So I initially thought the plan was goofy. But I've come to like it. This may not be the plan you end up with but I do like the that league is looking at ideas to make the game safer that bring something new and potentially exciting. It is a real shift from all the previous efforts. For example, the league tried to solve the collision problem on kickoffs by first eliminating the wedge play and then moving the spot for kickoffs up. Yes, there are fewer collisions and fewer concussions as a result. But also, now kickoffs are deadly boring.
Punt returns are much more exciting to watch because someone actually gets the ball and runs with it on many plays. There also is usually a greater chance for a turnover. You can also run a fake from that formation.
The other piece here is the 4th and 15 deal. That is arbitrary but I do like it. Here instead of an onside kick, which is pretty much just a play based on the luck of the bounce of the ball, you get offense vs. defense. I'd rather see teams win or lose based on whether their offense can beat the other teams defense rather than whether a kicker can bounce the ball in a way that allows a 5th string WR to recover it.
Good for the NFL for thinking differently.
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