Why Move NFL Kickoff Up 5yd?

[1greatmysticbushape]

shouldn't it have been moved back 5yd. why bother even doing a kickoff now. put the ball on the 20 yd line. pretty boring.

[notahomer]

I have been 'whining' about this topic in other threads (NFL thread and evolving rule changes thread).

I agree with you about it seems to dumb down the game. Why bother, just put it on the 20, I guess. The concept apparently is to make the game 'safer' but what, it doesn't seem to be happening.

Also, the other big tweek on the rules (automatic review on all scoring plays) is another So the defence gets a free challenge. makes sense I guess becuase all scores should be legit. But if you do that why don't you review all non-scores that could be reviewed. The Offensive coach doesn't challenge because his player is ruled out at the one but replays show he scored. Coach doesn't bother challenging a legit score because they'll punch it in but the snap gets fumbled. So a legit score doesn't get counted in that scenario.

This tweek slows the game down (and it would be doubly bad if my suggestion of all possible scoring/nonscoring calls be automatically reviewed). Many times I have seen what looked like an obivous score happen, then it goes to review, thereby stopping the cheering and fan involvement in the game for a bit. Then the ref comes on and says "yes, it was a touchdown". Just unneeded, IMO. If a Coach wants to challenge, let him challenge and if he's already burned his, TOUGH.

[sasklionsfan]

The moving of the ball is to basically remove the kick return from the game, eliminating potential career ending injuries on a kickoff return. They started this in motion by eliminating the wedge a couple of years ago :P

[1greatmysticbushape]

it sure hilites a difference between cfl & nfl. is it even football without a kickoff runback? I agree with notahomer, those damn yankees are screwing everything up.

[notahomer]

The moving of the ball is to basically remove the kick return from the game, eliminating potential career ending injuries on a kickoff return. They started this in motion by eliminating the wedge a couple of years ago :P

Okay, I understand. I know football has a history of this kind of stuff, some of it works, some of it just frustrates me. Why not just have each team start at the twenty if safety is an issue? I think I know the answer. They need to be able to keep some reason for on-side kicks and the drama of the endgame around.

Since safety is an issue, I would like to see chopblocks by the O-line stopped. It is part of regular practice and its one of the few times a football player can take a shot at an opponents knees (already engaged with another lineman or not) without being labelled 'dirty'.

[budha]

I know Devon Hestor from Chicago hated this rule as soon as it was announced. What it is also doing is taking away the returner job from the NFL. Not many kick offs are being returned and there are not that many punts returned (I would guess less then half), so why have that spot on the roster. I have noiticed more touchdowns this year though (maybe just an illustion, becuase their as not as many kicks being returned). I wonder how many players start to pull up a bit if the ball goes deep and then blocked easier when the guy actually returns it.

Football is a violent game and players are going to get hurt, but taking away things like this does not really help that. It would be interesting to see the percentage of how many injuries occur per special teams play as opposed to a regular offensive play (actual number would be less because their are less special teams plays).

[Hambone]

Numbers are a funny thing.

2010 - 16.38% of KOs resulted in touchbacks
2011 - 48.81% of KOs resulted in touchbacks (season to date)

2010 - 0.906% of KOs were returned for TDs
2011 - 0.648% of KOs were returned for TDs (season to date)

2010 - 1.131% of KO returns resulted in a TD
2011 - 1.328% of KO returns resulted in a TD (season to date)

As expected the percentage of touchbacks has tripled with the percentage of TDs decreasing. Yet when kicks are returned this year their is a higher percentage going for 6.

[Tighthead]

Hambone - I wonder if kick cover teams are a little less crisp with less live action? Seems like as good a guess as any.

The new rule is a tough one for the NFL - great for player safety, bad for entertainment. With injuries getting more and more scrutiny, leagues are going to have some tough business decisions to make in balancing safety and entertainment.

[notahomer]

Yes, seeing any NFL team (certainly the Packers/Patriots) play on a CFL field with CFL rules would be awesome, IMO.

There are problems with the NFL game, IMO. If space would help, why not take a player off of the field instead of the adjusted kickoff? I don't know what the answer is but kickoffs need to be part of the game, IMO. Guess we'll see how this plays out. There was a lot of griping about the umpire adjustment last season and it seems to be working out fine, IMO. At least they are willing to try stuff out and adjust. Never going to go to a CFL field and/or 3 downs, thats a given.

[sj-roc]

The best thing the NFL could do to enhance player safety would be to adopt the Canadian field, (in width if not in length) and a twenty second clock as opposed to a 40 (or is it 45?) second clock. This would radically change the size of the players as the emphasis would be on speed as opposed to power. Wouldn't you love to see a team like Green Bay or New England play on a CFL field? It'd be fantastic football.

But that ain't gonna happen.

Cheers,

James

RE: the play clock, the NFL's 0:40 play clock starts as soon as the previous play is blown dead. The 0:20 CFL clock doesn't start until the ref sets the ball and blows play in. I don't have any numbers but in terms of game pace but it's prob a wash; I've always felt the difference in the two has been a bit overstated.

[Hambone]

The best thing the NFL could do to enhance player safety would be to adopt the Canadian field, (in width if not in length) and a twenty second clock as opposed to a 40 (or is it 45?) second clock. This would radically change the size of the players as the emphasis would be on speed as opposed to power. Wouldn't you love to see a team like Green Bay or New England play on a CFL field? It'd be fantastic football.

But that ain't gonna happen.

Cheers,

James

RE: the play clock, the NFL's 0:40 play clock starts as soon as the previous play is blown dead. The 0:20 CFL clock doesn't start until the ref sets the ball and blows play in. I don't have any numbers but in terms of game pace but it's prob a wash; I've always felt the difference in the two has been a bit overstated.

I was at a Minnesota Vikings game 3 years ago and out of curiosity watched the 45 second clock for several plays. At about the time I figured CFL officials would have the ball set and the play clock whistled in the NFL 45 second clock had already wound down to 25 seconds. In my opinion NFL 45 second clock = 25 second CFL clock.