The NFL on Thursday announced several proposed rule changes, and PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio writes, "Only the NFL could react to a controversy that calls into question the legitimacy of a Super Bowl participant by implementing a fix that wouldn’t have avoided the controversy." That is "what the Competition Committee has done, by recommending an expansion of replay to 'include all fouls for pass interference, roughing the passer, and unnecessary contact against a player who is in a defenseless posture.'" However, the proposal "won’t apply where a foul isn’t called." That means replay review "wouldn’t have been available" to overturn the missed call in the Rams-Saints NFC Championship (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 3/22).
BACK & FORTH: In Toronto, Dan Barnes noted collective bargaining talks between the CFL and CFLPA are ongoing, but the league "isn’t providing any updates at all," while the players are "holding regular conference calls" with media. CFLPA Exec Dir Brian Ramsay said that bargaining "continued on so-called non-monetary contract language when the two sides met Monday and Tuesday in Calgary." Contract language is a "general rather than specific term, but it would most certainly include the player ratio and any proposed changes to it" (TORONTO SUN, 3/21).
