Another potential NFL rule change comes later than needed for the Eagles and a star player

Another offseason rolls on, and we honor a yearly tradition, conversations about rule changes. The hot topics this time are implementing an XFL-style kickoff and making the hip-drop tackling technique an illegal one. Sheesh... If only the league saw fit to take the latter out of our game before the most recent Philadelphia Eagles home game versus the Dallas Cowboys.

You remember the moment. Markquese Bell went full-blown 'Hulk Smash' on Dallas Goedert in Week 9, fracturing the forearm of Philly's best tight end, forcing one of the best players on the Birds' offense to miss three regular-season games.

Okay, maybe the play wasn't as egregious as we're making it sound, but since we're discussing a hypothetical, here's another theory. Maybe... just maybe... our 'Dallas' would have played in those other three games he missed last season has said play not occurred.

That probably wouldn't have resulted in the first 1000-yard receiving season of his career (he finished with 592 yards receiving in 14 games), but he could have continued building chemistry with his other teammates and Jalen Hurts. Just saying...

League officials believe the hip-drop tackling technique resulted in an injury rate up to 25 times higher than on tackles when it is not employed. Competition committee chairman Rich McKay had stated earlier that the desire was for a 15-yard penalty to be assessed if a defender grabs the ball carrier with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms and unweights himself by dropping or swiveling his hips and/or lower body to land on the runner's legs at or below the knee.

The proposal needs approval from 24 owners to pass. Current and former stars joined the NFL Players Association to object to the proposal this week. Former Eagle Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, responded during a conference call with reporters this week. Thank ESPN Staff Writer Kevin Seifert for the quote.

"As gatekeepers of the game, this is something that we have to remove,"

Another rule change comes a tad too late for our Philadelphia Eagles, but at least the league is making the game safer, kind of.

Though the two moments are unrelated. Goedert's injury reminds us of another season-altering injury, one that also took place during an Eagles vs. Cowboys tilt. Who remembers that horse-collar tackle and the league's decision to take it out of the game AFTER Roy Williams dragged Terrell Owens to the turf?

As it turns out, things worked out for Philly anyway, until the confetti fell on the wrong team after Super Bowl XXXIX. As it turns out, T.O. was able to play in the big game anyway, but can you imagine had he not and a rule change came afterward?

Look, no one wants to see flag football or the product we began watching during the Pro Bowl. All we're saying is, selfishly of course, that, for once, it would be nice to see some of these rules change before it costs the Birds something important.

Then again, why are we complaining? It's the unfortunate actions that determine the change. It doesn't really work the other way around. After all, it's football. Things happen. Maybe these are the ramblings of a die-hard lover of Eagles football that come when one writes at 3 am EST... Maybe we'll try this again later this morning.

Well, the Brotherly Shove is staying around at least. There's something that worked out in our favor. At least the rule makers did Philly a solid there!

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