickoff is that both teams are vulnerable. Teams are essentially running from both sides of the field to attack at a midpoint. 

Unfortunately, now most just end with a handshake and step towards the sidelines.

The "Tuck Rule"

Since nobody really understands when a play falls under the tuck rule, the NFL should abolish the entire concept.

It is never clear what truly qualifies a play to be covered by the rule, but here is what the NFL rule book goes by: 

"

NFL Rule 3, Section 22, Article 2, Note 2. When [an offensive] player is holding the ball to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his arm starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body. Also, if the player has tucked the ball into his body and then loses possession, it is a fumble.

"

Unfortunately, there just seems to be too many loopholes to decide on what was and was not a tuck.

Change in Preseason

Watching a preseason NFL game is like watching amateur hour at the local comedy club. It typically stinks and is pointless.

People want the main act, so why not just avoid this whole idea of preseason? It makes sense in other leagues, but given the amount of time between games in the NFL, there really is no benefit to having a preseason.

Players just get hit more, which potentially leads to injuries before the season even begins. 

At least, they should get rid of the traditional four games. Maybe knock it down to one or two. That way, at least the starters will actually play some significant time.