Duane Sampson
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-- NFL Likely to Reconsider Radio Communications for Defensive Players -- Fri Sep 14, 2007 The Boston Globe reports in each of the last two seasons, the NFL has considered proposals to put earpieces in the helmets of defensive players to allow direct electronic communication by defensive coaches. The coach-to-quarterback communication shuts off with 15 seconds left on the play clock. The proposed rules change for defensive players was defeated, 18-14, in 2006 and this March fell three votes shy of the three-fourths margin needed for approval (21-11). Do the allegations of electronic espionage against the New England Patriots make a stronger case for giving a defensive player audio capability? "I would say so, yes," said Tennessee Titans HC Jeff Fisher, one of two coaches who are members of the league's Competition Committee, which is in charge of reviewing and recommending potential rules changes. The other, Cincinnati Bengals HC Marvin Lewis, said it could end such subterfuge. "Offensively, with the coach-to-quarterback communicator, you've taken the ability to steal plays away," Lewis said. No system is foolproof. Audio irregularities were cited during the Patriots-Jets game Sunday and Jacksonville Jaguars HC Jack Del Rio said Wednesday that the Jaguars experienced problems with their coach-to-quarterback communications during a 28-3 playoff loss to the Patriots at Gillette Stadium in 2006. "Our coach-to-quarterback system mysteriously malfunctioned the entire first half," said Del Rio, according to an Associated Press report. In March, when the defensive coach-to-player communication proposal was being considered, Patriots HC Bill Belichick said he was opposed to it. "I wouldn't be in favor of this," Belichick said in March. "There is an inequity in the rule and you don't know when that inequity will come. I also think we need to be careful about the concept of going to a 'Star Wars' mentality. I'm not so crazy about the coach-to-quarterback thing. Now this. That's why this wasn't passed in the first place, and was just an offensive thing, to help the offense get the play in, speed up the game, eliminate delay-of-game penalties, and make it easier for crowd noise. We've done that, but now this takes it to another level." He was more equivocal when pressed yesterday, saying there are pluses and minuses while citing logistical difficulties. "Defensively, you don't know who's going to be on the field," said Belichick. "It's a lot easier with the quarterback position. Every team has a quarterback. It's a lot different on defense. It's not necessarily one guy. You can only have one guy in the game at a time that has that mechanism. So who are you going to give it to on defense? Pick a player. Now say he comes out. Whether you take him out on a substitution or whether he comes out, let's say it's an injury. Now who has it? Somebody who never plays, like the backup quarterback or another guy who is involved in other aspects of the game, say it's your backup middle linebacker and now he's on special teams and maybe he comes in in certain situations and both guys are in the game. Now what do you do? There are some logistical things. It's not the same on defense as it is on offense, that's all I'm saying. I'm not saying it's better or worse, it's just different."
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