PHOENIX -- Whether you want to call it the Ravens rule or the Patriots rule, no team will be able to employ the same tactic that the New England Patriots used in their divisional playoff win over the Baltimore Ravens two months ago.

The league passed a rule Wednesday at the NFL owners meetings aimed at the Patriots' eligible-ineligible receiver substitution scheme, and the Ravens should feel some measure of vindication. Now, an offensive player wearing the number of an eligible pass receiver who reports as ineligible must line up within the tackle box. If a player fails to notify the referee of a change in his status or the player with an eligible number reports as ineligible and lines up outside the tackle box, a 5-yard penalty for illegal substitution will be assessed.

Ravens officials didn't speak specifically about the rule proposal this week, but coach John Harbaugh voiced his objection to what he called a "substitution trick" by the Patriots after the playoff loss in January. Ravens president Dick Cass said the team voted in favor of the change because it was submitted by the NFL competition committee, which includes Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome.

In the AFC divisional playoff game, the Patriots removed an offensive lineman and replaced him with a player who was wearing the number of an eligible receiver on three plays in the second possession of the second half. Ravens players were confused about which Patriots to match up with in coverage, and Harbaugh drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for running onto the field and screaming in objection.

"The league will look at that type of thing, and I'm sure that they'll make some adjustments and things like that," Harbaugh said in January.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady quipped after the game that "Maybe those guys ought to study the rule book and figure it out."

Now, the rule book has changed. Here is the newly minted Rule 5, Section 3, Article 1:

"Reporting Change of Position. An offensive player wearing the number of an ineligible pass receiver (50-79 and 90-99) is permitted to line up in the position of an eligible pass receiver (1-49 and 80-89), and an offensive player wearing the number of an eligible pass receiver is permitted to line up in the position of an ineligible pass receiver, provided that he immediately reports the change in his eligibility status to the Referee, who will inform the defensive team.

"He must participate in such eligible or ineligible position as long as he is continuously in the game, but prior to each play he must again report his status to the Referee, who will inform the defensive team. The game clock shall not be stopped, and the ball shall not be put in play until the Referee takes his normal position."