Kickoff rule

[Just in Atlanta]

You are getting very sleepy....

ZZZZ...

 

Damn, you're good.

[Mr. WEO]

It may be true across the league that Returns were down but it was more so in Buffalo than anywhere else IMO. Obviously I don't have tape or statistics to show this but I do remember we NEVER took the ball out of the end zone while other teams did against us quite regularly. Not until we found Rogers did we start to really return kicks. Personally it just tells me that Brad Smith sucks and can't even do that right. He was the biggest waste of $16 million I've ever seen. Ralph would have been better off buying every season tix holder a beer each game than signing that @$$hat.

 

You're right. The Bills only ran out 37 KOs last season out of 91 (the Jets led with 62 out of 90).

 

Smith is sort of a third testicle in the Bills sack right now, but maybe if the Bills had a competentST coach, they would instruct him to pretend it's 1992 and simply return a kickoff.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Mr. WEO

[San Jose Bills Fan]

If you really want to reduce injuries but still have exciting kickoff plays, then do the opposite of what the NFL is doing. Move the kickoff to the 40 yard line (like it was in the 60's ) but have touchbacks be placed at the 30 yard line. I think that teams would become creative and pooch kick trying to avoid the opposition receiving the ball at the 30. The running start would be reduced thus causing less full speed collisions. Of course, players are also injured all the time on on-sides kicks. Just a thought.

If they wanted to reduce the amount of injuries on kickoffs but still encourage returns, they could eliminate the running start that they give the kicking team.

[Fan in San Diego]

I could have lived nicely without home run throwup.

[Simon]

If they wanted to reduce the amount of injuries on kickoffs but still encourage returns, they could eliminate the running start that they give the kicking team.

 

Considering it only takes about 5-10 yards for those guys to get to full speed, I'm not sure how much of a reduction in injuries we could reasonably expect. In fact, with the extra second it would take for them to get downfield it might even give the return unit enough time to get up to full speed and then even exacerbate the problem by increasing the combined speed of the colliding players.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

Considering it only takes about 5-10 yards for those guys to get to full speed, I'm not sure how much of a reduction in injuries we could reasonably expect. In fact, with the extra second it would take for them to get downfield it might even give the return unit enough time to get up to full speed and then even exacerbate the problem by increasing the combined speed of the colliding players.

Then you say receiving team cannot move forward until returner touches the ball or the ball hits the ground.

 

Also all players on kickoffs must wear inflatable Michelin Man outfits.

 

 

[Offside Number 76]

And now John Mara wants to eliminate kickoffs completely: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/14/john-mara-nfl-evolving-toward-eliminating-kickoffs/

[Just in Atlanta]

And now John Mara wants to eliminate kickoffs completely: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/14/john-mara-nfl-evolving-toward-eliminating-kickoffs/

Maybe they can have a sing-off instead.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Didn't it reduce concussions on returns like 50% or more?

To eliminate the last 50%, maybe the returner could wear flags.

 

Considering it only takes about 5-10 yards for those guys to get to full speed, I'm not sure how much of a reduction in injuries we could reasonably expect. In fact, with the extra second it would take for them to get downfield it might even give the return unit enough time to get up to full speed and then even exacerbate the problem by increasing the combined speed of the colliding players.

Simple physics: larger bodies running faster... Hmm, maybe if they made a rule that the kick-off coverage and return teams had to be manned with guys that weighed 125 pounds or less. Or maybe they could tie their legs together with hobbles so the best they could do was a quick, stumbling walk at one another.

[JohnC]

To eliminate the last 50%, maybe the returner could wear flags.

 

 

Simple physics: larger bodies running faster... Hmm, maybe if they made a rule that the kick-off coverage and return teams had to be manned with guys that weighed 125 pounds or less. Or maybe they could tie their legs together with hobbles so the best they could do was a quick, stumbling walk at one another.

 

How do you reconcile something that is difficult if not impossible to reconcile: A collision sport and player safety? Goodell is facing a steady stream of legal challenges from former players who are now very damaged. He is looking at the stats of the physical toll the game is taking on its participants. He is smart enough to understnad the implications of what happended to the cigarette companies when it was proven from a scientific and statistical evidence standpoint that their product was inherently damaging to the participants.

 

The owners' and the commissioner are ardent supporters of an 18 game schedule. They are drooling over prospects of the added revenue. How do they make the case for adding games when the injury stats highlight the increased carnage done by playing more games? You do it by making the claim that your are making the game safer for the employees.

[Numark]

I like your reasoning that backups aren't deserving of being protected from injury.

 

 

Yea seriously, can we just focus on that the topic starter used this argument.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

BTW, Mara is one of the "Old School" owners.

 

It's a bit surprising to me that he's converting to this viewpoint.

 

Pragmatism most likely.

[Tcali]

Agree on thisand lets not forget the weather. While certainly not a cold season, just like a golf ball, as the weather cools your ball does not travel as far with the same force hit. As long as we have McLovin returning returning kicks, i am all for the touchback LOL(and i like him as a CB BTW)

I think just the opposite.I like McLovin as a returner(exc in critical-last minute situations where we need to play it safe) and don't like him as a CB. In 7 years he hasn't learned to turn around and look at the ball.In fact his fundamentals have deteriorated each year.

[NoSaint]

BTW, Mara is one of the "Old School" owners.

 

It's a bit surprising to me that he's converting to this viewpoint.

 

Pragmatism most likely.

 

The game has survived many changes over the years. Some subtle, some safety and some wholesale- whether it's the intro of the forward pass or the outlaw of a clothesline, the game will survive defenseless players, and tweaks - even wholesale changes/elimination - of kickoffs. As much as they are a fun play, I wouldnt consider them central to my viewing experience. I think goodell and Mara understand that the situation is what it is and in order to preserve 97% of gameplay they are willing to take a hit on 3%

Edited April 15, 2012 by NoSaint

[San Jose Bills Fan]

The game has survived many changes over the years. Some subtle, some safety and some wholesale- whether it's the intro of the forward pass or the outlaw of a clothesline, the game will survive defenseless players, and tweaks - even wholesale changes/elimination - of kickoffs. As much as they are a fun play, I would t consider them central to my viewing experience. I think goodell and Mara understand that the situation is what it is and in order to preserve 97% of gameplay they are willing to take a hit on 3%

And so am I.

 

As you said, kickoffs are not central to me viewing experience.

 

Very well put.

 

 

 

I'm sure there are better thing that I can find to become outraged about.

[Simon]

Or maybe they could tie their legs together with hobbles so the best they could do was a quick, stumbling walk at one another.

 

I'm finding myself intrigued with the idea of hobbles. Maybe we could even weight them, then every kickoff might take like 30 seconds to complete! Plus, it might be entertaining to watch Kellen Heard trying to run down Devin Hester. On the other hand, San Jose's idea for the Michelin Man suits is just dripping with entertainment potential. Inflatable uniforms on kickoffs with 15 men to a side could be awesome!

I can't decide. I say we dress up 'em up in the Michelin Man suits and put weighted hobbles on them.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

I'm finding myself intrigued with the idea of hobbles. Maybe we could even weight them, then every kickoff might take like 30 seconds to complete! Plus, it might be entertaining to watch Kellen Heard trying to run down Devin Hester. On the other hand, San Jose's idea for the Michelin Man suits is just dripping with entertainment potential. Inflatable uniforms on kickoffs with 15 men to a side could be awesome!

I can't decide. I say we dress up 'em up in the Michelin Man suits and put weighted hobbles on them.

I like it.

 

Then for each kickoff, the stadium PA system would be required to play some appropriate music… maybe that music from the Pac-Man video game or the Benny Hill theme, Yackety Sax. This is very exciting!

 

Do we need a simple majority or a two-thirds to pass this?

 

 

[bowery4]

If you really want to reduce injuries but still have exciting kickoff plays, then do the opposite of what the NFL is doing. Move the kickoff to the 40 yard line (like it was in the 60's ) but have touchbacks be placed at the 30 yard line. I think that teams would become creative and pooch kick trying to avoid the opposition receiving the ball at the 30. The running start would be reduced thus causing less full speed collisions. Of course, players are also injured all the time on on-sides kicks. Just a thought.

 

 

If they wanted to reduce the amount of injuries on kickoffs but still encourage returns, they could eliminate the running start that they give the kicking team.

 

 

Then you say receiving team cannot move forward until returner touches the ball or the ball hits the ground.

 

Also all players on kickoffs must wear inflatable Michelin Man outfits.

 

 

And now John Mara wants to eliminate kickoffs completely: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/14/john-mara-nfl-evolving-toward-eliminating-kickoffs/

 

I say just have a rugby scrum at the 30, now that would be exciting (but North American fans would have no idea what was going on lol)!

[NoSaint]

I say just have a rugby scrum at the 30, now that would be exciting (but North American fans would have no idea what was going on lol)!

 

Lucky most games will be played on international soil by then.

[DefenseWinzChampionshipz]

People are forgetting that these kickoffs that happened last year were terrible! I never seem to see anyone complaining about the fact that almost every return last year was a touchback. This is terrible for football because it ruins one of the best and most exciting moments during the game. Obviously goodell did this to reduce injuries but really how much did it help? Plus most of the players that play special teams are back up players anyways and it just doesn't outweigh the importance of field position and other factors that play into returns. When will they be pushed back to the 30 again bc until then the kickoffs are meaningless and should just be placed at the 20 to save time and energy that players use by sprinting down the field. they need to stop changing so many rules and leave the game as it is.

 

Damn those backups... We should use the backups in practice instead of heavy bags and have the starters practice hitting them instead of plastic objects...