Early Kick Off Observation

[Jenky]

I think just about every kicker is able to get touchbacks now. This is going to make the return game very boring to watch....

Unless they change up the strategy or something, its going to be touchback after touchback.

 

[BrassCowboy]

honestly, that is the way it should be.... it is no fun seeing a field get wiped out on some lucky run based on some bad NFL rules (wedges no longer allowed and increased distance between players) making it harder to stop a big kickoff return in the name of safety, and maybe a little luck.

I have always hated the nfl moving the kickoff point to the 30 yard line from the 35 like it used to be. Glad to see it back to the way it has been done for decades.

 

[Hoofbite]

I know most kickers didn't average enough distance to get TBs consistently last year but maybe that's because they were going for distance and hang time.

Without the need for hang, they can kick as far as they can and it's looking like many are going VERY, VERY deep.

 

[DeaconBlues]

Jax just brought one back for 84 yards. . .

 

[jblaze2004]

Jax just brought one back for 84 yards. . .

who returned it?

 

[jblaze2004]

dan with a good kick.

 

[Hoofbite]

Jaws just said what I've been saying for a long time now.

Kickers will start hanging them and trying to pin teams deep.

 

[sonnyboy]

I think just about every kicker is able to get touchbacks now. This is going to make the return game very boring to watch....

Unless they change up the strategy or something, its going to be touchback after touchback.

So what, you get an extra 15secs for the bathroom break. Or you can stop watching football all together as a protest.

 

[kTXe]

Such a terrible rule change. Why would the NFL render one of the most exciting plays in the game completely irrelevant? Granted, this was a very limited sample, but there were what, 3 total KO returns in this game out of a possible 10 or so? A roughly 70% touchback rate is just obscene. If the rate is even half of that during the preseason, I wouldn't be surprised if the competition committee looks at changing the rule back for the regular season (assuming that is something they can even do at this point in the year).

 

[LandryFan]

I think just about every kicker is able to get touchbacks now. This is going to make the return game very boring to watch....

Unless they change up the strategy or something, its going to be touchback after touchback.

Whoever holds the record for TD's on Kickoffs (Cribbs or Hester?) will probably hold it from now on unless the NFL puts returns back in the game.

 

[8FOR!3]

Raymond Radway just called and he wasn't too happy.

 

[Aven8]

Kind of reminded me of the Arena League tonight. I kept thinking we could bounce it off the net and then return it. I hate the rule.

 

[Cochese]

Jaws just said what I've been saying for a long time now.

Kickers will start hanging them and trying to pin teams deep.

Why even risk the chance of a blown coverage?

 

[Everlastingxxx]

Insane amount of touchbacks tonight throughout the league. What sucks is we will have to wait for a commercil break to watch a touchback then wait another commercial break before any action. I don’t like this new rule. Feels weird to me.

 

[Fizziksman]

Jaws just said what I've been saying for a long time now.

Kickers will start hanging them and trying to pin teams deep.

yep and now its going to make it harder for offenses to score.

This is going to be a very boring season for the casual fan if they don't change the rule.

 

[Hoofbite]

Why even risk the chance of a blown coverage?

Because the chance is so minimal.

If you have guys on the KO team who can't do their job, find someone else.

 

[cowboyeric8]

I hate the new rule. Kickoffs are now pointless. I hope more coaches hang it up there, or do squib kicks.

 

[Cochese]

Because the chance is so minimal.

If you have guys on the KO team who can't do their job, find someone else.

human error is always a factor. Its not like starting from the 20 is easy street.

 

[Cochese]

I mean really, is it worth risking a fluke play, a missed assaignment, when you can make them start on the 20? If they want these rules, they should make kicking out of the endzone the same as kicking out of bounds. Or ban touchbacks on kickoffs. This is going to suck majorly this season.

 

[Gibby!]

Kind of reminded me of the Arena League tonight. I kept thinking we could bounce it off the net and then return it. I hate the rule.

That is exactly what I was thinking. Maybe it was the camera angle or something, but it made the field look extremely small and tight, and the players seemed to be all bunched up, not spread out like they used to be.