At Some Point Some Team is Going to Moneyball the New Kickoff Rules

[st pete gogolak]

It’s pretty clear teams really aren’t sure how to approach the new kickoff rules.  I’m not sure it makes sense to kick it short of the goal line in order to avoid the touchback, which gives you the ball on the 35.  At best, the kickoff short of the goal line ends up close to the 30 or worse. Also have the possibility of busting a big return.  Why not just kick it deep and have the opposing team start on the 35?

 

I thought the Ravens were clever hitting it very short and having it bounce to our returner. Of course, they botched a kick and gave us the ball at the 40. 
 

At some point, analytics will come into play and some team is going to figure out how to play this.  
 

Me? I’d give the receiving team the ball on the 20 and make them earn their points.  Replace onside kick with a first and 15 on the 35.  But for whatever reason the kick return MUST stay in the game.

[Robert Paulson]

bounce it hard at the 5 and have it go into the end zone puts the ball on the 20. that is the play

[ColoradoBills]

2 hours ago, st pete gogolak said:

At some point, analytics will come into play and some team is going to figure out how to play this.  
 

 

First you have to give all the kickers time to experiment with different kicks.

All in all, it has at least made the kickoff relevant again.

[The Frankish Reich]

8 minutes ago, Robert Paulson said:

bounce it hard at the 5 and have it go into the end zone puts the ball on the 20. that is the play

High in the air and short, kind of like punt from the opponent's 45 yard line style.

[BillzFreak]

I understand why there doing kickoffs like this, but man is it frustrating that pretty much every return will more then likely get you to the 35 or beyond. This honestly gives a big advantage to the team receiving a kick after a score. Especially if the team receiving the kick just needs a field goal to win. I feel it's a huge advantage with how kickers now and day's just bomb 50 plus yarders.

Edited 2 hours ago by BillzFreak

[SectionC3]

14 minutes ago, The Frankish Reich said:

High in the air and short, kind of like punt from the opponent's 45 yard line style.

No way.  Codrington caught the first one like that with speed and they hit it low every time after that.  Which is what I would do.  Keep it low and bounce it around.