This is something I think the league needs to address and make proper changes to the rule. I'm good with having a single point for a team not bringing the ball out of its end zone that adds for excitement in the special teams game. But my biggest fear is a Grey Cup game coming down to a field goal in a tie game and a team missing a field goal or intentionally kicking it through the end zone only to receive a single point and winning the Grey Cup. How do you think that would look in the media? Or seen by football fans? It would make the league look like a complete joke. What I think should be done to tweak the rule is as follows. If a team misses a field goal and the ball goes through the end zone no point should be awarded same goes for a punt. A single point should only be awarded if the ball is returnable and the opposing team does not get it out of their end zone.
I do agree, they could make some changes and on this site in the past I have made similar suggestions.
However, two things:
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It would not be ideal, but it would not make the league a joke. In 100+ years has this happened in the Grey cup? Odds of it happening are low.
I don't know how often this has happened in Regular season, but I do remember years ago watching a game on TV with BC playing and Passaglia lined up for a last second field goal and then intentionally kicked the ball through the front corner of the end zone to get the point. CFL didn't crumble. -
All teams know that this is a possibility. Just like teams don't want to allow teams into field goal range at the end of a game. Teams are also aware that if they allow teams to drive deep into their end, that a single point comes into play.
So, as I said, I would like to see a change, but it will not kill the game if it doesn't get changed.
One of my biggest beefs about the NFL/US football is that when a ball crosses the scoring plain / goal line and is not cleared of that line that it is not assured a score of some measure. You've put the ball past the line...it makes no sense that points are not awarded. The goal of the game is to advance the ball across it.
Extra points are different because it is not a play from regulation.
I am therefore obviously rather opposed to modifying this rule and feel that if a championship ends via that...so be it. Conversely, I feel the NFL should be adopting it....but they won't because the goal posts are at the back of the end zone...which is even more absurd and defies logic...other than the argument that it is perhaps safer
I like this idea, I've been saying it for years that this should be the change to the Rouge.
I like the idea.
A wonderful side-effect would be the see-saw punt-out, punt-in, punt-out, etc., etc. To avoid the "end-zone team" punting out of the end-zone and out of bounds, the single point would be scored unless the receiving team (i.e., the original kicking team) either deflects the kick itself or touches the ball in-bounds.
I don't see anything wrong with the way the rule reads right now. 2 games come to mind with this rule. Toronto vs Montreal, last play of the game and Montreal misses a FG, Toronto kicks it out, Montreal kicks it back in and Toronto tried to kick it out again but failed. 2017 Toronto vs Winnipeg. Winnipeg tried a FG to win the game. Toronto kicks it out and wins the game.
Love the rouge!
I have long advocated for the single point to only be awarded if it touches inbounds in the endzone or touches a defending player. In other words, is playable. In my view, that would apply on any kick that was not a convert attemptor successful field goal
At least part of the original post was opposing a point being awarded for kicking the ball through the end-zone (I assume he meant on the fly).
THAT is what would be problematic.
Simply put the ball has to be returnable to earn a single point. If it isn't returnable you don't get a point. The rouge would still be part of the game.
How anyone could say that the rule is fine the way it is now is still living in the past. like 100 years ago. there's nothing wrong with tweaking game rules. That's part of evolving and making the game better.
Can you imagine a kicker being held a hero for missing a field goal and winning the Grey Cup? Or a team intentionally kicking the ball through the end zone to win the Grey Cup? Not only the Grey Cup but any game for that matter. Come on people that's just dumb. I'm glad some people have the common sense to see it needs to be changed.
A game last year had an ending with a team lining up in punt formation and purposefully punting the ball into the endzone trying to force the receiving team to concede. No problems with that as that was exactly what they set out to do (I believe it was the Riders who tried it and it was successful).
What I have a major problem with is a team lining up for a field goal and the kicker shanks it off the side of his foot by mistake but the ball flies sideways out of bounds through the endzone without hitting an opposing player or the turf (i.e. a ball that could not possibly be returned), the kicking team would win the game (and a Grey Cup if it happened in that game). That's silly, and needs to change.
Canadian football kicking rules have been perfected after 150 years of scrutiny and improvements. There’s no need to change anything or be embarrassed if the Grey Cup winning team with under a minute left in a tied game, advances the ball into enemy territory and kicks (or punts) it through their end zone, making the ball unreturnable on the last play of the game. Perfection. Single point awarded to the kicking team. Fantastic, let the champagne corks fly!
Here's an ingenious idea. Take the rouge out of the scoring on a kick play if it is not kicked into play in the endzone but and at the same time put some more action into the game by requiring the returner to attempt to get out of the end zone. (No knee down to stop play) Failing to get out scores the rouge and the ball is then placed on the 10 yard line from which offense starts.
To compliment this rule change and further take the kicking game out of the game scoring, as some would like, the ball returner on a kick should not be legally permitted to return kick a kicked ball from the end zone, other wise, should he illegally kick it from the end zone, a point shall be scored for the original kicking team and the original kicking team then takes possession at the spot the play ended after the illegal kick.
Don't believe for a minute I am suggesting preference to this rule change. I'm living in the past.
bahh humbug 
100% agreed
no
I like the rouge rule as it is, but could live with a change to either playable or played ball only. Limiting it to played balls would make it consistent with kickoffs.
Kickoffs are not a play from regulation…therefore, advancing it past the goal line alone does not have the same effect…same as converts.
The last game of organized football I ever played, my grade 12 year in high school, our undefeated season came to an end in the city final game on a punt through the end zone on the last play, giving our opponents the victory by one point. The ball sailed over the scoreboard and is probably still somewhere in the bushes behind it. Ever since then, I firmly believe that the rouge rule should be changed as you propose. For a point to be scored, the ball must either land in bounds and then bounce out, or be touched by the receiving team, thus giving the defending team a chance to either run or kick it out. Punts or missed field goals that sail out of bounds at a height that is impossible for the defending team to do something about should not count for points. I think this rule change would add an extra layer of strategy, and add a skill challenge to the kicking positions. It would also go a long way towards shutting up those who complain that the rouge rule as it is “rewards failure.”
As a side note, many years later, the head coach of the team that beat us and I now both live in a different city, and we coach and ref minor football together. Every once in a while, he’ll still twist that knife in me, usually in moments where I’ll admit I probably need an attitude adjustment.
I also think that Argofan13's suggestion would work quite well even though I'm fine with the way it is now. But I can definitely see such a change as this being made.
While I would support changing the rule to only score a rouge on a returnable ball (I think the rule used to be that way, long ago), I don’t agree with melodramatic hand-wringing about a team losing a game because they couldn’t prevent the offense from moving the ball through the endzone.
Another tweak to the rouge rule I wouldn’t mind is giving the defending team a choice. Concede the single and scrimmage from the 30 (or whatever the current rule is) or don’t concede the single and scrimmage from the goal line (or 1-yard line).
Another aspect I wouldn’t mind changed is regarding an interception that is downed in the endzone. To me, the defending team that downs a ball in their own endzone should lose a point or two, not just be given free yards.
I mean, if a defense successfully defends their endzone by intercepting the ball on their own 1-yard line, they then scrimmage from there. But if a team fails to successfully defend their endzone by intercepting 10 yards deep and downing it there, they are rewarded with 25 (30?) “free” yards. That doesn’t make sense to me. Have them concede a point (or two, like a safety) and/or have them scrimmage from their 1-yard line.