We Should Down Every Kickoff

[T-RO]

Kickoff returns...hmmm.

They are becoming less common league-wide. Last season, only 41.1 percent of kickoffs were returned.

I'd be perfectly happy if the Cowboys attempt to return fewer than that--even none at all, if possible. If I'm having a chat with special teams coach Bisaccia and Jason Garrett I make this one request. Can we aim for touchbacks as much as possible....order our returners to never return from beyond the goal line?

Kickoff returns inevitably seem to result in penalties, injuries and worse-fumbles. How many times do we find ourselves starting a drive deep in our territory after a return play penalty? The risk-reward makes little sense as its uncommon to get a return much past the 25.

On top of it all...we don't have gifted returners. Lance Lenoir inspires no confidence in this corner.

 

[haleyrules]

Interesting. Maybe yhe league FO views it as exciting?? Hits...fumbles etc?

 

[Stash]

I agree with you. And that's what I would be telling my kick returner as well. If that ball lands in the end zone, you take a knee.

Give me the ball, unpenalized, on the 25 yard line.

The odds of something bad happening and ending up behind that mark far outweigh the odds of something good happening, especially with not having an exceptional kickoff return candidate.

 

[casmith07]

Kickoff returns...hmmm.

They are becoming less common league-wide. Last season, only 41.1 percent of kickoffs were returned.

I'd be perfectly happy if the Cowboys attempt to return fewer than that--even none at all, if possible. If I'm having a chat with special teams coach Bisaccia and Jason Garrett I make this one request. Can we aim for touchbacks as much as possible....order our returners to never return from beyond the goal line?

Kickoff returns inevitably seem to result in penalties, injuries and worse-fumbles. How many times do we find ourselves starting a drive deep in our territory after a return play penalty? The risk-reward makes little sense as its uncommon to get a return much past the 25.

On top of it all...we don't have gifted returners. Lance Lenoir inspires no confidence in this corner.

I'm with it, T-RO. The NFL's gift of 5 more yards for a touchback makes it completely not worth the risk.

 

[Idgit]

What's our average starting field position after a KO return?

 

[T-RO]

Interesting. Maybe yhe league FO views it as exciting?? Hits...fumbles etc?

Many believe the league safety concerns are forging rules that discourage kickoffs as it is related to so many injuries and concussions.

Giving the returning team the ball on a 25 on touchbacks discourages returns.

 

[T-RO]

I agree with you. And that's what I would be telling my kick returner as well. If that ball lands in the end zone, you take a knee.

Give me the ball, unpenalized, on the 25 yard line.

The odds of something bad happening and ending up behind that mark far outweigh the odds of something good happening, especially with not having an exceptional kickoff return candidate.

Yup. This from NFL.com

Last year, just one team -- the Minnesota Vikings -- had an average starting position of drives outside of the 25-yard line (their average drive start was the 25.5-yard line). Every other team averaged drive starts inside the 25, including 12 teams that started from the 21-yard line or in. The difference is important. In 2015, when teams started a drive on their own 20, their touchdown percentage was 17.9. When they started on the 25-yard line, that percentage jumped to 20.8.

 

[guag]

Makes sense to me, especially without a proven return man. If we had an elite kick returner I might want to return at least some of the time, but otherwise you're right -- it seems to me that there's a holding call on almost every return.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Many believe the league safety concerns are forging rules that discourage kickoffs as it is related to so many injuries and concussions.

Giving the returning team the ball on a 25 on touchbacks discourages returns.

That's not just a belief. It's a fact. The NFL changed the rule for the express purpose of discouraging kickoff returns. They said as much.

 

[Longboysfan]

Thank you for the stat backup.

 

[casmith07]

I agree with you. And that's what I would be telling my kick returner as well. If that ball lands in the end zone, you take a knee.

Give me the ball, unpenalized, on the 25 yard line.

The odds of something bad happening and ending up behind that mark far outweigh the odds of something good happening, especially with not having an exceptional kickoff return candidate.

Especially when you average about 1 turnover per game and 4 to 5 punts per game.

I'd rather punt the ball or have a turnover occur with a +25 yard differential, so to speak, from starting with a touchback instead of running it out to the 18, getting a holding penalty, and starting from my own 9 yard line. The likelihood that about half of kick returns result in a flag and that half of the 9 to 10 possessions your team gets result in a punt means that of about 5 of your ****** starts with field position, you have, statistically, about a 50% chance to give your opponent favorable field position.

No thanks. Take a knee. The offense's points per drive and points per game, average, are better than the points per return average, by far. Especially when we'll have more possessions that begin with the ball under center with this offense than as a kick off.

 

[casmith07]

That's not just a belief. It's a fact. The NFL changed the rule for the express purpose of discouraging kickoff returns. They said as much.

I would be fine with the NFL just taking kick returns out completely. It's a nothing play. You would have to change the rules, however, for last second scenarios. For example, team goes up by 1 with 0:02 to play -- just starting on the 25 is unlikely to yield a dramatic game-winning finish, and also probably significantly reduces the chances of success compared to kick returns in that scenario.

 

[BourbonBalz]

I would be fine with the NFL just taking kick returns out completely. It's a nothing play. You would have to change the rules, however, for last second scenarios. For example, team goes up by 1 with 0:02 to play -- just starting on the 25 is unlikely to yield a dramatic game-winning finish, and also probably significantly reduces the chances of success compared to kick returns in that scenario.

The one big negative (in my opinion) of doing away with kickoffs is that it would also do away with onside kicks. I know they don't happen that often, but they sometimes determine whether you win or lose a game. There are also surprise onside kicks every now and then (Saints in the Super Bowl for instance).

 

[T-RO]

Apparently some special team units are ordering their kickers to deliberately go for high kicks (lots of hang time) that land short of the end zone.

It looks like the league has caught onto the idea that returns usually result in negative results for the returning team and are trying to force opposing teams to do it.

Maybe that's something we should consider for our kicker. The downside is that coverage players get hurt a lot too covering kickoffs. Kickoffs are the most collision-heavy play in football. Keeping your troops healthy over a long season is part of a winning strategy.

 

[TheHerd]

Smart teamsdid a pooch kick quite frequently so you are forced to return it, or let it bounce and hope. I totally agree if it's in the endzone down it. Between penalties, turnovers, and coverage, bringing it out is not a high percentage play. The one time I might give the green light is if we're down more than one score very late in the game. Even then probably not, but maybe.

 

[T-RO]

The one big negative (in my opinion) of doing away with kickoffs is that it would also do away with onside kicks. I know they don't happen that often, but they sometimes determine whether you win or lose a game. There are also surprise onside kicks every now and then (Saints in the Super Bowl for instance).

Agreed. Onside kicks are cool...and need to stay in the sport.

 

[Kevinicus]

Yup. This from NFL.com

Last year, just one team -- the Minnesota Vikings -- had an average starting position of drives outside of the 25-yard line (their average drive start was the 25.5-yard line). Every other team averaged drive starts inside the 25, including 12 teams that started from the 21-yard line or in. The difference is important. In 2015, when teams started a drive on their own 20, their touchdown percentage was 17.9. When they started on the 25-yard line, that percentage jumped to 20.8.

Is this including all drives? Those from punts/turnovers as well?

 

[CrownCowboy]

I reckon that it does more makes sense just to down the ball and play the odds to avoid something negative happening. As mentioned, this is how the NFL wants it nowadays. That's where my problem is.

If I were an owner I'd advocate for them to tee the ball up at the 30 yard line again and actually let the players play football. I mean if these guys want to play patty cake then why even have them wear helmets and shoulder pads?

 

[T-RO]

I reckon that it does more makes sense just to down the ball and play the odds to avoid something negative happening. As mentioned, this is how the NFL wants it nowadays. That's where my problem is.

If I were an owner I'd advocate for them to tee the ball up at the 30 yard line again and actually let the players play football. I mean if these guys want to play patty cake then why even have them wear helmets and shoulder pads?

And what about the risks that the league could get shut down forever because of concussions...or more likely...that owners could face billions in litigation/medical care.

The owners have no choice but to try to mitigate some risks wherever they can. Kickoff returns often feature the most violent collisions.

Think about trying to block a 240 pound man running at full speed.

 

[T-RO]

Is this including all drives? Those from punts/turnovers as well?

The comparison was returning kickoffs versus touchbacks.