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The NFL's new touchback rule


carex

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I've seen it mentioned but no one has really talked about the implications of the NFL's new rule making a touchback come out to the 25.  I think it could dramatically increase touchdowns.  There's a lot of teams that match down the field in ten yard chunks or very close to that.  With this new rule the 5 yard line becomes a natural place to get a first down every drive there is a touchback that could make scoring a lot easier

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You'd probably have to do a lot more research to see the percentage of drives that reach inside the 10 start from each respective yard line.

 

What's going to be interesting to see is if teams continue to boot the ball out of the end zone, or if they now strategically decide to have their kicker put it between the goal line and 5. 

 

Stinks that it seems that they're trying to phase out kickoffs from the game. They'll probably do that and then come up with some gimmick teams can try to somehow replace onside kicks.

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Id rather they just completely eliminate it altogether and start both teams at the 20 than this malarkey. Complete nonsense. Every plus yard gained is more of an advantage for the offense. Bringing the ball out to the 25 is a decent return, whereas before, you had touchbacks, or guys daring to bring the ball out of the their own endzo e and getting tackled inside the 20. No question in my mi d this could lead to potentially more scoring drives.

Dunno what it is with the NFL where they feel like they have to change stuff every 5 minutes. And it almost always benefits QBs or offenses.

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Id rather they just completely eliminate it altogether and start both teams at the 20 than this malarkey. Complete nonsense. Every plus yard gained is more of an advantage for the offense. Bringing the ball out to the 25 is a decent return, whereas before, you had touchbacks, or guys daring to bring the ball out of the their own endzo e and getting tackled inside the 20. No question in my mi d this could lead to potentially more scoring drives.

Dunno what it is with the NFL where they feel like they have to change stuff every 5 minutes. And it almost always benefits QBs or offenses.

 

special teams have been shown to be very dangerous, that's what.

 

And eliminating the kickoff makes it harder for comebacks

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special teams have been shown to be very dangerous, that's what.

 

And eliminating the kickoff makes it harder for comebacks

Eliminating kickoffs gets rid of another set of commercials. No way TV gives those up.

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Instead of the league trying to change the rules constantly, which I get why they are doing it, they should donate say several million dollars to the research and development of a helmet that absorbs more of the blow to the head. Maybe even look beyond the helmet and look at shoulder pads and other equipment. NASCAR did this many years ago after Dale Earnhardt died with the advent of safer barriers and a safer car. Put engineers to work, not lawyers!

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Instead of the league trying to change the rules constantly, which I get why they are doing it, they should donate say several million dollars to the research and development of a helmet that absorbs more of the blow to the head. Maybe even look beyond the helmet and look at shoulder pads and other equipment. NASCAR did this many years ago after Dale Earnhardt died with the advent of safer barriers and a safer car. Put engineers to work, not lawyers!

 

 

I just want a year or two where the rules don't change.  Let me just enjoy the game, not have to worry about learning the new  rules and seeing how they will affect things. 

 

 

Keep ****izing the game Roger. Makes me want to watch it less and less.

 

 

Everything always changes, although really one of the most recent changes, putting the ball on the 35 was changing back to an old rule.

 

Drivers in race cars were better able to make their bodies stationary which helps deal with crashes.  THat's not going to happen in the NFL. 

 

And for anyone who wants to watch the NFL without worrying about rules, stop looking it up online, do "huh, I guess they changed that" if you see a different call from year to year and let the refs worry about the rules

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Stinks that it seems that they're trying to phase out kickoffs from the game. They'll probably do that and then come up with some gimmick teams can try to somehow replace onside kicks.

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/hotread-kickoffs/should-nfl-eliminate-kickoffs-pursuit-safer-game

"Schiano advocates taking the changes even further. Last year, he offered an idea that punts replace kickoffs because blockers and tacklers don't have running starts at one another. As for the onside kick, he proposes a rule that would allow teams to take a fourth-and-15 from their own 30-yard line."

4th and 15?   :huh: 

 

Pretty funny a guy that used to coach the Bucs doesn't like the kickoff. Took them over 30 years to get  as single one. 

 

I actually like his first idea though. Wonder if its possible to make the kickoff more like a punt while still making onside kicks viable. 

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I actually like his first idea though. Wonder if its possible to make the kickoff more like a punt while still making onside kicks viable. 

 

The idea came from Pat Kirwin on Sirius XM. The idea is interesting. Onside kicks would be replaced by fake punts.

Drivers in race cars were better able to make their bodies stationary which helps deal with crashes.  THat's not going to happen in the NFL. 

 

 

This is true,  but an investment in engineering would yield results. NASCAR didn't even hire engineers specific to auto racing. They went outside. The NFL could do the same. Obviously there is research going on in the innovation front with the equipment manufacturers. However, bringing in an outside perspective may yield results that are revolutionary.

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The NFL are a bunch of morons.

 

They move the kickoff up to create more touchbacks, limiting the number of returns in an effort to cut down on injuries.

 

So now, they want to place the ball at the 25 for a touchback.  But I've seen some training camp reports that teams want to pooch the ball down near the goal line to try to limit the other team from getting past the 20.

 

So, now, more returns which is what the league doesn't want along with the potential for injuries.

 

 

 

I'm really no sure why kickoffs have received the most scrutiny.  I'd really love to see some comparison reports to see if kickoffs cause more injuries then other football plays.  Just with my own observations, I don't really see that as the case. Other then the Buffalo guy who was partially paralyzed, I can't remember anyone else that suffered that serious of an injury on the kickoffs.  He got hurt setting up the wall (locked arms/hands) that has since been banned. Mike Utley was paralyzed on a running play.  Darryl Stingley was paralyzed on a passing play.  Dennis Byrd was partially paralyzed on a running play.

 

Actually, I think the offensive and defensive lines suffer the most blows per game. I'm thinking of the Mike Webster type deal.

 

So if they eliminate the kickoff, what do you do when you need an onside kick to get the ball back?

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kickoffs have more people running at full speed targeting someone

 

If the NFL really wants to change the kickoff get rid of placing the ball at the 40 for a kick out of bounds.  Place it at the 25 same as the new touchback.  Most coaches would probably instantly start kicking it out of bounds

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So they are not going full speed except on Kickoffs? They are going full speed all the time. I cited other instances of injuries on regular plays. Players are targeted on every play.

 

On an regular play you've got five men who's job is to be borderline stationary, one guy with minimal involvement normally and five guys spreading out across the field.  Everyone on the other side is spacing out assigned to different roles, that sometimes take them out of the play.  On kickoffs you have eleven people charging down at one person, while ten guys get in front of that person and try to take them out.

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On an regular play you've got five men who's job is to be borderline stationary, one guy with minimal involvement normally and five guys spreading out across the field. Everyone on the other side is spacing out assigned to different roles, that sometimes take them out of the play. On kickoffs you have eleven people charging down at one person, while ten guys get in front of that person and try to take them out.

Well like I said, someone show me a report that Kickoffs cause more injuries and I'll concede the point. But I'd never want them to be done away with. It's a big part of the game. 10 players charging. Kickers never run full speed and lay back as the safety valve.

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It's probably the NFL's focus because most special teams players are backups and scrubs that never play in the game much other than on kickoffs and punts.

Take away non factor players chance of an injury leading to another future settlement has to save the league a lot of money down the road and as far as the league is concerned most of these guys are inconsequential players that'll just end up costing the league a lot of money.

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I don't care about kickoffs honestly. Im fine with switching to punts instead.

If you want an onside kick, you have to announce it ahead of time. That way, the officials can mark 15 or 20 yards from the line of scrimmage. The ball must travel that far. After that it's just a free for all. Hell you could have everybody on the return team playing up and have your punter crush the ball and hope your gunners can race down to grab it, making field position even better.

Having to announce it takes the surprise element out of it but it's all balanced out by the return team having a much better chance at recovery than with the current insides kick. The kicking team doesn't have to play one side of the field the punter could go deep, short, left, right or middle.

It would be total anarchy and incredibly exciting. Safer too since full speed tacklers aren't teeing off on players barely moving

Somebody tell me why this isn't a good idea

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