NFL Rule Changes Help Defense/Dolphins Response To It

I'll summarize the rules as they are in paragraphs so you don't have to read the whole article.

Rules Changed:

1) Elimination of force out rule - A receiver must have both feet inbounds. However, if a defender grabs or wraps his hands around the WR while in air and forces him out, it is considered a catch.

2) Five yard facemask penalty - The 5 yard penalty for accidently grabbing the facemask has been taken off the list. The defender will now face fifteen yard penalties for the twisting of the facemask.

3) On- Field Communication - Defensive players will be able to communicate with their coaches on the sidelines via earpiece. Only two defenders can have the earpiece and only one can be on the field at a time. The earpiece will shut off when there is 15 seconds remaining on the play clock. There will be a green dot on the helmet (like the offensive side of the ball) to designate the player with the earpiece.

4) Coin toss - The team that wins the coin toss has an option of deferring its decision until the second half.

Dolphins Players Response To Rules

Derek Hagan's response to the taking away of the force-out rule:

The effect of this rule, Dolphins receiver Derek Hagan said, is that it narrows the field significantly.

Also,

"If you jump for the ball near the sidelines, the defensive back is going to toss you out, so this helps us know where we're at," Hagan said.

What Dolphins coaches have done to to get used to the taking away of the force-out rule:

And the Dolphins are adjusting. On the practice fields at Davie, coaches painted a red line about 6 yards in from the sideline, and the receivers treat it as the new out-of-bounds line.

Porter's Response To Communication Rule

"This takes the gray area out of it, somebody picking up your calls," Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter said. "We don't have to worry about hiding our guy."

Sparano On Who Will Have Earpieces:

Sparano said he isn't sure which two defenders will have the earpieces, but Porter said it likely will be a starting middle linebacker and his backup. And the teams still will be doing defensive signals to call in the plays, as a backup.

"You treat it as a luxury," Sparano said. "I was an offensive coach and you're talking to the quarterback constantly, so I always would think, 'Why don't they talk to the defense? What's the big secret?'"

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphins/content/sports/epaper/2008/07/31/a7c_dolphins_sider_0801.html