Time to get rid of the kickoff

[Syracusecards]

It's time. Most of the time, the returner just lets it go anyway. Running it out doesn't really benefit the team anyway.

Last year, the Bills had the best average return on kickoffs. It was 27.64 yards per return. 2 1/2 yards more than just starting at the 25. Only 7 teams had an average greater than 25 yards, and we're talking half a yard for many of them.
Bills - 27.64
Ravens - 26.65
Cowboys - 26.08
Chiefs - 25.84
Colts - 25.84
Saints - 25.37
Panthers - 25.31

All the rest of the teams averaged less than 25 yards per return, which means they lost yards on returns.

That hit last night was really really scary. Ward could have been paralyzed or worse.

I'm skeptical the league would ever do away with it because the commercials that surround the kickoff are major $ for them, but it's the right thing to do.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I think if I were a coach I would tell my returner to NEVER take out of the end zone. Getting tackled at the 15 can be a momentum changer and a penalty and a sack and you're right up against your goal line.

The chance of a TD now is so small that I wouldn't risk it.

 

[Russ Smith]

Totally agree. It's dangerous but even beyond that almost every return there's a penalty so returning them is almost pointless.

You lose the excitement of an onside kick I guess but beyond that it's just too dangerous. They keep changing rules to make it safer but doesn't seem to work

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I think if I were a coach I would tell my returner to NEVER take out of the end zone. Getting tackled at the 15 can be a momentum changer and a penalty and a sack and you're right up against your goal line.

The chance of a TD now is so small that I wouldn't risk it.

I’ve been saying this for years.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

My main thing is half the time during a return some dummy gets a holding penalty and you end up at the 10 or 12 yd line. I would never return a kickoff.

They even need to use the college rule were you can fair catch it anywhere and start at the 25. It only makes sense in all the ways mentioned.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I’ve been saying this for years.

This is why I literally roll my eyes any time I see a take that says something to the effect that the Cardinals should emphasize getting a real good returner. I think a UDFA from Valdosta State with some speed who can catch the ball is adequate because I care that little.

In my football calculus, a 40 yard return which is a pretty damn good return is not nearly as impactful as a muff, for the scoreboard and momentum.

Rondale Moore has been sucking the past few weeks. I'm still excited about the kid, but damn he has made some big mistakes.

 

[CardLogic]

I just wonder how J. Ward would respond to this topic, today!

 

[Russ Smith]

I actually wonder how the players union thinks about it. How do they weigh the safety of their players vs maybe losing 1 roster spot if teams say ok without kickoffs we can carry 1 less guy?

But I had the same thought watching Ward laying on the ground last night is it really worth the risk to people's health to have kickoffs.

 

[Russ Smith]

FYI last year only 4% of onside kicks worked so the argument you can't do away with KO's because of that doesn't work.

 

[ajcardfan]

FYI last year only 4% of onside kicks worked so the argument you can't do away with KO's because of that doesn't work.

I remember some football league had an alternative to onsides kicks where the team could have one play to make 10 yards and keep the ball. They had gotten rid of kickoffs but I don't remember the league.

That would actually be more exciting than an onside kick, IMO.

 

[BritCard]

I disagree. There are thousands of kickoff a years and very few injuries.

What happened last night was a rarity.

 

[ajcardfan]

I disagree. There are thousands of kickoff a years and very few injuries.

What happened last night was a rarity.

Kickoffs are just getting more and more boring over the years. These kickers nowadays are just so damn good.

 

[BritCard]

Kickoffs are just getting more and more boring over the years. These kickers nowadays are just so damn good.

Most are, but I can't think of any better alternatives that doesn't massively change the game. ST's is a skill. I don't want to see it disappear.

 

[Syracusecards]

Most are, but I can't think of any better alternatives that doesn't massively change the game. ST's is a skill. I don't want to see it disappear.

Running as fast as you can to have the returner wave for a touchback is not a skill. Time to move on.

 

[BritCard]

Running as fast as you can to have the returner wave for a touchback is not a skill. Time to move on.

60% were touchbacks last year. That's 40% that are plays. It's a skill.

35% of passes on average are incomplete. Should we stop that too?

 

[Goldfield]

It’s pointless

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Kickoffs are just getting more and more boring over the years. These kickers nowadays are just so damn good.

Some years back they moved the spot of the kick 5 yards up. That has removed a lot of returns because it is much easier for the kicker to kick through the endzone. Kickers had to kick it with less hang time to reach the endzone and that made returns more dangerous. It's much tougher to break off a big kick return now because the coverage guys are further down the field now when you catch the kick.

 

[Shane]

It’s pointless

Is it pointless to the team down 3 who just scored and only a minute left on the clock?

 

[BritCard]

This thread makes no sense.

The prevailing argument seems to be to get rid of them because most of them are touchbacks. The alternative solution would be to start automatically at the 20. But if thats the case then kickoffs do no harm. Worse case you get the same outcome as the "solution".

On the other 40% its a skill. Either the returner wins and gains more or the defending team wins and they gain less. Occasionally you get the thrill of a kick off return touchdown, of which there have been 7 each in the last 2 years. In fact there are more kick off return touchdowns on average now than before it was moved forward 5 yards in 2011.

And we haven't even touched on results effected by muffed kick offs. Or fumbles.

It's certainly more interesting than automatically starting at the 20. This thread seems like a huge over reaction for one freak collision.

 

[dscher]

I disagree. There are thousands of kickoff a years and very few injuries.

What happened last night was a rarity.

Yeah. Things will work themselves out eventually in either direction..when 100 percent of the NFL stops taking kicks out of the end zone you'll have your rule change. I guess if you only look at one side of the equation here it makes it easier to judge. But, the stats have to be pretty clear that injury/concussion issues are down significantly. I think that's what matters.

 

[BritCard]

Random fact, we have the highest rate of touchbacks this year with 84%

Seattle are lowest with 34%.

Seattle is so low I have to wonder if that's a tactical decision and they want teams to return them.

 

[Mainstreet]

Unless a team has an elite kickoff returner, I think it's mostly pointless to bring kicks out of the end zone.

I'd hate to take it away because it used to be an exciting play but I haven't seen one taken all the way for a long time.

 

[Syracusecards]

Is it pointless to the team down 3 who just scored and only a minute left on the clock?

I would still keep the onside as an option. Give the team the choice to onside or have the other team start from the 25.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Is it pointless to the team down 3 who just scored and only a minute left on the clock?

You can concoct another way to try to get the ball back with small % chance of success.

 

[Syracusecards]

This thread makes no sense.

The prevailing argument seems to be to get rid of them because most of them are touchbacks. The alternative solution would be to start automatically at the 20. But if thats the case then kickoffs do no harm. Worse case you get the same outcome as the "solution".

On the other 40% its a skill. Either the returner wins and gains more or the defending team wins and they gain less. Occasionally you get the thrill of a kick off return touchdown, of which there have been 7 each in the last 2 years. In fact there are more kick off return touchdowns on average now than before it was moved forward 5 yards in 2011.

And we haven't even touched on results effected by muffed kick offs. Or fumbles.

It's certainly more interesting than automatically starting at the 20. This thread seems like a huge over reaction for one freak collision.

First of all, they start at the 25, not the 20. If you think they start at the 20, that would indicate that you don't even watch kickoffs and thus your opinion is irrelevant. Second of all, plenty of harm can be done even during a touchback with players being injured. The other 40% of returns do not even reach the 25 on average so they are essentially costing their team yards. As noted in the first post, only 7 teams average a return past 25 yards.

There is plenty of logic behind getting rid of it.