Safer Punting Rules Coming??

[Chandler#81]

2 hours ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

They keep making it harder to explain why it’s called football 

I was beginning to wonder if someone was going to bring up the name of the game. 
 

slow evolution into Rugby.

[Big Turk]

Here is another article 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/02/28/nfl-special-teams-coaches-punts-safer/

 

Basically they want to do the same thing they did with kickoffs...limit how many returns there are.

 

[Doc Brown]

1 hour ago, Big Turk said:

Here is another article 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/02/28/nfl-special-teams-coaches-punts-safer/

 

Basically they want to do the same thing they did with kickoffs...limit how many returns there are.

 

That's not quite what I got from the article.  All that was said is they want to go through the same process they used to make kickoffs safer by having a similar committee look at all aspects of the play.  That doesn't necessarily mean less returns although that probably will be proposed.

[Nextmanup]

11 hours ago, Brianmoorman4jesus said:

There has never been a time where STs has mattered less. It’s almost been completely phased out. That’s why the game day roster decisions are so frustrating. If you can ONLY play ST…unless you are a kicker/punter or LS, you don’t need to be on the team. STs just means almost nothing at this point. The plays are almost always either meaningless or penalties. Stop dressing guys that only play ST

You're totally right, and yet McDermott continues to make ST a priority!  Or at least he clearly values it as an important fact of the game...which is stupid.

 

 

[CSBill]

14 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

You're totally right, and yet McDermott continues to make ST a priority!  Or at least he clearly values it as an important fact of the game...which is stupid.

 

 

And yet with all that emphasis and extra roster spots for gunners and all, and we kick it through the end zone with 13 seconds left? .... Oh, never mind.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

14 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

Just read this article that the NFL is considering changing rules to make punts safer, the article though doesn't mention anything specific as to what they plan to do or even consider.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/changes-could-be-coming-to-the-punt-in-the-nfl/ar-AAUpoj8?li=BBnbfcL

Safe?  
Let the QB throw the ball as far as he can or to a designated spot. 

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

52 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

Safe?  
Let the QB throw the ball as far as he can or to a designated spot. 

 

How about on a punt, defense is required to count to '5 Mississippi' by ones before crossing the line of scrimmage?

*
First NE game, Patriots yell "1 Miss. 2 Miss. 3 Miss. 4 Miss. 5 Miss."  Opposing coach throws challenge flag, but Belichick argues 'Miss.' is an accepted abbreviation of Mississippi.  Officiating crew agrees.

[Big Turk]

4 hours ago, Doc Brown said:

That's not quite what I got from the article.  All that was said is they want to go through the same process they used to make kickoffs safer by having a similar committee look at all aspects of the play.  That doesn't necessarily mean less returns although that probably will be proposed.

 

Honestly I don't see how that could happen...unless maybe give the receiving team the option to take an automatic 10 yards from where they field the ball versus having to return it and that would have to be decided prior to the kick so if they are taking the 10 yards there would be no need to run downfield or block anyone except for before the kick.

Edited March 1, 2022 by Big Turk

[JESSEFEFFER]

The CFL rule seems good to me.  No fair catch allowed.  No coverage allowed within 5 yards of the returner.  Give the returner a chance to see the coverage and force it to slow down.  Gone is the play where the returner gets blown up just as he made the catch.  Gone is the need to judge how much time and space he needs to protect himself as he is concentrating on catching the ball.  Should be more yards to be gained on returns and less benefit to punting.  All of a sudden, playmaking returners become more valuable.  Or the safe play becomes to make the catch and get to the ground.

 

I might add that the returning team can no longer double team the gunner.  Let them beat the block and get down field to the 5 yard away position, ready to make a play on the returner.

Edited March 1, 2022 by JESSEFEFFER

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

 

4 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

You're totally right, and yet McDermott continues to make ST a priority!  Or at least he clearly values it as an important fact of the game...which is stupid.

 

 

 

I mean we tried to improve the punting situation, haack was just really bad.  Bass improved a lot though.  FG kicking was a strength this year for the first time in a while. 

 

For punts buffalo had the 3rd fewest returns allowed with 17, and yards per return was 5.6 which was last in the league.  Function of fewer punts most likely.  But Haack was also a shank machine, awful at touchbacks, and was never a big leg punter either.  37.6 net average, 1 blocked, 7 touchbacks.  I honestly don't remember even 1 single "wow" punt.  

 

The kickoff piece is hard to fully quantify since the stats are relatively vague - 99 kickoffs and 54 touchbacks with only an average return of 18 yards on the returns (3rd in the NFL).  Basically to me - it rarely did harm to buffalo to kick it short and high, and occasionally they made plays to cost other teams some starting field position. 

 

Return wise - buffalo returned 37 punts which was 3rd in the NFL, and were 14th in PR yardage (8.5 yards per return).  Likely a function of forcing a fair amount of punts.  Buffalo was 8th in yards per return on kickoffs, and returned 33 which was good for 18th.  They only gave up 52 total scores + 17 game kickoffs so that's only on 69 attempts.  

 

Outside of Haack's punting its not something that another team can point to as a weakness.  

[BuffaloBill]

17 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

That's what we used to do as kids! LOL

 

Wusses …  but so true

[Doc Brown]

4 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

Honestly I don't see how that could happen...unless maybe give the receiving team the option to take an automatic 10 yards from where they field the ball versus having to return it and that would have to be decided prior to the kick so if they are taking the 10 yards there would be no need to run downfield or block anyone except for before the kick.

Then punters would change their punt projectory and value distance over hang time.

[Big Turk]

17 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

Then punters would change their punt projectory and value distance over hang time.

 

That would be balanced out by having to block a full on punt block attempt tho. Maybe give them 5 yards since I think the average return is around 8 or 9 yards...

 

That would balance out the extra advantage the return team has where there could send an all out punt block since they don't need to worry about the gunners.

 

So receiving team gets 5 yards, but gets to send a punt block attempt with impunity since there is no return.

 

Kicking team doesn't have to try and cover the kick but has to ensure they block an all out attempt at a punt block.

 

Not sure the risk/reward is balanced enough tho.

Edited March 1, 2022 by Big Turk

[frostbitmic]

Just eliminate the punt and give everybody a trophy.

[Don Otreply]

On 2/28/2022 at 8:11 PM, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

They keep making it harder to explain why it’s called football 

It’s really Throwball, 

[frostbitmic]

2 hours ago, Don Otreply said:

It’s really Throwball, 

It's really Joshball, prove me wrong.

[HOUSE]

On 2/28/2022 at 4:19 PM, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

Just read this article that the NFL is considering changing rules to make punts safer, the article though doesn't mention anything specific as to what they plan to do or even consider.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/changes-could-be-coming-to-the-punt-in-the-nfl/ar-AAUpoj8?li=BBnbfcL

[stuvian]

punting on first down eliminates a lot of risk