Would the Ravens have won without Ray Lewis? - IR rule change

[stillers4me]

In the past, a player was lost for the season when they were placed on the injured reserved list. Now, if a player is hurt and put on injured reserve after Sept. 4, that player may return to the active roster eight weeks after the IR designation, and the player must be on the IR list for at least six weeks. In addition, a player must be "designated for return" at the time of his IR classification, which means that a team must anticipate a player's ability to return midseason.

How likely would the Raven's had won that game yesterday with last years IR rule in place?

At first glance, this seemed like a great rule change. And one that the Steelers and every other team will take full use of. But now we've just witnessed the Ravens bring back Ray Lewis for the playoffs and how much of a difference that made to their defense. Their defense stuggled through the season, so much that we beat them with Charlie Batch as QB.

Is this a good rule change? Or is it something that looked good in principle but ultimately can give a team teams an unfair advantage at playoff time? Is more fair across the board to to keep players on IR all season if teams need to clear a roster spot and then at playoff time, you have to play with the same players you have been playing with all season, and all teams are in the same boat as in the past?

I'm not saying that I personally believe it's unfair, but it got me to thinking. Don't think of how the rule change could benefit OUR team at playoff time, but how it changes the entire playoff picture.

[Psycho Ward 86]

so youre speculating if it wasnt a good rule change because it helped out our sworn enemy? doesnt change anything imo. love the rule change because it makes the playoffs much more interesting. does suck that it brought life to the ravens though

[stillers4me]

so youre speculating if it wasnt a good rule change because it helped out our sworn enemy? doesnt change anything imo.

Not all, that wasn't the question. How does it affect the playoffs as a whole when a team is now playing with a player that hasn't been playing all season. Is it more fair the way it was before, or does it change the outcome of the playoffs? And if so, was the old rule better for the league and more fair across the board.

[steeldawg]

no ray lewis did not impact the game, bottom line if that safety for denver played that ball right denver would have won.

[Godfather]

Killer Ray wouldn't have been on IR under the old rule (see Woodson in 1995). Some nobody at the bottom of the depth chart wouldn't have been on the roster. Presumably whoever got cut when Ray came back.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Not all, that wasn't the question. How does it affect the playoffs as a whole when a team is now playing with a player that hasn't been playing all season. Is it more fair the way it was before, or does it change the outcome of the playoffs? And if so, was the old rule better for the league and more fair across the board.

it creates more parity, and thats pretty much it if you look at the big picture

[Count Steeler]

I don't think it is the return of Ray from IR that gave the Ravens a boost. I do think it was his calculated "retirement" proclamation. I think the team has rallied around "Let's get this for Ray". Very dangerous to have a united team, with a united goal heading into the playoffs.

Kind of the same as our run with Bettis. "Let's get him to Detroit".

[Psycho Ward 86]

no ray lewis did not impact the game, bottom line if that safety for denver played that ball right denver would have won.

he had a huge impact emotionally. and physically too, 17 tackles is 17 tackles.

[stillers4me]

he had a huge impact emotionally. and physically too, 17 tackles is 17 tackles.

That's 17 tackles he wouldn't have had under last years rules.

My point of the whole thread is, the league keeps changing rules..........and it changes games and sometimes the way a season is played out for any given team. Do we constantly need these rule changes? They change a rule and that creates another different problem. Like the OT rules. They say it's more fair that both teams get a chance to have the ball. But is it really fair that the first to team to have the ball is under pressure to score a TD but the second one only has to score a FG to win. But that's a subject for another thread.......... :chuckle:

[Pristas]

I agree with the rule change. He is a Raven afterall. It's not like they picked up some elite player off of waivers like you see in Fantasy Football.

If DeCastro came back and started whooping people left and right, this thread might not exist.