NFL passes seven rule changes for 2016 season

Today, the NFL passed several rule changes that were proposed by the Competition Committee, rules that will take effect in the 2016 season and that could have a significant impact on the Indianapolis Colts.

Here are the seven rule changes that were approved:

• The line of scrimmage for extra points has been permanently moved to the defensive team's 15-yard line, making permanent the 33-yard extra point that was tried last season.
• Offensive and defensive playcallers can now communicate with players on the field directly regardless of whether they are on the field or in the booth.
• All chop blocks are now illegal.
• The horse collar rule has been expanded to include when a defensive player grabs a jersey at or above the name plate and pulls the ballcarrier to the ground.
• It is now a delay of game penalty when a team tries to call a timeout when they aren't allowed to (such as if they are out of timeouts).
• A play where an eligible receiver illegally touches a forward pass (after he was out of bounds and re-established himself inbounds) is no longer a five-yard penalty but rather a loss of down.
• The multiple spots of enforcement for a double foul following a change of possession has been eliminated.

As we mentioned last week when we saw the proposed rule changes, allowing coaches to communicate directly to a player on the field from the booth would be a big change for the Colts and offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, and that has been passed.  What that means is that Chudzinski can stay in the booth and call plays from there and will be able to directly call them in to Andrew Luck on the field.  Last year, he had to call the plays down to Clyde Christensen on the sideline, who then relayed the calls into the quarterback.  Christensen is gone now, but the Colts won't need to replace that specific role, as if Chudzinski wants to continue working from the booth he will be able to while also being allowed to communicate directly with Luck.