The NFL has made two proposed rules changes official at their annual meetings in Arizona this week, making peel back blocks illegal and banning teams from overloading one side of the field on field goal and extra point attempts. These changes signify a continuing emphasis on player safety. Another controversial rule change, which would ban offensive ball carriers from using the crown of their helmets, has yet to be voted on.

Peel back blocks occur when an offensive player blocks a defensive player below the knees from behind. Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament on a peel back block by former New York Jets' guard Matt Slauson on Oct. 8 that landed him on injured reserve for the remainder of the season. The peel back block was previously illegal in the open field but allowed inside the tackle box, which was where Cushing was hurt. Now the same block Slauson made last season will incur a 15-yard penalty. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, co-chairman of the NFL competition committee, said to Yahoo! Sports "...really under no circumstances will you be permitted to block low below the waist when you're blocking back toward your own end line."

The second approved rule change, which disallows teams from lining up more than six players on one side of the field is a five-yard penalty. It also bans players who are not on the line from pushing their teammates into the line of scrimmage. A violation of the "pushing" amendment will cost his team 15 yards. ''Talking to coaches and the players, it's just not something they look forward to doing. It's like, 'Oh, we scored again? We have to go out there and protect, kick an extra point or try?'" Fisher said, according to Yahoo! Sports.

One hot topic of conversation was not settled though, which is the lowering of the helmet into potential tacklers by running backs and wide receivers. Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith was very vocal about the proposed rule change making life too difficult for ball carriers, but Denver Broncos head coach John Fox disagrees. ''Right now, the simple equation is they want the helmet used for protection, not as a weapon. I think that message gets across," Fox said in the Yahoo! report.

Giants owner John Mara said it is possible for that discussion to be pushed off until the owners' May meetings.

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