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Kick off rule changes....

Ike Kelly

Ike Kelly

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In this case, I agree with Ike. Let all 53 men dress, offering the coaches the best options for kick coverage, and move kickoffs back 5 yards to where they were so we can see more returns.

If there was a fans poll, my guess is 75% of them would like to see more returns by moving the kickoffs back 5 years.

Fans are excited to see the game start.The result, a touchback. Boring.

Besides the special team's kick coverage players, are usually out of the NFL in 3-4 years anyway.
 
It would help your thread if you would post the new rules..or at least a link to them or a story about this

https://www.sbnation.com/2018/5/22/17369774/nfl-kickoff-rule-change-explained

What’s different about the kickoffs now?
No running starts

Under the old rules, players could start at the 30-yard line and get a running start, so long as they didn’t cross the 35-yard line before the kick. The new rule will force players to wait at the 34-yard line.

The goal is to slow down the coverage unit a bit and reduce the speed of collisions with blockers.

Most of the return team is confined to a “setup zone”

Eight of the return team’s 11 players will now begin a kickoff in a 15-yard zone near midfield. Previously, blockers were allowed to start anywhere, so long as they were behind their “restraining line”, which was 10 yards from the kicking team.

This will force blockers to run down the field with the coverage team, making blocking similar to that of a punt.

No wedge blocks

With eight players in the “setup zone”, that leaves two blockers and a returner near the goal line. Those two players cannot team up to both block the same player. Wedges have been gradually phased out of the NFL, with the rule dwindling down to just two-player wedges in 2009. They have now been removed altogether.

No blocking in the first 15 yards

This new rule will force the return team blockers to wait until the coverage unit has crossed midfield before engaging. This solves two things:

The biggest danger of a huge collision would come if a player on the coverage team manages to get through the first wave of the return team unblocked. That’d be more likely if they were able to make a blocker whiff right away. Imagine it like a gunner on a punt team who gets a free release. By forcing blockers to wait, they’ll have a better chance of at least slowing the coverage team down.
It takes away what the NFL calls the “jump-set/attack” block. The coverage team can’t be blindsided by blockers when they know exactly where the blocking will begin.
Ultimately, this protects both sides.

No need to kneel

If a ball gets to the end zone and touches the ground, it’s an automatic touchback. There’s no need for a player to pick it up and kneel, or even catch a ball if it’s headed for the end zone and they don’t intend to return it.

This is a small time saver, but the goal is to blow a play dead earlier so that unnecessary collisions don’t happen. Under the previous rules, a player could take their time gathering a ball and kneeling while the coverage team and return team blockers still careened toward each other for no reason.
 
CoolieMan said:
It would help your thread if you would post the new rules..or at least a link to them or a story about this.
Click to expand...

Sorry Coolie, thought my link saved when I posted. It is the NFL’s graphic explanation of the new rules


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Cope said:
They got rid of controlling the ball through the ground.

This KR rule will make it very difficult to onside kick.
Click to expand...

True Cope. Only 5 yards to play with from a non-running start for the kicking team now. The only alternative I see is a line drive kick to the front row and hope for a mishandle or ricochet. Maybe a high pop up type kick if that’s even possible.


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CoolieMan said:
would rather see the rules tweeked than have the play eliminated.....
Click to expand...


If this **** don't work then I see the next tweek as elimination of the kick. That happens the game will change and the "rog" will have his final stamp before retiring with paid health care by the league.





Salute the nation
 
Ike Kelly said:
True Cope. Only 5 yards to play with from a non-running start for the kicking team now. The only alternative I see is a line drive kick to the front row and hope for a mishandle or ricochet. Maybe a high pop up type kick if that’s even possible.


Sent from my iPad using Steeler Nation mobile app
Click to expand...

You can still bunch 5 players at the numbers, but with the 15yd no blocking zone, you will have some good collisions at the 10yd mark trying to recover an onside.
 
Ike Kelly said:
True Cope. Only 5 yards to play with from a non-running start for the kicking team now. The only alternative I see is a line drive kick to the front row and hope for a mishandle or ricochet. Maybe a high pop up type kick if that’s even possible.


Sent from my iPad using Steeler Nation mobile app
Click to expand...

They can just fair catch it, so it has to hit the ground no matter what (high pop up scenario).

I'd personally like it to be switched to a punt from the 35. No penalty for it going out of bounds. Much less risk of concussions. If you need to go for it, it plays like a regular 4th and 15, you gotta make it to the 50 to retain possession.
 
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Just give the offense the ball at the 25. No need to get anyone hurt on the kickoff. Wait...Someone could get hurt if the defense tries to keep the offense from scoring....Then take the defense off the field all together.....What about the players union?..... Retrain them to play on offense. In order to score within the New NFL it must be through the air. Starting at their own 25, the quarterback has to throw the ball as far as he can to a receiver and score within 4 downs. Each receiver must be of a different diversity.... The receiver has to stop at the point of catching the ball and let the next receiver attempt to catch the ball. The faster they score the more points they get. They can't run so fast that he or she might hurt something. He or she also can't start immediately running from a still position either. They might hurt something. Having the QB throw the ball is probably asking too much as well. He could hurt his shoulder. Hmmm All players just stand on the field for 60 minutes and discuss their feelings.....Nope that could cause some to be uncomfortable....They should just stand out there in complete silence and try not to look offensive. OK that will work!.

New NFL.JPG
NFL Opening Day 2019
 
JMM said:
Just give the offense the ball at the 25. No need to get anyone hurt on the kickoff. Wait...Someone could get hurt if the defense tries to keep the offense from scoring....Then take the defense off the field all together.....What about the players union?..... Retrain them to play on offense. In order to score within the New NFL it must be through the air. Starting at their own 25, the quarterback has to throw the ball as far as he can to a receiver and score within 4 downs. Each receiver must be of a different diversity.... The receiver has to stop at the point of catching the ball and let the next receiver attempt to catch the ball. The faster they score the more points they get. They can't run so fast that he or she might hurt something. He or she also can't start immediately running from a still position either. They might hurt something. Having the QB throw the ball is probably asking too much as well. He could hurt his shoulder. Hmmm All players just stand on the field for 60 minutes and discuss their feelings.....Nope that could cause some to be uncomfortable....They should just stand out there in complete silence and try not to look offensive. OK that will work!.

View attachment 3941
NFL Opening Day 2019
Click to expand...

Sounds like Southpark's Sarcastaball. At least the Steelers got to play...

 
I'm not sure. That seemed very dangerous.

I used to watch SP back in its early days guessing late 90s . It was great back in the day. I hadn't seen that episode. Need to try and find it on SlingTv
 
Was there some kickoff crisis that I missed that warranted all this crap?
 
CharlesDavenport said:
You'll have to point me to the kickoff specific problem, as opposed to the rest of the game. A quick Google reveals that pass plays cause the most concussions. https://apnews.com/695ac0f1a0464ff99d4f3f681bea0e43
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That may be the case, but for every 1 KO return, there is (I’m guessing) 12-15 pass attempts. I think the reason they are focusing on KO return is the disproportionate amount of concussions that result from them.
 
Troglodyte said:
That may be the case, but for every 1 KO return, there is (I’m guessing) 12-15 pass attempts. I think the reason they are focusing on KO return is the disproportionate amount of concussions that result from them.
Click to expand...

If the Kickoff dies ( I hope not ) the owners in theory could reduce the roster from 53 men to ?

Move Kickoffs back five yards, with flags for head shots. That's it. The NFL career is short, about 4 years. Let the guys who are back ups contribute to the team, and let the return guys do their thing.
 
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