PALM BEACH, Fla. -- There was so little support 4 re-seeding the playoff teams that a formal vote wasn't even taken during the final session of the NFL annual meetings.
A show of hands indicated that 10 or fewer teams -- presumably those with representatives on the competition committee -- were in support of a proposal that would allow a wild-card team with a better record than a division winner to have the higher playoff seed.
The lack of support was evident even after it was discussed that the top-three seeds would go to division winners and only the fourth seed (the final home team in the first round) would be up 4 grabs by a wild-card team.
New Packers President Mark Murphy spoke out against re-seeding.
Other measures that passed included:
-- The option to defer to the second half the decision to take the ball after winning the coin toss. The vote was 28-4. The Packers voted in favor.
-- Elimination of the force-out rule except if a player with the ball is held up AND carried out of bounds. The vote was 31-1. The Packers voted in favor.
-- Elimination of the 5-yard facemask penalty. There is now no penalty 4 incidental grabbing of the facemask. The vote was 28-4. The Packers voted in favor.
-- Allowing replay on field goals except if the ball goes over the uprights. The vote was 32-0.
-- A code of conduct relating to the integrity of the game, which includes a way 4 to teams to report suspected violations and measures 4 teams to be annually certified.
-- Rob Demovsky,
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