BuffaloBill Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000646837/article/nfl-passes-automatic-ejection-rule-for-2016-season Returns likely to be less frequent. Do teams elect to kick short of the goal line to force plays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Over 29 years of fanhood Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Are they using analytics to test how all these rule changes impact viewership??? Seriously- if returns are bad, just take them out of the game already... This incremental discouragement approach is just a confusing waste of time. Or give teams the choice at coin toss... Reviving start at 20 or take a kickoff ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000646837/article/nfl-passes-automatic-ejection-rule-for-2016-season Returns likely to be less frequent. Do teams elect to kick short of the goal line to force plays? I'm arguing that they will be eliminated in the other thread on this. Average return is 23 yards. Now they are handing the return team 25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallskiWallski83 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 In the voice of comic book guy: Worst. Rule changes. Ever. They're killing the game with this nonsense. The kickoff return used to be one of the most exciting plays. Just do what you really wanna do and get rid of kickoffs all together! Ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eSJayDee Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Seems to me this does 2 things: 1) it puts less emphasis on the ability to kick deep where a good return is likely (Bye, bye Mr Gay) and 2) it encourages high, short kicks - precisely the sort that I would think would more likely leads to injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maddog69 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 In the voice of comic book guy: Worst. Rule changes. Ever. They're killing the game with this nonsense. The kickoff return used to be one of the most exciting plays. Just do what you really wanna do and get rid of kickoffs all together! Ridiculous. Exactly. Kickoffs are fun to watch. But, if the idea if to encourage more touchbacks, I think it will backfire. Team will be more likely to kick short and try to encourage runbacks so they can pin them inside the 20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepthefaith Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Are they using analytics to test how all these rule changes impact viewership??? Seriously- if returns are bad, just take them out of the game already... This incremental discouragement approach is just a confusing waste of time. Or give teams the choice at coin toss... Reviving start at 20 or take a kickoff ? Agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted March 23, 2016 Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 Exactly. Kickoffs are fun to watch. But, if the idea if to encourage more touchbacks, I think it will backfire. Team will be more likely to kick short and try to encourage runbacks so they can pin them inside the 20. I disagree as the safer play is to force the touchback. Coaches generally favor predictability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Not at the table Karlos Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Exactly. Kickoffs are fun to watch. But, if the idea if to encourage more touchbacks, I think it will backfire. Team will be more likely to kick short and try to encourage runbacks so they can pin them inside the 20. I agree with this. I'll take my chances with the returner fielding the kick at the goal line while my coverage team is crossing the 30 with a full head of steam. There will be a lot of drive starts from the 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 In the voice of comic book guy: Worst. Rule changes. Ever. They're killing the game with this nonsense. The kickoff return used to be one of the most exciting plays. Just do what you really wanna do and get rid of kickoffs all together! Ridiculous. I have never turned on an NFL game with the thought, "I can't wait to see the kickoff returns today." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr1 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 the bastardization of the game makes historical stats meaningless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 I agree with this. I'll take my chances with the returner fielding the kick at the goal line while my coverage team is crossing the 30 with a full head of steam. There will be a lot of drive starts from the 15 Exactly. So now you tell your kicker to aim for inside the 5 instead of out of the end zone. the bastardization of the game makes historical stats meaningless This. The endless monkeying with the rule book just for the sake of changing something is absurd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Jordan Gay should be looking over his shoulder for the Turk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Biscuit97 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 What an awful rule change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhitewalkerInPhilly Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Actually, I'm ok with it. Hear me out: Currently, the kicking teams have every incentive to kick it out the back of the end zone. If you are kicking it 8 yards deep into the end zone, even with a dangerous returner odds are you wind up somewhere +/- 5 yards of the 20, so why not do it? Why risk trying to pin the opponent deep when they could take it and run back a big return. Look no further than the Bills: it makes more sense to keep Gay on the roster to kick it deep than lose the spot and have Carp try to shank it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 I'm more interested in what this does to the punting decisions. While only 5 yards, am I going to punt as much in opponents territory if you are adding to the yards I'm giving them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBillsMagic1 Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Both Kickoffs and Punt returns will be more frequent as coaches will adapt to new rules...does not make sense, this rule... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
26CornerBlitz Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 I'm more interested in what this does to the punting decisions. While only 5 yards, am I going to punt as much in opponents territory if you are adding to the yards I'm giving them? Both Kickoffs and Punt returns will be more frequent as coaches will adapt to new rules...does not make sense, this rule... As discussed in the Rule Change Thread, the change only applies to kickoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jauronimo Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000646837/article/nfl-passes-automatic-ejection-rule-for-2016-season Returns likely to be less frequent. Do teams elect to kick short of the goal line to force plays? Dan Carpenter is suddenly the hottest kick off specialist in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Less frequent? I would think more frequent. Why? Squib kicks? Both Kickoffs and Punt returns will be more frequent as coaches will adapt to new rules...does not make sense, this rule... I'm pretty sure kickoffs will still be limited to the beginning of each half and after each score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts