Every time I watch a NFL game that comes down to the wire, I wonder to myself, "Why doesn't the clock stop while the guys in the black and white trip all over themselves spotting the ball on a 1st down?"

(I wouldn't mind terribly if they stopped the clock to spot the ball on every down.)

Seems like a reasonable rule change. Are there any other rules

I don't think the clock should ever stop. Just keep rolling and get it over with like soccer. I like football as much as the next guy, but there are way too many breaks (and commercials).

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How true Rabid......the games go on and on. The TV breaks are a pain in the butt.
The ONLY good thing about them is that it gives you a chance to go to the fridge or the bathroom!

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The clock stopping on a first down would add to commercial breaks?

Stopping the clock on first downs would not add breaks, it doesn't in college and the do stop the clock so they can move the chains. It would make Timeouts not as important. Now when they stop the clock with a time out, that does initiate a commercial break.

I don't like the idea of changing though. It would be nothing but another change that would only benefit offenses.

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Soccer? Argh!

Then we'd have that weird "extra time at the end" thing.

Yuck.

Now rugby...how does time work in rugby?

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That's the CFL model, but I can tell you the final few minutes can last an enternity under that model. Instead of looking at longer passes you can just chip your way down the field in 10 yard plays so it really limits the defence. On the plus side since we tend to play really shitty prevent defence it actually does make you play a lot tighter as the clock is not on the defence's side like it is under the current model.

I think they should play all the commercials first, then play the game continuously stopping only for timeouts or vice versa.

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