TIME: Possible Plan To Eliminate Kickoffs

[Brian in Mesa]

TIME: Possible Plan To Eliminate Kickoffs

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...ng-kickoffs-player-safety-164839047--nfl.html

TIME sat in on meeting between Goodell and Rich McKay, head of the NFL's powerful competition committee. Goodell brought up a proposal promoted by Greg Schiano, coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: after a touchdown or field goal, instead of kicking off, a team would get the ball on its own 30-yard line, where it's fourth-and-15. The options are either to go for it and try to retain possession, or punt. If you go for it and fall short, the opposing team would take over with good field position. In essence, punts would replace kickoffs, and punts are less susceptible to violent collisions than kickoffs.

 

[Proteus]

How about they just play flag football instead?

 

[Stout]

I never thought I'd agree to such a drastic change, but it sounds kind of cool.

 

[Fitz Rulz]

punts are shorter
so if u punt from own 30, other team may get the ball at their 40 or even more

 

[40yearfan]

So what's the difference between a punt and a kick-off? Both involve violent collisions.

Stupid idea.

 

[Stout]

So what's the difference between a punt and a kick-off? Both involve violent collisions.

Stupid idea.

By rule, only 2 players (gunners) can run down the field before a punt, causing much less velocity on a punt, and less violent hits. It's clear and obvious that punts are safer than kickoffs.

 

[Fitz Rulz]

who will be going for 4/15 from their own 30?
Even Brady won't do it!

 

[Stout]

who will be going for 4/15 from their own 30?
Even Brady won't do it!

It replaces the onside kick. If you're down by 3 after just scoring a TD with 45 seconds left, you're going for that 4th and 15.

 

[jw7]

So what's the difference between a punt and a kick-off? Both involve violent collisions.

Stupid idea.

Disagree. With punt coverage, the opposing team tries to block the punt first, and then run the opposite direction and regain position to cover.

On kickoffs, it is flat-out set up the wedge and hammer people straight-on.

I'm not sure it is a good idea, but if the ball were on the 35 it might make more sense. I also think for come-from-behind there is a better chance of making a 4th and 15 than recovering an onside kick.

Interesting. Maybe try it in HOF game or something. Would definitely change strategy.

 

[Superfuzz]

NFL is getting too gimmicky... Just play the game as it's meant to be played.

Just another way to emphasize and de-regulate the passing game to the point where going for it on 4th-15 is like a 60% success rate for the Bradys and Mannings...

 

[Darkside]

It replaces the onside kick. If you're down by 3 after just scoring a TD with 45 seconds left, you're going for that 4th and 15.

Yep, could be interesting, but it'll make it easy for offenses to score. The great offenses, like the Pats will average even more points per game due to better field position after the punt. Look for overall scoring averages to increase.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[Red Dawn]

I don't like it, the kickoff is one of the most exciting plays in the game, at least it was before all the touchbacks this year.

Whis is still on the competition committee, I would have thought he got tossed from it after the way we have been playing

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

NFL is getting too gimmicky... Just play the game as it's meant to be played.

Without the forward pass?

 

[splitsecond]

Without the forward pass?

You just solved the mystery of Whiz's "system."

 

[splitsecond]

I would object to this, but we have Patrick Peterson.

 

[BigRedRage]

who will be going for 4/15 from their own 30?
Even Brady won't do it!

fake punt.

I like the idea better than just giving the other team the ball on the 25.

I think the 30 is a bit far back though, a Punter will have a hard time getting it to the 20 like usual.

 

[Russ Smith]

They said statistically the odds of converting a 4th and 15 are almost identical to the rate of an onside kick working. Obviously SOME onside kicks are a surprise, but 4th and 15 is pretty close to being the same as an onside kick.

Not sure yet you have to wonder if the other shoe to drop would be reducing roster size to save money which the players union would object to.

A KO return is one of the most exciting plays in the game IMO but with the rules today they almost all come back anyways for an illegal block so I guess I could live with the rule.

Don't really like it but player safety has to be a priority.

 

[CtCardinals78]

Don't really like it but player safety has to be a priority.

I don't like it at all, in fact it would completely turn me off from the game. There's other ways to make the game safer without compromising the integrity of the game. Widen the field, put a size limit on players on special teams etc.

This change would ruin the game. Ruin it. I'm all for player safety, but no one is is forcing these guys to play. This is like telling firemen they can fight the fire, they just can't go in the burning building.

 

[Duckjake]

I don't like it at all, in fact it would completely turn me off from the game. There's other ways to make the game safer without compromising the integrity of the game. Widen the field, put a size limit on players on special teams etc.

This change would ruin the game. Ruin it. I'm all for player safety, but no one is is forcing these guys to play. This is like telling firemen they can fight the fire, they just can't go in the burning building.

I really like this idea. It would just be cost prohibitive as I don't believe the current stadiums have room. But the Colleges and NFL are playing on the same size field they played on when linemen were 6'0" 200lbs. Now they have guys 250lbs who run 4.6 forties and 8-9 guys on the field who are 6'4" and weigh over 300lbs. There just isn't enough room. It's one reason that college teams have gone to the spread offense.

It's why Basketball went to the 3 point shot. Players are so big and athletic that with out the 3 point arch teams would struggle to run any kind of offense.

If baseball hadn't gotten the players off Steroids they would have had to move the fences back.

 

[Russ Smith]

I don't like it at all, in fact it would completely turn me off from the game. There's other ways to make the game safer without compromising the integrity of the game. Widen the field, put a size limit on players on special teams etc.

This change would ruin the game. Ruin it. I'm all for player safety, but no one is is forcing these guys to play. This is like telling firemen they can fight the fire, they just can't go in the burning building.

I'm forgetting where it was but I heard a discussion about just that the widening the field thing.

The guy was a former college coach and he said his issue is that he doesn't think people understand the angles with throwing the ball. yeah it might help on Ko's but most the game is from the LOS. And he said even the strongest arm Qb's in the NFL would have trouble with a wider field because if you actually use the width, and coaches would, all those throws to the sidelines become longer.

his thinking was it would actually help running and hurt passing and he doesn't think the NFL would go for it for that reason.

 

[CtCardinals78]

I'm forgetting where it was but I heard a discussion about just that the widening the field thing.

The guy was a former college coach and he said his issue is that he doesn't think people understand the angles with throwing the ball. yeah it might help on Ko's but most the game is from the LOS. And he said even the strongest arm Qb's in the NFL would have trouble with a wider field because if you actually use the width, and coaches would, all those throws to the sidelines become longer.

his thinking was it would actually help running and hurt passing and he doesn't think the NFL would go for it for that reason.

Interesting take. In going to see if I can find an article relating to this as well. thank you.

 

[Russ Smith]

Interesting take. In going to see if I can find an article relating to this as well. thank you.

Note, pretty sure the Canadian League has a wider field I seem to recall Warren Moon saying it actually helped make his arm stronger.

 

[Duckjake]

Note, pretty sure the Canadian League has a wider field I seem to recall Warren Moon saying it actually helped make his arm stronger.

CFL field is 65 yards wide.

 

[az jam]

Getting rid of kickoffs is ridiculous. Why not just turn the game into flag football.

 

[Mulli]

The Cardinals must be in favor of this. This might explain why they appear to be trying to avoid scoring touchdowns.