All of the new kickoffs from yesterday's HOF game

[Einstein]

Hate it

[Mr. WEO]

this should make returns even more futile.  wasn't the average last night short of the 25?

 

just take touchback to the 30..

[Freak-O]

Anything is better than ad break, touchback, ad break. Or ad break, return, flag, ad break. If this new thing reduces those, I’m happy. 

[syhuang]

41 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Okay, got you. It did change the formations because of the overload point though so I think it DID mean you had to "elect" for an onside kick. So while this may be a further tightening I think the surprise onside possibility went with the last set of changes. 

You can’t overload no matter it’s a normal or onside kickoff. Teams were still able to do surprise onside kickoffs before this most recent kickoff rule change, for example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbUmdHmyb9E

 

 

Edited August 2 by syhuang

[1st&ten]

7 hours ago, Virgil said:

Looks good to me and I can see how it keeps the players safe.

 

I'm still waiting for someone to find a cheat code and break the system

That guy is not coaching this year.

[hondo in seattle]

7 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

Pretty mundane in my opinion. All the blocking was basically man-on-man.  It seems to me the old kick-offs gave the return team more room to work one side of the field or the other, essentially scheming to make some of the coverage guys irrelevant. 

 

Small sample size so I'll wait and see. 

 

I expected to see some attempt at running a 'play.'  But virtually all (not quit all) the blocking is straight ahead, man on man.  

[sullim4]

Yeah... not a fan of this.  I'd rather they replace the kickoff with a punt.  Have them do a 4th and 15 from the 35, where you're given the option to punt or go for it.

 

That retains the element of surprise with a fake punt, while adding much more excitement at the end of the game.

[Freddie's Dead]

This is the stupidest thing I've seen in a long time.  Completely removes the surprise onsides kick (a play which, by the way, won us the Comeback game).  They've succeeded in making the KO and KR even more boring than they already are.

[Sierra Foothills]

10 hours ago, Doc said:

There's this new-fangled device called a DVR...

 

I just don't trust those... gonna stick with my videocassette recorder... Beta beats VHS for sure.

 

9 hours ago, Virgil said:

Looks good to me and I can see how it keeps the players safe.

 

8 hours ago, ScotSHO said:

I could see more return team injuries.

 

All of the recent changes in kickoff rules over the years (no running start by coverage team, restrictions on number of people in a wedge, etc) were made to make kickoffs safer because there was an incommensurate amount of injuries on kickoffs.

 

It doesn't look that much safer to me. There were a few big collisions that I saw in that small sample size. The returners are particularly still at risk.

 

2 hours ago, hondo in seattle said:

I expected to see some attempt at running a 'play.'  But virtually all (not quit all) the blocking is straight ahead, man on man.  

 

The consensus opinion is that the teams are gonna keep the trick plays under wraps until they're needed.

 

Edited August 3 by Sierra Foothills

[Richard Noggin]

Wait, they're only 5 yards apart? I thought it was going to be 10. Weird. I usually have ELITE retention and recall for absolutely non-essential information.

[SoMAn]

16 hours ago, thenorthremembers said:

Absolutely hate it.   If they were worried about the lack of kick returns they could have just made the endzone out of bounds on kickoffs.   It doesnt look like professional football in the least. 

I believe the rule was instituted to reduce the risk of injury caused by high impact collisions that can occur when running full speed into each other. 

[Rubes]

16 hours ago, Mr. WEO said:

this should make returns even more futile.  wasn't the average last night short of the 25?

 

just take touchback to the 30..

 

I think the point is that you have to return it if the kick falls within the 25 yard line.

[Paup 1995MVP]

22 hours ago, thenorthremembers said:

Absolutely hate it.   If they were worried about the lack of kick returns they could have just made the endzone out of bounds on kickoffs.   It doesnt look like professional football in the least. 

Agree It was a lot of nothingness.  There were no holes to run through for the receiving team.  It looked like a run play up the middle every time.  Pretty boring.  
 

Back 20-30 years ago, kickoffs were from the 30 yard line and there were lots of returns.  It was an exciting play.  The league never knows what it wants.  What it should want is competitive physical football.  They want 18 game seasons.  Make rosters at 60

players all active for every game.  And a practice squad also for when you lose guys to injuries.  College teams sometimes have 100 guys dressed for a game.  And the product is amazing.  

[Mr. WEO]

12 minutes ago, Rubes said:

 

I think the point is that you have to return it if the kick falls within the 25 yard line.

 

20 yard line, but yes they don't have the fair catch option any more.

[That's No Moon]

21 hours ago, Big Turk said:

 

Backup safeties are more replaceable in a single game than a kicker.

You're currently allowed to have as many kickers as you like on your roster. I'd argue QB1 is way more valuable than kicker. Why not put red shirts on all of them?

[Big Turk]

2 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

You're currently allowed to have as many kickers as you like on your roster. I'd argue QB1 is way more valuable than kicker. Why not put red shirts on all of them?

 

Yes but no team is ever carrying more than one on a game day roster. Let's be real and not speak on hypotheticals.

[That's No Moon]

1 hour ago, Big Turk said:

 

Yes but no team is ever carrying more than one on a game day roster. Let's be real and not speak on hypotheticals.

I can't speak hypotheticals when I'm responding to a hypothetical rule change a poster brought up? OK.

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

On 8/2/2024 at 8:59 AM, Big Turk said:

 

 

Other thing the NFL should look into is perhaps allowing another position player to be on the field that has stay where the kicker was until he kicks the ball and then runs off the field, then he can get into the play.  That would allow the kickers to kick off but not have to risk injury at a critical position where most teams have no viable backup on a game day roster.

 

If the NFL wants more excitement on the returns then leave the kicker out there so he can whiff. 

 

Wonder if we will see my return units try and be creative and loosen the coverage up with end arounds and sideline throw backs threats.

[BobbyC81]

On 8/2/2024 at 8:35 AM, eball said:

Are onside kickoffs a thing of the past now?

 

There will no longer allow surprise onside kicks.  What’s the point?

 

Teams have to tell the ref theyre trying an onside kick, who i guess tells the opponent. How dumb!

 

Also, in case you didn’t catch it, the wind blew the ball off the tee. The team (Bears?) were allowed to bring on a 12th man to hold and he had to immediately run off the field.

 

Has the Competition Committee lost their marbles?