Dynamic Kickoff Strategy?

[Chaos]

While watching several pre-season games I did not notice any dynamic kick off returns that were stopped short of the 25 (with the exception a penalty).   As the kicking team, I can't imagine why I would ever put the ball in play with these rules.  I would plan to always have the offense start on the 30.  I feel like I am missing something.  What meaningful advantages does the kicking team have by putting the ball in play?

Edited August 11 by Chaos

[The BLUES Brothers]

Such a new twist, it'll probably change along the way.  

 

Just an opinion but based on how the Bills would purposefully kick it short of the goal line last year to make the other team earn the yards, and then we'd have the gunner swarm to the runner - it resulted in the other team's starting spot further to their own goal line than many other teams did: https://www.nfl.com/stats/team-stats/special-teams/kickoff-returns/2023/reg/all

 

 

[MJS]

All the teams are keeping their actual strategy on this play close to the vest. You'll have to wait until the regular season to really see how it will go.

 

Even so, most that I have seen have been stopped before the 30, usually around the 22 to 25 yard line, which means you are saving at least 5 yards, which is worth it. I think in the XFL they have it taken to the 35 if kicked into the end zone. I like that better. Make it hurt more if you don't kick it in the field of play.

Edited August 11 by MJS

[NBDawg15]

39 minutes ago, Chaos said:

While watching several pre-season games I did not notice any dynamic kick off returns that were stopped short of the 25 (with the exception a penalty).   As the kicking team, I can't imagine why I would ever put the ball in play with these rules.  I would plan to always have the offense start on the 30.  I feel like I am missing something.  What meaningful advantages does the kicking team have by putting the ball in play?

 

Of the 5 kicks the Bears hit to the landing zone, the Bills only returned 1 beyond the 30.  The only kick Bass didn't put in the endzone led to the Bears starting at the 19.

 

It was to the kicking teams benefit 5 out of 6 times.  

Edited August 11 by NBDawg15

[Chaos]

5 minutes ago, NBDawg15 said:

 

Of the 5 kicks the Bears hit to the landing zone, the Bills only returned 1 beyond the 30.  The only kick Bass didn't put in the endzone led to the Bears starting at the 19.

 

It was to the kicking teams benefit 5 out of 6 times.  

"meaningful".  Starting at the 25 (even the 19) is not particularly meaningful compared to the 30.  For example Jags had a 73 yard and a 45 yard kickoff return against the Chiefs.  Those are meaningful distadvantages to the kicking team.   The downside seems so much worse than the upside. 

[4merper4mer]

When the season starts some team will just have the kicker dribble it 12 yards and fall on it for the recovery.  There is nothing the receiving team can do.  Nobody is anywhere near him.  Every team will copycat this and knowing the NFL they’ll refuse to make an in season change.  2024 is going to suck.

[Brand J]

35 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

When the season starts some team will just have the kicker dribble it 12 yards and fall on it for the recovery.  There is nothing the receiving team can do.  Nobody is anywhere near him.  Every team will copycat this and knowing the NFL they’ll refuse to make an in season change.  2024 is going to suck.

I almost fell for your satire 😅

[Big Turk]

1 hour ago, NBDawg15 said:

 

Of the 5 kicks the Bears hit to the landing zone, the Bills only returned 1 beyond the 30.  The only kick Bass didn't put in the endzone led to the Bears starting at the 19.

 

It was to the kicking teams benefit 5 out of 6 times.  

 

But the one time it isn't will likely negate all the times it was.

 

Kinda like a trader who makes $100 5 times but then loses $800 on his one loss.

[ColoradoBills]

As of now I don't think teams have any clue what the "strategies" should be.  This will take some time to figure out.

[billsfan89]

11 minutes ago, ColoradoBills said:

As of now I don't think teams have any clue what the "strategies" should be.  This will take some time to figure out.

They are going to break out some stuff they feel may work during the opening weeks of the regular season but it’s a wide open experiment to see what will and won’t work.

[HOUSE]

9 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

They are going to break out some stuff they feel may work during the opening weeks of the regular season but it’s a wide open experiment to see what will and won’t work.

The suspense is killing me..

[Brand J]

Jags took one 70 yards against the Chefs, but since it didn’t result in a TD, it’s not being highlighted this morning.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

Not a fan of this new kickoff rule, at all

[Saxum]

I am sire rule books are bring carefully looked at for holes by better special teams.  We will likely get a few letters from NFL on "clarifications" of rules.

[ProcessTruster]

4 hours ago, MJS said:

All the teams are keeping their actual strategy on this play close to the vest. You'll have to wait until the regular season to really see how it will go.

 

Even so, most that I have seen have been stopped before the 30, usually around the 22 to 25 yard line, which means you are saving at least 5 yards, which is worth it. I think in the XFL they have it taken to the 35 if kicked into the end zone. I like that better. Make it hurt more if you don't kick it in the field of play.

agreed.  NFL chickened out on that

[LeGOATski]

The cross-field lateral or a series of rugby-type laterals has the potential to be really effective in this play, I think.

 

The runner goes right, blockers on the far left let their men through and fall back, then the runner throws it to them before getting hit. Big boom or bust potential obviously, but I think the opposing team has less time to react to it as opposed to the previous set up when they started farther back.

[ControllerOfPlanetX]

4 hours ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

Not a fan of this new kickoff rule, at all

I am still reviewing and dissecting the rule to try and understand it:

 

 

 

[oldmanfan]

I get why they’re doing it.  But it sure looks weird.

[DrPJax]

      Its  a new rule , so knowing how snake bitten this franchise is in its history, and our great history of special teams ace coaches ( outside of dehaven whom I always liked) , I am sure we will be the first team to give up something like home run throwback while in this new formation !   Don’t ask me how it will happen or to explain it , as it will be a “ first time “ occurrence requiring a rule adjustment being made the following season to correct some injustice to the Bills, resulting in a heartbreaking loss sometime during the season !  
 

OR , IT COULD BE SOMETHING LIKE THIS:  
 

     I’m sure it will somehow involve.the inert 12 th man on the field , who forgets to leave the field , and is mesmerized watching Bass hit a towering kick that results in a fumble , the Bills recover to return  for the winning td as they had been trailing by 5 , only to be negated because our holder , in this case the Bills actual 12 th man rather than the  metaphorical 12th man in the stands, stopped 2 yards short of the sideline so he could see the action better being in front Of all those other guys watching on the sideline!  
    We are forced to re-kick it and because the kicking team is now tired , gives up a 80 yard td on a reverse , adding insult to injury!  Mcd blames it on miscommunication as he personally told someone to tell the 12 th guy to walk quickly off the field and avoid running so said 12 th man wouldn’t trip , fall, and be penalized!   Yep, you know it’s coming ;  we will be the first team victimized by this new formation in a real game , kind of like the chiefs player who kneeled down in the end zone , while pulling the ball back from the field of play only to be called for a safety on review triggered by Pedersen last night !    That was classic and not yet expected by the great iq.’s who copied the xfl/ufl for this great new addition!  When you’re a multi billion dollar league now copying two prior failed leagues for innovations,,,what possibly could go wrong!?   😑   GO BILLS! 

[BringMetheHeadofLeonLett]

Why, God, Why!!