Larger picture here: I legitimately think this is starting to kill the NFL. There is no single rule change that has made me lose interest but I really have lost interest over the years. The kickoff being moved to the 35 irked me the most and the "defenseless receiver" rule was ill-conceived from the beginning (defensive players can't change direction in a split-second to avoid an offensive player who is ducking his head). I'm not making a statement specifically on whether rules for player safety are good or not. I'm just saying that the way the game is changing is making it a worse product, and if you look at the NFL's ratings last season, people are starting to notice.
