Enough of this kickoff BS! (1 Viewer)

[spider321]

This is B-O-R-I-N-G.

Come on NFL, do the right thing. Undo this terrible rules change before the real games start.

Edit to add that this craptastic rule will lead to less scoring and more field goals due to the fact that teams will have to sustain longer drives.

 

[Johnny Ice]

This is B-O-R-I-N-G.Come on NFL, do the right thing. Undo this terrible rules change before the real games start.

They should just eliminate the kickoff and start all the drives at the 20. This new rule is ridiculous.

 

[eoMMan]

This is B-O-R-I-N-G.Come on NFL, do the right thing. Undo this terrible rules change before the real games start.

They should just eliminate the kickoff and start all the drives at the 20. This new rule is ridiculous.

No way. The run back after a kickoff is a big part of what makes football so fun and exciting. Seeing Dante Hall, Devin Hester, etc. run one back is awesome. Eliminating that makes football suckier, imo.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

This is B-O-R-I-N-G.Come on NFL, do the right thing. Undo this terrible rules change before the real games start.

I wonder if the NFL is hearing the booing as loud and clear as I am. This is one of the worst rules in recent memory. Also, I have not heard much from the players about what they think.

 

[montana_grizzly_bears]

My thinking is that they can keep the players with one foot on the 35 but move the ball and the kicker back to the 30. The Kick-off team still has to wait until the ball is in the air to begin moving also. Best of both worlds.

 

[JuSt CuZ]

My thinking is that they can keep the players with one foot on the 35 but move the ball and the kicker back to the 30. The Kick-off team still has to wait until the ball is in the air to begin moving also. Best of both worlds.

I think this is one of the dumbest ideas I've heard, almost as bad as the current rule itself.This rule will in no way will ever prevent any injury. Never, not once. Injuries are not made by where the kickoff is, its made by the people playing the mans game. want to stop injuries, just add the flags now, which the NFL is close to doing as is.Go back to the 30, no tweeks, no debate, as anyone who has agreed with this rule dont understand football what so ever...thats why it worries me football people came up with this rule that takes away from the people with the money...THE FANS!How come the people who always make the decisions, make the wrong ones?

 

[Johnny Ice]

This is B-O-R-I-N-G.Come on NFL, do the right thing. Undo this terrible rules change before the real games start.

They should just eliminate the kickoff and start all the drives at the 20. This new rule is ridiculous.

No way. The run back after a kickoff is a big part of what makes football so fun and exciting. Seeing Dante Hall, Devin Hester, etc. run one back is awesome. Eliminating that makes football suckier, imo.

I agree, but with this new rule who wants to watch touchbacks all day. This is wasting everyone's time how it's setup right now.

 

[Dave Larkin]

Yeah, the kickoff rule is definitely not one that fans are going to be latching on to, but the league is really emphasising safety this year. I hope it changes back, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[ICON211]

Did they get rid of the kicking balls? They moved the kickoff up five yards, but it seems the balls are traveling more than five yards farther than last year. Plenty of kickoffs came down at the five or ten yard line last year and now it seems like these guys are putting them eight yards deep in the end zone routinely.

 

[Anthony Borbely]

Did they get rid of the kicking balls? They moved the kickoff up five yards, but it seems the balls are traveling more than five yards farther than last year. Plenty of kickoffs came down at the five or ten yard line last year and now it seems like these guys are putting them eight yards deep in the end zone routinely.

This is because they are kicking it much lower, at least in the games I have seen.

 

[Novice2]

You people dont care about player safety. Bunch of blood thirsty barbarians!

 

[Da Guru]

They sould outlaw soccer style kicking..go back to Lou "The Toe" Groza style.

 

[Hooper31]

I understand the NFL was concerned about the injuries, but I haven't seen the objective data that they based the decision on.

Does anyone know percentage of injuries that were occurring on kickoff plays as opposed to injuries that were occurring on standard plays? I would have a hard time forming an opinion without knowing this information.

 

[Godsbrother]

As a football fan I hate it but as a Steelers fan this is going to be great. For years the Steelers kick coverage has been awful so much so that I almost welcomed an out of bounds kick. This rule should mean a good 10-20 yards in field position which will be huge for a defense like the Steelers.

Yes the rule sucks and it should be repealed immediately but if it isn't then at least it is a rule that should benefit my favorite team.

 

[Underachievers]

The rule sucks....but has anyone given much thought to the fantasy implications?

 

[Hooper31]

I found this in a New York Times article, but couldn't verify it anywhere else.

Two years ago, owners voted to eliminate the three-, four- and five-man wedges — the 900-plus pound walls of humanity blocking for returners that the former player Matt Bowen described as like running into a garage door after getting a 50-yard running start. At the time the wedge was eliminated, the N.F.L. said there were seven injuries for every 100 kick plays compared with five injuries for every 100 regular plays.

EDIT: To add link to NYT

 

[Novice2]

The rule sucks....but has anyone given much thought to the fantasy implications?

Wait my players can get more yards and thus score more points?Best

Rule

EVER

 

[Hooper31]

From the Chicago Sun Times

Dr. Margot Putukian, a member of the NFL’s head, neck and spine committee, said players are four times more likely to have head and neck injuries on kickoffs than any other play in football.

This seems significant IMO whereas the information I found in the NYT article above wasn't persuasive.

 

[jswalker1981]

From the Chicago Sun Times

Dr. Margot Putukian, a member of the NFL’s head, neck and spine committee, said players are four times more likely to have head and neck injuries on kickoffs than any other play in football.

This seems significant IMO whereas the information I found in the NYT article above wasn't persuasive.

And this is why the rule won't change back to the 35 yard line. The league isn't going to change BACK a rule that was put in for the safety of the players. And also, the kickoff yard line is now where it has always been until 1994. So it isn't like the league is changing some original rule. They are actually changing it BACK to the original rule.

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

My thinking is that they can keep the players with one foot on the 35 but move the ball and the kicker back to the 30. The Kick-off team still has to wait until the ball is in the air to begin moving also. Best of both worlds.

I think this is one of the dumbest ideas I've heard, almost as bad as the current rule itself.This rule will in no way will ever prevent any injury. Never, not once. Injuries are not made by where the kickoff is, its made by the people playing the mans game. want to stop injuries, just add the flags now, which the NFL is close to doing as is.Go back to the 30, no tweeks, no debate, as anyone who has agreed with this rule dont understand football what so ever...thats why it worries me football people came up with this rule that takes away from the people with the money...THE FANS!How come the people who always make the decisions, make the wrong ones?

How come the random internet guy, who can't spell or string together a coherent sentence, always thinks he knows better than the people who are actually responsible for making decisions?The fact is that the NFL has realized it needs to do something about injuries and the long-term health effects on players. Injuries are much more likely to occur on kickoffs than on any other play in football. NFL players have a significantly lower life expectancy than the general population. The speed of the game has increased, the players are bigger and stronger and faster than ever before. There is a growing culture of parents who won't let their sons play pee wee football due to the increasingly violent nature of the game. The increased scrutiny on the game and its culture of violence poses a very real threat to the future of the NFL.For the long-term health of the league, something needs to be done. The "people who always make the decisions" realize this, because they're unencumbered by puerile notions of a "mans game." Perhaps the solution they've come up with is the right one, but it's also very possible that it isn't. Either way, it's absurd to say something like, "Go back to the 30, no tweeks, no debate, as anyone who has agreed with this rule dont understand football what so ever." NFL kickoffs used to be from the 35 yard line, until they changed that rule in 1994. So perhaps you're the one who "dont [sic] understand football what so ever [sic]." The game of football is constantly changing, and the rules of football, including those governing kickoffs, have changed and will continue to change accordingly.

 

[Underachievers]

The rule sucks....but has anyone given much thought to the fantasy implications?

Wait my players can get more yards and thus score more points?Best

Rule

EVER

Then again....they will need longer drives to score, thus taking more time off the clock. That will translate into fewer possesions for each offense.

 

[tenaka]

The rule sucks....but has anyone given much thought to the fantasy implications?

Wait my players can get more yards and thus score more points?Best

Rule

EVER

Then again....they will need longer drives to score, thus taking more time off the clock. That will translate into fewer possesions for each offense.

Or just punts because they couldn't drive that far. Then the team that originally kicked off has better field position and an easy score. Then another kickoff, punt, and easy score... whoever kicks first will pitch a shutout every game!Seriously though, aside from a couple teams that rely heavily on kickoff returns the only real NFL impact here is on end of games. Now when a team goes up by 2 or 4 with a few minutes left they can boom a kickoff for a touchback and not worry about a repeat of the music city miracle or just any good return that lets the other team re-take the lead.

 

[Ron_Mexico]

This is B-O-R-I-N-G.Come on NFL, do the right thing. Undo this terrible rules change before the real games start.

They should just eliminate the kickoff and start all the drives at the 20. This new rule is ridiculous.

No way. The run back after a kickoff is a big part of what makes football so fun and exciting. Seeing Dante Hall, Devin Hester, etc. run one back is awesome. Eliminating that makes football suckier, imo.

It's already been eliminated with this 35 rule.

 

[DoubleG]

The rule sucks....but has anyone given much thought to the fantasy implications?

Wait my players can get more yards and thus score more points?Best

Rule

EVER

Then again....they will need longer drives to score, thus taking more time off the clock. That will translate into fewer possesions for each offense.

No offense, but this makes absolutely no sense. Longer drives = more yards = more fantasy points. Whether it takes a RB 6 short drives or 4 longer one's to rack up 112 yards rushing is completely irrelevant. The point is that if there are fewer kicks returned, or drives start further you will have offenses that have to move the ball further to score. As yards = fantasy points, that's a good thing.One aspect that might affect FF is what it does for overall scoring. If teams score fewer points (specifically TDs) - this would adversly affect FF scoring (and make the stupid rule have another terrible side effect - i.e. more 13-6 games...YEAH!) I also think it makes big-play players slightly more valuable. If DJax gets behind a safety, it doesn't matter if he has 15 yards to go or 30...he's scoring a TD either way.

 

[Underachievers]

The rule sucks....but has anyone given much thought to the fantasy implications?

Wait my players can get more yards and thus score more points?Best

Rule

EVER

Then again....they will need longer drives to score, thus taking more time off the clock. That will translate into fewer possesions for each offense.

No offense, but this makes absolutely no sense. Longer drives = more yards = more fantasy points. Whether it takes a RB 6 short drives or 4 longer one's to rack up 112 yards rushing is completely irrelevant. The point is that if there are fewer kicks returned, or drives start further you will have offenses that have to move the ball further to score. As yards = fantasy points, that's a good thing.One aspect that might affect FF is what it does for overall scoring. If teams score fewer points (specifically TDs) - this would adversly affect FF scoring (and make the stupid rule have another terrible side effect - i.e. more 13-6 games...YEAH!) I also think it makes big-play players slightly more valuable. If DJax gets behind a safety, it doesn't matter if he has 15 yards to go or 30...he's scoring a TD either way.

No offense taken because I think the fantasy impact on an offense will be very very little. However...if said rule gives an offense 2 less possesions per game..I would think it would cancel out the longer drives needed to score. Hence...no real impact on the game. Because...like you said...if a RB racks up 112 yards in 4 or 6 possesions, it is all the same. So..I think it makes perfect sense.

 

[the spanker]

You people dont care about player safety. Bunch of blood thirsty barbarians!

I just saw Conan,"Crom" at this dumb rule and safety. This is FOOTBALL a barbarian man's game! The closest thing we have to the Roman gladiator days.

 

[The Doctor]

You people dont care about player safety. Bunch of blood thirsty barbarians!

they get paid to playi pay to watch

 

[spider321]

I'd like to see them make the game two-hand touch.

At this rate, the over/under is 10 years.

 

[cdwood]

One thing that was mentioned during the broadcast of the Falcons-Jags game, and I'm surprised that has not been mentioned here is the following. Even though there are a lot more touchbacks, there is not going to be a huge reduction of potential injuries in the kick return game. Just because the returner isn't bringing the ball out of the endzone, that does not mean that the guys out there to block on the return are not getting hit by the kickoff team. The blockers don't have their backs to the kickoff team waiting to see if the returner brings it out and then decide to block for him.

 

[Bigboy10182000]

I wonder how much this will effect the scoring of DST unit around the league. I'm sure KR TD's will take a pretty big drop.

 

[culdeus]

I think the real impact of this is that every single TD/FG will be met with 8 minutes of no action whatsoever. Score - 3:30 commercials - Pointless kickoff - 3:30 commercials - real play.

 

[PlasmaDogPlasma]

The rule sucks....but has anyone given much thought to the fantasy implications?

Wait my players can get more yards and thus score more points?Best

Rule

EVER

Then again....they will need longer drives to score, thus taking more time off the clock. That will translate into fewer possesions for each offense.

No offense, but this makes absolutely no sense. Longer drives = more yards = more fantasy points. Whether it takes a RB 6 short drives or 4 longer one's to rack up 112 yards rushing is completely irrelevant. The point is that if there are fewer kicks returned, or drives start further you will have offenses that have to move the ball further to score. As yards = fantasy points, that's a good thing.One aspect that might affect FF is what it does for overall scoring. If teams score fewer points (specifically TDs) - this would adversly affect FF scoring (and make the stupid rule have another terrible side effect - i.e. more 13-6 games...YEAH!) I also think it makes big-play players slightly more valuable. If DJax gets behind a safety, it doesn't matter if he has 15 yards to go or 30...he's scoring a TD either way.

I think you can count on fewer TDs being scored this year. The numbers on teams driving the ball 80 yards aren't good.

 

[Insein]

I'd like to see them make the game two-hand touch. That way nobody gets hurt and everyone has fun.

And I mean they don't need to keep score. That way no feelings are hurt.

 

[Mario Kart]

I think the real impact of this is that every single TD/FG will be met with 8 minutes of no action whatsoever. Score - 3:30 commercials - Pointless kickoff - 3:30 commercials - real play.

Wow, I had not thought of this but this is completely accurate. This translates into more money for advertising and more rules that will promote scoring since scoring will equate to more money. Total money grab.

 

[Godsbrother]

The rule sucks....but has anyone given much thought to the fantasy implications?

Wait my players can get more yards and thus score more points?Best

Rule

EVER

Then again....they will need longer drives to score, thus taking more time off the clock. That will translate into fewer possesions for each offense.

No offense, but this makes absolutely no sense. Longer drives = more yards = more fantasy points. Whether it takes a RB 6 short drives or 4 longer one's to rack up 112 yards rushing is completely irrelevant. The point is that if there are fewer kicks returned, or drives start further you will have offenses that have to move the ball further to score. As yards = fantasy points, that's a good thing.One aspect that might affect FF is what it does for overall scoring. If teams score fewer points (specifically TDs) - this would adversly affect FF scoring (and make the stupid rule have another terrible side effect - i.e. more 13-6 games...YEAH!) I also think it makes big-play players slightly more valuable. If DJax gets behind a safety, it doesn't matter if he has 15 yards to go or 30...he's scoring a TD either way.

I think you can count on fewer TDs being scored this year. The numbers on teams driving the ball 80 yards aren't good.

True but a 3 and out starting on the 20 should result in decent field position for the other team, no?

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

I think the real impact of this is that every single TD/FG will be met with 8 minutes of no action whatsoever. Score - 3:30 commercials - Pointless kickoff - 3:30 commercials - real play.

Wow, I had not thought of this but this is completely accurate. This translates into more money for advertising and more rules that will promote scoring since scoring will equate to more money. Total money grab.

How is it more money? There was always this amount of advertising following a score. culdeus is just pointing out that previously, in between commercials, you'd get to watch the kick return. Now it will most likely just be a boring touchback. If anything, this reduces the value of advertising because people will be more likely to change the channel, take an extended bathroom break, etc. since there's no reason to sit around watching the ensuing kickoff.

 

[culdeus]

I think the real impact of this is that every single TD/FG will be met with 8 minutes of no action whatsoever. Score - 3:30 commercials - Pointless kickoff - 3:30 commercials - real play.

Wow, I had not thought of this but this is completely accurate. This translates into more money for advertising and more rules that will promote scoring since scoring will equate to more money. Total money grab.

How is it more money? There was always this amount of advertising following a score. culdeus is just pointing out that previously, in between commercials, you'd get to watch the kick return. Now it will most likely just be a boring touchback. If anything, this reduces the value of advertising because people will be more likely to change the channel, take an extended bathroom break, etc. since there's no reason to sit around watching the ensuing kickoff.

yes, that was the main point.

 

[Short Corner]

I think the real impact of this is that every single TD/FG will be met with 8 minutes of no action whatsoever. Score - 3:30 commercials - Pointless kickoff - 3:30 commercials - real play.

Wow, I had not thought of this but this is completely accurate. This translates into more money for advertising and more rules that will promote scoring since scoring will equate to more money. Total money grab.

How is it more money? There was always this amount of advertising following a score. culdeus is just pointing out that previously, in between commercials, you'd get to watch the kick return. Now it will most likely just be a boring touchback. If anything, this reduces the value of advertising because people will be more likely to change the channel, take an extended bathroom break, etc. since there's no reason to sit around watching the ensuing kickoff.

yes, that was the main point.

At least if you're at the game, you are less likely to miss something if you need to make a dash for the urinal or beer stand.

 

[footballnerd]

3TDs in WK1, and STs will only improve their schemes as the season goes on.

 

[Hooper31]

3TDs in WK1, and STs will only improve their schemes as the season goes on.

I agree whining about the move back up five yards was silly, but I think your logic here is wrong. Historically I believe there are more special team return TDs in the early weeks. I believe coverage teams improve through the season more than return teams. I could be wrong here, but I think its worth looking at the data.

 

[spider321]

3TDs in WK1, and STs will only improve their schemes as the season goes on.

Glad you like the new rules, Mr. Goodell. The rest of us do not.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Glad you like the new rules, Mr. Goodell. The rest of us do not.

What in the world does Goodell have to do with it?

 

[spider321]

Glad you like the new rules, Mr. Goodell. The rest of us do not.

What in the world does Goodell have to do with it?

I was referring to footballnerd as Mr. Goodell as I believe he is the only person who supports the changes.Kinda ruins the "joke" when I have to explain it.

 

[Hooper31]

Kinda ruins the "joke" when I have to explain it.

Or, you know, it wasn't funny.

 

[urbanhack]

Keep the kickoff at the 35, but get rid of the "commercial, kickoff, commercial" bull####.

 

[spider321]

Kinda ruins the "joke" when I have to explain it.

Or, you know, it wasn't funny.

The word "joke" was in quotes. Reading comprehension is FUNdamental.

 

[Sidewinder16]

Glad you like the new rules, Mr. Goodell. The rest of us do not.

What in the world does Goodell have to do with it?

I was referring to footballnerd as Mr. Goodell as I believe he is the only person who supports the changes.

He may support it, but since he had about as much to do with the rule change as I did, referencing him makes little to no sense. The rules were changed because the NFL coaches and GMs on the competition committee who proposed the new rules, and the owners who voted to implement the new rules, all supported it.

 

[spider321]

Glad you like the new rules, Mr. Goodell. The rest of us do not.

What in the world does Goodell have to do with it?

I was referring to footballnerd as Mr. Goodell as I believe he is the only person who supports the changes.

He may support it, but since he had about as much to do with the rule change as I did, referencing him makes little to no sense. The rules were changed because the NFL coaches and GMs on the competition committee who proposed the new rules, and the owners who voted to implement the new rules, all supported it.

Fair enough.I just oppose the gradual progression towards two-hand tag that we are witnessing.

 

[FavreCo]

Glad you like the new rules, Mr. Goodell. The rest of us do not.

What in the world does Goodell have to do with it?

I was referring to footballnerd as Mr. Goodell as I believe he is the only person who supports the changes.

He may support it, but since he had about as much to do with the rule change as I did, referencing him makes little to no sense. The rules were changed because the NFL coaches and GMs on the competition committee who proposed the new rules, and the owners who voted to implement the new rules, all supported it.

Fair enough.I just oppose the gradual progression towards two-hand tag that we are witnessing.

Ya know, years ago they kicked from the 35.

 

[spider321]

Ya know, years ago they kicked from the 35.

I know.The number of diagonals in a polygon = 1/2 N(N-3), too!