Kickoffs? Don't talk about kickoffs? You kiddin' me?

[jetstream23]

Yeah, I actually do want to talk about kickoffs. lol Rule changes seem interesting.  I'm really trying to see in my mind how this will look when executed.  Does the "no running start for kickoff coverage teams" mean that the ball will be kicked and nobody is running down the field until the ball is caught or it touches the ground?  This could be weird.

Quote

NFL approves rule changes regarding kickoffs, ejections in effort to bolster player safety

The NFL today approved changes to kickoffs as well as replay review of all NFL player ejections.

The kickoff rule changes will be re-evaluated after the season.

The changes to kickoffs, designed to reduce high-speed collisions, include the following:

• The elimination of running starts for kickoff coverage teams

• A requirement that eight of the 11 men on the return team must be aligned in the "setup zone" within 15 yards of the ball

• No blocking within the "setup zone" until after the ball touches the ground

• The elimination of two-man wedge blocks

• The kickoff team must have five men lined up on either side of the ball, a move that will limit schemes designed to get free runners in coverage down the field

The NFL also tweeted out more details on the new kickoff rules.

 

[BUM-KNEE]

I think they can run after the ball is kicked, but I may be reading it differently.

[Doggin94it]

36 minutes ago, jetstream23 said:

Yeah, I actually do want to talk about kickoffs. lol Rule changes seem interesting.  I'm really trying to see in my mind how this will look when executed.  Does the "no running start for kickoff coverage teams" mean that the ball will be kicked and nobody is running down the field until the ball is caught or it touches the ground?  This could be weird.

 

No.  It just means that the players on the kick coverage team can't start running downfield until the kicker makes contact with the ball. Unlike the rules until this year, where everyone could line up at the 25 or 30 and start running as the kicker approached the ball, but just had to stay behind the 35 before the K made contact, now you'll see the coverage team in 3 point stances on the 35, looking to explode downfield when they hear the thud of foot meeting ball

[jetstream23]

10 minutes ago, Doggin94it said:

No.  It just means that the players on the kick coverage team can't start running downfield until the kicker makes contact with the ball. Unlike the rules until this year, where everyone could line up at the 25 or 30 and start running as the kicker approached the ball, but just had to stay behind the 35 before the K made contact, now you'll see the coverage team in 3 point stances on the 35, looking to explode downfield when they hear the thud of foot meeting ball

Thanks.  That makes more sense than what I thought. lol

[New York Mick]

It should be interesting. There’s going to be a lot of  good returns this season. 

[Greenseed4]

CANNON BALLLLLLLL!!!!!!

[jetscrazey]

So how do onside kicks work without running starts?

Thanks NFL, you just made of lot of finishes very uninteresting.

[jamesr]

7 hours ago, jetscrazey said:

So how do onside kicks work without running starts?

Thanks NFL, you just made of lot of finishes very uninteresting.

I'm interested in this one too. I think the key thing is that no-one can block / make contact with the opponent until the ball hits the ground. Previously it was pretty much a free for all as far as I could see.

So now the tactic could be to short kick in a high arc, to give your guys time to run under it and go for a jump ball (which the opponent is also looking to grab) with the benefit that any obvious impeding of your players by the receiving team will be flagged.

Having only 5 guys to each side of the kickoff will also reduce the amount of bodies in the area that the ball will be landing in.