What about Bob?

We told you the week before last about some of the rules changes contemplated by the competition committee, but here's a review of what's on the docket at this week's owners meetings. The votes on these are expected to be held tomorrow and/or Wednesday.

*Changing the playoff seeding system. Remember last year, when the Giants had a better record than the Bucs but still had to play Tampa on the road during the playoffs? A proposal that narrowly passed muster in the competition committee (5-3 in favor) would granted a higher seed to a team with a better record, even if said team was a divisional wild card. Don't think this one will pass. Too many dissenting votes. But the measure does have its supporters.

"I like it because it makes teams play out the season," said Detroit Lions president Matt Millen, a member of the competition committee.

* Defensive coach-to-helmet communication system. The committee has voted unanimously to recommend that NFL owners adopt a rule allowing coach-to-headset communication for the defense. The proposed rule, which narrowly was defeated by just two votes last year, is expected to pass.

The coach-to-headset system will eliminate the need for defensive coaches to signal in plays, thus preventing teams from stealing signals. The Patriots were caught stealing signals in a Week 1 game against the Jets last season, setting off the Spygate scandal that continues to reverberate throughout the league.

* Force out rule being forced out? The competition committee has endorsed a proposal that would eliminate the "force-out" rule that has been the subject of much controversy over the years.

Under the current rule, an official can rule a pass near the sidelines a catch even if the receiver fails to get both feet in bounds. If the official feels that the receiver was forced out by the defensive back before being able to get both feet down, the play can be ruled a catch.

* Training camp rosters. They're currently at 86 before the first cut-down, but that included six additional spots for players from NFL Europe. Now that the league is defunct, owners must decide on whether to keep the rosters that high, or go back to 80 players. The competition committee endorsed this one unanimously, but the owners' vote could be close.