Twitter: Zuerlein isn't getting enough credit and Falcons ST is getting too much blame

[J12B]

That was a great onside kick.

It was almost like a change-up.

We never see onside kicks like that and that's what confused the Falcons Special Teams.

Most kickers try to get the ball as high as they can in the air to allow players time to get there, but this kick was something different.

Beautiful onside kick by Zuerlein.

 

[DogFace]

Yes, that was the first time I’ve seen one like that. May be the only time it works. They didn’t know what to do and didn’t want to touch it.
Great play and perfect kick

 

[BigTimeBlues]

I thought it looked like a roomba scooting across the field.

 

[J12B]

I thought it looked like a roomba scooting across the field.

Lol

It seemed like it didn't have enough distance then just randomly turned and crossed the 10 yards

 

[MCMetal69]

When Z first struck it , I screamed "That isn't even going to make it ten yards you dummy" ; and it just kept rolling....................So much for what I know about movement/momentum.......................

 

[Az Lurker]

People are giving the Falcons special teams a lot of undue grief for not jumping on the ball. If the Falcons think the ball isn't going to go 10 yards not jumping on it is the right play, it'd be an illegal kick and they get it where it goes out of bounds, but if they touch it they might not secure it (and we all have seen how hard it can be to grab a moving football on the ground) and Dallas gets an extra chance at the ball. The fact that it curved up field like a well thrown bowling ball is huge credit to to Greg the Leg

 

[cmoney23]

I think it will work again, think about it... that thing spinning... you ever try to get on a football? Once they touch it, it's a live ball... I think it's got some legs.

 

[Rajveer]

I will almost guarantee that more and more kickers around the league are going to try that kick now in their trainings for onsite kicks.

 

[Flamma]

Yes, that was the first time I’ve seen one like that. May be the only time it works. They didn’t know what to do and didn’t want to touch it.
Great play and perfect kick

Exactly. No one wants to jump on a ball that isn't going to reach 10 yards and pull a Leon Lett type disaster. By the time they realized it might make 10 it was a yard or two away. What to do here is not something you can teach. Maybe now they can try, but like you said, when was the last time we saw a kick like that? That was just a Zuerlein vortex special.

 

[CooterBrown]

I think every on-side kick the rest of the season will be done that way. Kick a slow spinning roller, have the guys on that side block the return team away from the ball, and have the guys from the other side of the kicker chase the ball. That is the theory as described by Zuerlein. In this case, they didn't block the Falcons, but didn't need to. Personally, I wonder how many hours he spent practicing that kick to get just the right spin and distance?

 

[INCowboysFan]

This kick wouldn't work on natural grass. With just about everybody having field turf now I think you'll continue to see kickers experiment with different types of onside kicks.

 

[adamknite]

I don't think we are getting enough credit for our special teams on that one either. Look at Goodwin, look at the other two players who ran way in front of the ball and then blocked out like they are defending a rebound. You can tell that we've practiced this exact scenario. The Falcons look like they are bumbling around not knowing they can jump on it, but I am pretty sure they were taught this, it's clear they are not touching it before 10 yards because it's a live ball once that happens and you can tell our players are either A: waiting for a Falcons player to touch it and then jump in or B: waiting for the second it crosses 10 yards.

I do think when whoever that one Falcon player was that wasn't blocked out should have attempted to jump it right before the 10 yards but you can certainly understand why he didn't, he didn't want to be the guy who jumped on it... it squirts out and we recover it, guy.

 

[Kingofholland]

Next season Cowboy rule number 85 will require teams to only kick a ball held on a tee or by an individual point up. : )

But all jokes aside it was an outstanding kick. Falcons getting a lot of grief but they were probably instructed not to touch before 10 yards. When the ball moved at turtles pace and not looking like it would go 10 yards they sat back and waited for it. Can't fault them for taking a conservative approach, but no one could box out Goodwin?

 

[mrmojo]

Im sure its something he works on because our players appeared to know exactly what to do.....meaning let it roll...

 

[ThatJerryKid]

He did the exact same on-side kick week 15 last year when the Rams played the Cowboys. Google it and paste the video. I'm too old school to know how to post twits & Jiffs....

 

[ItzKelz]

Our coaches are not getting enough credit either. As I hear more and more ex NFL speak on this it seems that the hands team is taught not to touch the ball before it goes 10 yards so that no mishaps occur. Which means that this was designed play knowing that the players would do exactly what they have been coached to do.

 

[efh313]

When Z first struck it , I screamed "That isn't even going to make it ten yards you dummy" ; and it just kept rolling....................So much for what I know about movement/momentum.......................

I had the same thought! I didn't think it was going past the 5 yrd marker... guess we were both wrong.

 

[HungryLion]

Pretty amazing. Last year absolutely awful special teams cost us games.

this year we get a win basically as a direct result of special teams.


What a difference having an actual special teams coach makes.

 

[efh313]

Next season Cowboy rule number 85 will require teams to only kick a ball held on a tee or by an individual point up. : )

Ain't that the God's awful truth!!

 

[DallasEast]

Not sure many kickers will adopt Zuerlein's technique even if they want. Kickers are much criticized but their job comes with a good bit of skill. Many fans would compete as kickers for NFL rosters if it was easy.

All kicking is not the same. Kickers have their own involuntary physical and mental approaches to kicking both innate and learned over time. Every kicker would not automatically adopt Zuerlein's example into their repertoire without possibly altering another aspect of their kicking style at the same time.

There is a golden rule with kickers. Do not mess with what they do best.