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477 sats \ 16 comments \ @grayruby 14 Aug Stacker_Sports

New NFL Kickoff Rule

I have watched far too much preseason football in the past week to be considered healthy. NFL Network has been replaying all the first week games on rotation. I don't watch full games but if I noticed a game I haven't seen yet is on, I will tune in for a bit.

My biggest takeaway from the week one of preseason is I really don't like this new kickoff rule. It seems far too gimmicky and the league already has enough offense and explosive plays. If they wanted less touchbacks why didn't they just have the ball come to the 30 (which is part of this rule change) on touchbacks.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that the 49ers, as great as they are, do not have a good Special Teams and I know they are going to find a way to get consistently torched on this play, but it looks silly and seems unnecessary to me.

https://m.stacker.news/45792

What do stackers think? Do you like the new rule?

Sats for all, GR

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71 sats \ 3 replies \ @ChrisS 14 Aug

It does seem gimmicky and silly but the main thinking behind it is to reduce injuries by limiting the amount of space the kicking team has to run before colliding with a blocker.

21 sats \ 2 replies \ @grayruby OP 14 Aug

Devil's Advocate. If that is the aim then why not get rid of kickoffs altogether and just have teams auto start at the 30.

71 sats \ 1 reply \ @ChrisS 14 Aug

That idea of no kickoffs has been discussed by the league and more than likely something similar will be the end result of all the changes in a few years.

My guess is the idea was to strike a balance between keeping some semblance of a kick off for the traditionalists while also reducing injuries. It’s hard to completely eliminate a play that has been a big part of the game for so long.

Also you have to solve for the issue of replacing onside kicks if you eliminate kickoffs . One idea is something like a fourth and 15 play from your own 35 and if you convert you keep the ball.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bell_curve 14 Aug

no more surprise onside kicks like the super bowl between Saints and Colts

60 sats \ 1 reply \ @Public_N_M_E 14 Aug

I wanna see it in action in a real game. But personally, I preferred the 4th & 25 idea and just having the kick off scrapped entirely.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @halleck 14 Aug

I feel like this is the answer as well. I'd like to see it tried, it feels more like football this way. The 25y could be adjusted over time too, to get an exciting average success rate, say 3-5% or something.

50 sats \ 2 replies \ @Undisciplined 14 Aug

I'm still intrigued. I also think it's too early to evaluate it, since many teams aren't showing their cards until the regular season.

I hated that kick returns were going away, so I have some optimism that this gets us back to baseline.

39 sats \ 1 reply \ @grayruby OP 14 Aug

Do you think it will really increase the amount of big returns or the league will figure it out and it will mostly end of the same?

50 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined 14 Aug

I think it will increase the amount of returns, which will probably increase the number of big returns. I am slightly concerned that it will be too dramatic of a change, but other leagues used it and it worked for them.

The old system was just so pointless. We were at a point where they may as well have just gotten rid of kickoffs and have everyone start at the 25.

50 sats \ 1 reply \ @StillStackinAfterAllTheseYears 14 Aug

Yeah, it feels like Calvinball at this point. I expect a lot of chaos resulting from it.

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby OP 14 Aug

Me too. Especially at the beginning of the season.

50 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 14 Aug

No one understands the new kickoff.

I say kick it into the end zone, save your energy for punt coverage

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby OP 14 Aug

That's what I hope the 49ers do every time. They have a good defense. The other team starting at the 30 instead of the 25 shouldn't be a big deal.

21 sats \ 2 replies \ @grayruby OP 14 Aug

@Public_N_M_E just heard about JJ. Tough one. Two years in a row- QB out for season.