New facemask penalty (1 Viewer)

[Bossman]

In preseason I watched a player put his hand on an opposing players facemask. Bang. 15 yd penalty.

OK, I get it that there is no more 5 yd incedental facemask penalty.... but shouldn't the facemask have to be pulled or at least grabbed?

So I'm thinking maybe the ref thought there was a tug, his mistake, replay showed none, whatever.

Now in last night's NYG / WAS game a player waves his hand in front of a facemask (Jacobs?). Bang. 15 yards.

Now I'm like WTF? I assumed that without the incedental 5 yd penalty, the refs are going to just let this type go without a call.

Seems like I was wrong and they are now calling EVERYTHING a 15 yd penalty. Dumb.

 

[David Yudkin]

Prior discussion . . .

LINK

 

[EaglesNest]

I don't like it either.

It seems like some refs are looking at this the wrong way.

Instead of ignoring what would have previously been a 5 yard face mask, some are calling the 15 yard face mask because there is no more 5. When the intention of the new rule was that face masks should only be called if they are blatant enough to be of the 15 yard variety.