New Kickoffs...

[DrDawkinstein]

Kicking it to the 9 just allows the guy to catch it on the run and usually get a good return, with the decent chance of breaking one.

 

Seems like smart teams should just boot it through the end zone and put it on the 35.

 

Am I wrong?

 

[gonzo1105]

I’m the opposite, if I’m a returner, I’ve seen way too many take it out of the endzone. I’d be like knee it everytime I’ll take that at the 35 everytime 

[JohnNord]

5 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Kicking it to the 9 just allows the guy to catch it on the run and usually get a good return, with the decent chance of breaking one.

 

Seems like smart teams should just boot it through the end zone and put it on the 35.

 

Am I wrong?

 

They usually make it out to at least the 30 anyway.  So I don’t think the risk of a TD or getting better field position is worth the 5 yards.  Just kick it out of the endzone 

Edited September 19 by JohnNord

[Simon]

3 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Kicking it to the 9 just allows the guy to catch it on the run and usually get a good return, with the decent chance of breaking one.

 

Seems like smart teams should just boot it through the end zone and put it on the 35.

 

Am I wrong?

 

 

I think it's kind of a wash right now.

You might be right as time goes on if teams figure out how to create seams that are perfectly timed.

[Albany,n.y.]

The trick is to try to get it to bounce so that if it's downed in the endzone after hitting the landing zone, it gets placed at the 20. 

[DrDawkinstein]

1 minute ago, Albany,n.y. said:

The trick is to try to get it to bounce so that if it's downed in the endzone after hitting the landing zone, it gets placed at the 20. 

 

Interesting. Need to squib/soccer kick it!

[djp14150]

26 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

Kicking it to the 9 just allows the guy to catch it on the run and usually get a good return, with the decent chance of breaking one.

 

Seems like smart teams should just boot it through the end zone and put it on the 35.

 

Am I wrong?

 

You kick it into the end zone in the air the ball goes to the 35. You get the ball in the landing zone and then it goes into the end zone a touchback puts it at the 20.  If you kick it in the landing zone you can get them down before the 35.

[Einstein]

19 minutes ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Interesting. Need to squib/soccer kick it!

 

I think you’re on to something.

[DrDawkinstein]

10 minutes ago, djp14150 said:

You kick it into the end zone in the air the ball goes to the 35. You get the ball in the landing zone and then it goes into the end zone a touchback puts it at the 20.  If you kick it in the landing zone you can get them down before the 35.

 

While the ideal outcome is getting it to the 20, I think getting that scenario to work out is unlikely. Boot it through the end zone, put it at the 35 and play ball.

6 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

I think you’re on to something.

 

I think some teams have tried that already, and it was not very successful.

 

Almost need to hire a new assistant Special Teams coach to figure out what to do and how to do it on the new kickoffs.

[LABILLBACKER]

What shocked me tonight was the several times players ran in out from 1 or 2 yards deep. Simply kneel and you're guaranteed great field position at the 35. Our kickoff coverage on that opening 54 yard return was awful. 

[Mr. WEO]

6 hours ago, JohnNord said:

They usually make it out to at least the 30 anyway.  So I don’t think the risk of a TD or getting better field position is worth the 5 yards.  Just kick it out of the endzone 

 

why give everyone the ball on the 35 when very few would get there on the return?

 

Edited September 19 by Mr. WEO

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, Mr. WEO said:

 

why give everyone the ball on the 35 when very few would get there on the return?

 

 

47 yard line

32 yard line

26 yard line

26 yard line

37 yard line

 

I wouldnt say it's "very few" making it to the 35. Those returns average out to the 34 yard line. And each of those come with the chance to pop it for a TD, which was very close on a couple of them.

 

When the game was on the line at the end, they wisely kicked it into the end zone. Just do that all game instead of giving the other team a chance to turn the game around.

 

[djp14150]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

47 yard line

32 yard line

26 yard line

26 yard line

37 yard line

 

I wouldnt say it's "very few" making it to the 35. Those returns average out to the 34 yard line. And each of those come with the chance to pop it for a TD, which was very close on a couple of them.

 

When the game was on the line at the end, they wisely kicked it into the end zone. Just do that all game instead of giving the other team a chance to turn the game around.

 

What is the league average?

[Big Turk]

I was wondering why the Bills kept fielding the ball 2 yards deep in the endzone and running it out instead of taking a knee. The chances of you getting a penalty or being tackled before the 35 are much higher than you getting out past the 35.

Edited September 19 by Big Turk

[MJS]

1 hour ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

47 yard line

32 yard line

26 yard line

26 yard line

37 yard line

 

I wouldnt say it's "very few" making it to the 35. Those returns average out to the 34 yard line. And each of those come with the chance to pop it for a TD, which was very close on a couple of them.

 

When the game was on the line at the end, they wisely kicked it into the end zone. Just do that all game instead of giving the other team a chance to turn the game around.

 

There is also a risk to returning it. Risk of penalty, which pins them back further, and risk of turning the ball over. It's worth it to make them return it, in my opinion.

 

But I think Prater is not great at it yet. He needs to get better at placing the ball deeper in the landing zone.

[Low Positive]

8 hours ago, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Interesting. Need to squib/soccer kick it!

But you need to get it to the landing zone in the air. If you just squibbed it like teams used to, its a penalty and the ball is placed on the 40.

[BillsShredder83]

8 hours ago, Albany,n.y. said:

The trick is to try to get it to bounce so that if it's downed in the endzone after hitting the landing zone, it gets placed at the 20. 

situationally and week-to-week the above may be the right call but a part of me thinks, dont get cute with it and blast it out the back.  let other teams experiment with this and see how things go before we fine tune our approach. maybe thats why im here and not on a coach staff though

[Marcus Aurelius]

I'll never get used to these new kickoff rules. They suck.

 

Then again, I hate Baseball's "ghost runner" rule whereby games tied after nine innings enter extra innings with a runner automatically placed on second base. 😳 

 

 Both rules are just ugly

[Low Positive]

1 minute ago, Royale with Cheese said:

If you can get a guy to kick it really high, like maybe angle the ball more flat.  If you can get a guy to land that inside the 25, you could get fair catches.

In theory, this is true, but teams are reluctant to try this because if a kicker hits it slightly wrong and the ball doesn't make it to the landing zone, the consequences are pretty dire. The league wants returns, and so far, they are getting them.

[Royale with Cheese]

3 minutes ago, Low Positive said:

In theory, this is true, but teams are reluctant to try this because if a kicker hits it slightly wrong and the ball doesn't make it to the landing zone, the consequences are pretty dire. The league wants returns, and so far, they are getting them.

 

I completely forgot that you can't move before the KR catches it.  So my point isn't valid.