80+ yard scoring drives (1 Viewer)

[MNTom]

Does anyone know of a site that keeps track of the teams 80+yard scoring drives during 2010? With the new kickoff rules, the players from teams with the highest percentage of scoring drives of 80+ yards should be rated higher.

 

[Patsfan39]

I doubt I'd be rating someone higher by this stat, but that's just me. I could be wrong.

 

[MNTom]

I doubt I'd be rating someone higher by this stat, but that's just me. I could be wrong.

If a team has to go 80 yards instead of say 60, there are more chances for a fumble/interception. So the teams that can minimize their mistakes are more likely to score from 80 than 60. As an example: Matt Forte might be downgraded because Cultler may now have one or two more attempts to throw an interception whereas it may not affect a team like NE who makes fewer mistakes.

 

[BigGDan]

Does anyone know of a site that keeps track of the teams 80+yard scoring drives during 2010? With the new kickoff rules, the players from teams with the highest percentage of scoring drives of 80+ yards should be rated higher.

That is some nice foresight there. I'm interested in knowing this data as well. By my count there were 23 regular season kickoff returns for TD in 2010. I'm guessing 7 or less KRTD in 2011

 

[Late225]

Idk about that - seems like there will be less kickoffs, but a higher percentage of touchdowns per return. I don't have statistics to back that up, just a gut feeling after 7/8 kickoffs were touchbacks and 1/8 kickoffs were touchdowns on the first night of preseason.

 

[Late225]

I doubt I'd be rating someone higher by this stat, but that's just me. I could be wrong.

If a team has to go 80 yards instead of say 60, there are more chances for a fumble/interception. So the teams that can minimize their mistakes are more likely to score from 80 than 60. As an example: Matt Forte might be downgraded because Cultler may now have one or two more attempts to throw an interception whereas it may not affect a team like NE who makes fewer mistakes.

Your stats are pretty wrong. Based on the best stats I could find (2008) on the subject, most teams' starting field position after a kickoff is between the 24 and 30 yard line (not the 40). Assuming only 1/3 of kickoffs are touchbacks (league officials projected this) - I don't see this changing much - maybe starting between the 22 and 28 yard line. Here are statistics from average kickoff starting field position from 2008. I think you guys are overthinking the rule changes. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/kickoff-coverage.htm

Key takeaway - Post kickoff field position in the past was between the 24 and 30 yard line. The difference in average field position will be minimal.