There's a reason range for kickers continues to increase

[BoysForLife]

The announcers mentioned it during the broadcast. They noticed how bright and shiny it was. It was talked about quite a bit at the time in the media and around the internet. The league actually changed the k-ball rules the next season because of that play. I and others have brought it up here multiple times throughout the years.

Never understood how so few Cowboys fans know anything about this and write that play of completely to Romo choking.

Nailed it. This was widely discussed at the time and has been discussed many times throughout the years since

 

[DFWJC]

I agree ......... I'm not sure some fans understand this. A LOT of small things and little luck have to fall your way. I have said many times that Tony Romo was one of the unluckiest QB to play the game.

Eli throwing the ball up for grabs and his WR making the helmet catch that led to the SB win, for example.

Romo throwing a perfect game-winning pass over the Giants in those playoffs, but on that play, Crayton decided to break his endzone route.

etc,etc

 

[gtb1943]

Eli throwing the ball up for grabs and his WR making the helmet catch that led to the SB win, for example.

Romo throwing a perfect game-winning pass over the Giants in those playoffs, but on that play, Crayton decided to break his endzone route.

etc,etc

the helmet catch is the perfect example. A guy who never again did anything; I believe he never caught a pass in a regular season game again. Tell me that was not luck.

 

[Reid1boys]

The 50+ hard FG’s that were once a rarity in the NFL have become routine. Late game strategies have changed with the range for many kickers exceeding 60 yards.

The kicking revolution has sparked questions about whether the balls are juiced. Not quite but there is a major difference this year with having a chance to prepare kicking balls before game day and practice with same balls used in games.

Kickers are making 72.5 % of FG’s beyond 50 yards - nearly double the rate from 3 decades ago.

The change this year came after 7 teams made a proposal to reduce the stress on equipment staffs in game days. Before this season balls designated for use in kicking game were shipped directly to the officials and brought to the stadium on game day . Teams then had a 60 minute window to prepare 3 kicking balls, using only a wet towel, a dry towel and a special ball brush.

I saw that last week. No doubt this change is impacting the length these guys can kick. It seems like every team now has a kicker that can kick 60+ yarders with ease.

 

[jrumann59]

you have to have a little luck to go all the way
Romo never had it
when you see players like Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson with rings, that says it all

Johnson was an efficient QB when he won the SB Dilfer was a lunk, the defense had to carry him because Dilfer would find a way to give the ball to the other team.

 

[csirl]

I'm not sure they've ever done that. QBs would have a fit.

That's what made 2006 so weird. NOBODY plays with balls right out of the box. They are slippery as heck

We need to reduce completion % rates - they're too high. The league should be preparing the balls - you can rub a new leather ball in a standard way to remove the slipperyness - so all are exactly the same for every team in every game. Note that the game day officials dont have the equipment to check if a ball has been completely changed it is characteristics - all the officials can check are the dimensions and pressures. The current system is too open to cheating.

 

[VaqueroTD]

Go back and watch the clip of that play.

The ball shines like its been rubbed with freaking Vaseline.

I still have PTSD from that game. Can't watch it.

 

[gtb1943]

We need to reduce completion % rates - they're too high. The league should be preparing the balls - you can rub a new leather ball in a standard way to remove the slipperyness - so all are exactly the same for every team in every game. Note that the game day officials dont have the equipment to check if a ball has been completely changed it is characteristics - all the officials can check are the dimensions and pressures. The current system is too open to cheating.

like in baseball where the umpire issues every ball

should be the same in the NFL

 

[gtb1943]

I still have PTSD from that game. Can't watch it.

when that happened I knew we were done

sad fact was the Seahags were doing well on offense and probably would have beaten us anyway, the D late that season fell apart.

 

[CWR]

I still have PTSD from that game. Can't watch it.

As irritating as the game was I still remember backing into the playoffs and having little confidence we could do anything anyway. I also vaguely remember all of Seattle's dbs being hurt and we didn't do anything to take advantage of it.

We were playing like crap so it didn't hurt me as bad.

Now if you want to talk about losing to the Giants as the #1 seed, that absolutely devastated me.

 

[Echo9]

Been around a long time...the old rule didn't affect Aubrey last year. Some are just better than others.

Exactly this. If the jump to a potential 70 yarder started this year, then the new rule could be considered the cause. But it didn't. We were talkin 70 last year.

 

[DUO_CORE]

Change the kicking balls to Nerf. Problem solved.

 

[SlingBoy]

Go back and watch the clip of that play.

The ball shines like its been rubbed with freaking Vaseline.

Yep that ball looked like it was Armor Alled. Shiny as hell.

 

[sbuscha]

Interesting........my first time hearing the ball was partly responsible for Romo's drop during the Seahawks playoff game.

Funny story! After that game, I flew to Seattle on American Airlines from Phoenix. I saw Mike Holmgren at the airport. It took me several looks to finally gather the nerve to walk up to him. I saw him coming out of the restroom as I was walking in and said, "Coach, did you put in a wet 'K' ball?" He asked me if I was a Cowboys fan, to which I replied, "Yes." He looked at me, smiled, and said, "Of course." I just laughed.

 

[gimmesix]

Interesting........my first time hearing the ball was partly responsible for Romo's drop during the Seahawks playoff game.

Really? That was the controversy back then, but I guess social media wasn't quite the animal it is now. The ballboy essentially gave Romo an unworked ball, so it was slicker than usual. The league essentially acknowledged what had happened by changing the rule. It was a slick move by the ball crew for the home team under the rules that were in place then, but a bit underhanded.

 

[MikeT22]

I think they are juiced and filled with helium

 

[gimmesix]

Crazy stuff. People have been saying for years that Seattle sent out a brand new ball for that play. On a wet day that would make it very tough to handle.
Some even say they oiled it a little, but that seems like a stretch.

Either way, they switched after that to where there were special teams balls...to avoid dicey moves by the home team.

oops....you were tongue-n-cheek I think?

I believe it was just unworked. They usually spend time rubbing and brushing them to make them easier to hold and more pliable. They sent out a slick one and it slipped through Romo's hands.

 

[gimmesix]

I think they are juiced and filled with helium

So THAT'S why two of them floated right to Tolbert when the Jets tried onside kicks.

 

[Flamma]

Never understood how so few Cowboys fans know anything about this and write that play of completely to Romo choking.

If you see someone fumble a snap. who the hell bothers to find out why? Crap happens. But I didn't think it was a choke, I just thought he mishandled the ball. It wasn't a game winning FG. There was well over a minute left.

 

[rambo2]

Something is juiced but it's not the balls.

The balls certainly are different and go farther.