Report: Cardinals, others propose limit on early NFL start times

The Arizona Cardinals are one team proposing a rule change that would limit how many times West Coast NFL teams can be scheduled for an early kickoff.

Arizona, the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers jointly wrote a scheduling bylaw that would be voted on for approval next week at the NFL league meetings in Orlando.

According to MMQB reporter Albert Breer, the proposed change suggests that “no team will be scheduled to play more than three away games with a scheduled kickoff time prior to 1:00 p.m. in the time zone of their home stadium (w/o consent).”

Interesting data from NFL: Playing in the early Sunday time slot after long travel (i.e. West Coast team going East) reduces the win rate for the road team from 45.2% to 33.5%.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) March 22, 2018

The Cardinals played four games that began at 10 a.m. last season and two more that began at 11 a.m. — the 11 a.m. games happened due to the daylight savings change. If the ruled proposal passes, scheduling a team that’s not in the Eastern Time zone for six early games would not be allowed.

Of course, the schedule rule change passing would complicate things considering the NFL has two general playing time slots for Sunday games. Additionally, any games scheduled in Europe would need to be in the early time slot on the West Coast due to the time difference.

In addition to that proposed rule change, the NFL meetings from Sunday through Wednesday will also include votes on the following:

What’s headed to the gallows with the new catch rule on the way:
– ‘Going to the ground’ process will be taken on out of the law
– Slight movement of the ball will be taken out, no longer a factor in determining an incompletion
– And one more time for painful reference: pic.twitter.com/laws6PqEKv

— Laurie Horesh (@LaurieHoresh) March 20, 2018

Couple other bylaw proposals up for vote: Allowing teams to trade players off IR (with teams trading for players able to designate them "to return"); And making it so non-vested players don't have to clear waivers when rosters are at 90.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 20, 2018

On the NFL's agenda for next week's owners meeting: A vote on a proposal from the Jets to make pass interference a 15-yard penalty, per the doc, "unless the foul is determined to be intentional and egregious by the officiating crew."

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 20, 2018

Also on the owners meeting agenda for a vote next week: A Chargers proposal making roughing the passer and defenseless receiver flags reviewable AND a Redskins proposal making ALL personal foul penalties reviewable.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 20, 2018

Also, the NFL has been going year-to-year with the touchback rule. Next week, it will vote on making touchbacks going to the 25-yard line permanent.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 20, 2018

Here's a bylaw change proposal for next week that some teams/scouts will love: A change to the definition of "local" in assigning three FBS schools to every NFL team. NFL teams can work those guys out at their facility, so obvious geographic inequities have existed forever.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 20, 2018

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