NFL approves new kickoff rule

[JohnnyLV]

The issue I see with this is that the coverage team will have almost no stagger which will make it very very prone to exploit by reverses and laterals across the field. Coverage teams may need to hold coverage guys back to seal the edges.

[Jet Nut]

1 hour ago, Alka said:

No, they can't.  Either the ball must hit the ground first, or the returner must first touch the ball.  Crossing a zone doesn't mean anything.

I believe you, saw it somewhere, must have been wrong or could have been the original proposal.  Maybe the XFL rule

Thanks

[32EBoozer]

10 hours ago, usanyj said:

Are they kicking from the 35 like last year?  

So a returner will have, what? 30-40 yards of green in front of him as he catches the ball?

 

Greg the Leg needs to consistently put it out of the end zone. Need 6 more yds. Greg

[Doggin94it]

1 hour ago, Alka said:

Again, you are mistaken.  

Even from a common sense point of view, this rule is to encourage run backs.  If you were correct, which you are not, and kicking off from the opponents 40 yard line, the receiving team would never be returning kicks.  Common sense.  Think about what you are saying.

In any case, like I said, I actually read the rule.  Kickoff from the 35 yard line, like in the past.

My. Guy. 

LMAO. I'll let someone else explain this to you, I don't have the patience tonight. But the aggressive ignorance is making me smile

[Smashmouth]

8 hours ago, Alka said:

You got it wrong here.  The players on the kicking team "CAN NOT MOVE" until the player receiving the kick touches the ball.

That gives a HUGE" advantage to the receiving team.  If the player catches the ball 1 yard into the end zone, assuming both sides run the same speed, by the time the kicking team hits the 35 yard line, the player running back the kickoff will already be at the 34 yard line.  If there is any blocking, then you can expect a kickoff to at least get to the 40 yard line.

Again, the best bet is for the kicker to kick the darn ball out of the endzone.

Alka the kick coverage team starts at the OTHER teams 40 yard line not their own while the kicker kicks from the 35 yard line so Doggin is correct they will meet at the 20 yard (I'm thinking closer to the 15 not going to get into an explanation as to why)  line give or take a few yards. In that respect you would have many different options.... too early to tell what schemes might come of this but it will be interesting how teams handle it.

 

[DoubleDown]

A bit convoluted, but I like it on the surface. It's worth giving it a shot.

I like that kicking is still a part of it. I like that returns will likely become more common. I like that they followed the same convention of the PAT and two point conversion (team must indicate to refs which one they want to execute before the play).

The status quo was a disaster.  It was too easy to just boom it and have the team start from the 25.

[Barry McCockinner]

Does this increase the value of running backs and WRs who excel in the open field? We used to have some really good return guys who weren't really full time starters at offensive positions but huge difference makers.

The Leon Washington's and Brad Smith's of the world may be coming back into fashion quickly.

[Alka]

1 hour ago, Doggin94it said:

My. Guy. 

LMAO. I'll let someone else explain this to you, I don't have the patience tonight. But the aggressive ignorance is making me smile

I'm happy I made you smile.  No need for someone else to explain it to me.  I am sometimes very smart, and rarely very dumb, but this is one of those times.  "Aggressive ignorance" will be a term I will try not to forget.

[Jet2020]

13 hours ago, JetPotato said:

We're going to lose 1-2 key games on kickoff returns. Book it.

So, same as before. Ok.