Generally the important thing to succeeding in sports activities is discovering loopholes inside the guidelines. However should you get too good at it, the league will finally shut down that loophole. The Miami Dolphins could be discovering that out this season.
The NFL made an alteration to its 2024 rule e book that might take away a giant play from the Dolphins — and several other different groups — playbook.
The play was referred to by San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan as a “cheat movement” as a result of it was giving extensive receivers a chance to get a working begin on the snap of the ball.
That is what it seems like in motion.
You’ll not be seeing it this season as a result of the NFL has made that play a false begin.
The brand new rule reads as follows, via Pro Football Talk:
“If an eligible receiver who’s on the road of scrimmage strikes backward or adjustments his stance (two level to a few level or conversely) and doesn’t come to a whole cease earlier than the snap, it’s a false begin. Any eligible backfield participant who adjustments his stance doesn’t have to come back to a whole cease previous to the snap, so long as his actions usually are not abrupt (false begin) or ahead (unlawful movement).”
In accordance with Professional Soccer Discuss, that verbiage was added and altered as a direct response to the Dolphins offense.
After the Dolphins ran it a number of occasions of their Week 1 sport, different groups together with Shanahan’s 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams additionally began to implement it.
It provides quick extensive receivers — like Miami’s Tyreek Hill — an enormous benefit as a result of they’re already near high velocity as quickly because the ball is snapped.
The Dolphins had one of many NFL’s most dynamic offenses through the 2023 season, and this play design performed a giant function in that. It was not the one cause Miami’s offense succeeded, after all, however it was an progressive wrinkle that simply added to their manufacturing.
Given how progressive Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is offensively, there’s a good probability he’ll discover a new loophole and rule to take advantage of earlier than the 2024 season begins. He in all probability already has.