ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 19: Alshon Jeffery #17 of the Philadelphia Eagles pulls in a touchdown reception against Jourdan Lewis #27 of the Dallas Cowboys in the second half of a football game at AT&T Stadium on November 19, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
While football’s most recognizable play gets called all too frequently by the impatient Madden player, as well as during pickup games in the backyard, the “Hail Mary” now faces potential change as the NFL’s rules evolve this offseason.
The development stems from the controversial no–call during the NFC Championship, where Rams defender Nickell Robey–Coleman hit Saints wide receiver TommyLee Lewis well before the ball reached him. This has led the league down a road of both scrutiny and potential change. Despite the clear evidence for defensive pass interference, no yellow flags hit turf and the Rams consequently received possibly the most controversial bid to the Super Bowl in league history. In response, NFL fans lashed out, calling for change to prevent further mistakes from effecting games.
To the league’s credit, an effort to patch up the glaring issue took effect this spring, as executives conducted several meetings with intentions to add or change rules regarding coach’s challenges after potential pass–interference plays. However, fixing the issue at hand stands as no simple task. While the league continues to step towards allowing a coach’s challenge in response to suspected pass interference, this potential rule change creates a ripple effect, influencing the game’s other aspects.
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The frequently used “Hail Mary” play stands as a candidate to feel this ripple effect, and undergo change itself in order to correspond with the new pass interference addition to the rulebook. Due to the common bumping and shoving between receivers and defenders during a “Hail Mary,” which normally warrants a yellow flag, the league will reportedly not allow pass interference challenges during all “Hail Mary” plays. Defining what officially qualifies as a “Hail Mary” now stands as the league’s next assignment, as the current cloudy definition may lead to further in–game issues. Expect several trials exhibiting the new regulations during the league’s preseason — all of which, hopefully, will bring forth a more effective and fair approach to the game of football.
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