Comments on: NFL considers kickoffs at 35-yard line, touchbacks to 25-yard line

By: rabidbillsfan

rabidbillsfan — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:56:38 +0000

Well there goes any game changing plays on the kick-off, that is if it’s approved. I can see getting rid of the wedge, but moving the ball closer to the EZ is a bad idea. Billy Cundiff just signed a good deal because of his ability to boom the ball through the EndZone, move it up 5 yards and now over half the NFL can do it. Also, guys like Devin Hester and Josh Cribbs, who are really only diffrence makers on ST, won’t be as sought after and sign those lucrative contracts anymore. This impacts waaaayyyy more than just field postion. What if the last play of the game is a Touchback? No exciting Stanford-Cal finishes? Or like the New Orleans-Jax game. This is stupid, I think I would rather spend my money on Hockey Season Tix, at least they’re allowed to fight. (However, all of this saftey talk is starting to infect the NHL too. I just hope not to the same extent as the NFL.)

By: canjura

canjura — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:23:21 +0000

I don’t think they’re serious about passing this, even though, I dont think it’s such a bad idea. It’s obvious a strategic move by the NFL to bring to the judge and say, “Hey, look! We’re worried about these players and we want the best for them, on and off the field.” That’s why it’s being presented by the NFL as a way to bring less injuries to the field, and not a way to improve the game.

By: turk2875

turk2875 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 20:18:04 +0000

WHY must the NFL “try” to fix things that aren’t broken… WHY!?!?!?!?!?

By: bsizemore68

bsizemore68 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:42:48 +0000

If this passes into the rule book my team ( dolphins ) can work on not having punts block along with field goals tries, because they sure are having trouble stopping a return from any where on the field, of course with there field goals the coach will be fists pumping because we played not to lose instead of to win, perhaps now the owner will kick him in the butt each time he gets excited over a field goal, then lose by 3 points or so. Bill

By: wallyhorse

wallyhorse — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:26:33 +0000

It’s obvious this is being looked at to try and reduce injuries in any way possible. Given the speed of the game today as opposed to even 10 years ago, kickoffs, while exciting if there’s a run-back for a score can be the most dangerous as well.

One thing I would do is make it where is a kickoff or punt goes into the end zone and is NOT brought out, it’s a rouge worth one point to the kicking team as has been the case forever in the Canadian Football League and in the NFL with the ball brought out to the 30 (such, however, would NOT be allowed to decide a game in overtime as in the regular season, a team would have to win by at least three points EXCEPT where the defense scores a safety (other than where time in an overtime period runs out), while in the playoffs a team would have to win by seven points or more). That would make for some interesting strategy at times with “coffin corner” kicks. I would also make ALL punts live balls for both teams if it goes at least 25 yards, making it where the receiving team has to actually make an attempt to catch the ball instead of letting it go since the kicking team would be able to recover such and run it in. This was the rule with punts that actually was in play in the XFL in 2001.

By: clownburger

clownburger — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:52:54 +0000

Keep the rule the same, but everyone involved in kickoffs has to where stuffed sumo wrestler suits. That’ll keep everyone safe.

By: packerbacker12

packerbacker12 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:42:21 +0000

These people need to realize that players are going to get hurt when playing a sport like football along with any other sport.

And plus kick-offs returned for a touchdown can have a really huge impact on the game and makes it more exciting so I don’t see any reason to change it.

By: mataug

mataug — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:32:29 +0000

why not move the kicking spot to 25 yd from 30yds instead of going to 35 yd… they routinely go for touchbacks these days anyways

By: cambodianbreastmilk

cambodianbreastmilk — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:30:59 +0000

Cool. Maybe they can change a TD to 12pts, a FG to 5pts, make each QTR 25min, and equip all players with a fashionable belt to support the flags they’ll be wearing soon. What an awesome idea!

By: rushbacker

rushbacker — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:15:26 +0000

Do any of those clowns in the league office even WATCH football?? Their own network just listed the emergence of return specialists as one of the ten best things about the past decade of the sport. And now in one fell swoop they’re basically going to eliminate the excitement of players like Cribbs and Hester from the game? Brilliant. Next they can outlaw bump coverage and blitzing, and play every week under exhibition rules like that joke the Pro Bowl.

At what point are they going to realize/accept that you can’t legislate all risk of injury out of a contact sport without fundamentally altering the nature of the game? They need to focus on getting all players wearing better helmets and teaching proper form tackling rather than all these fines and rule changes.

By: blackcatnfl

blackcatnfl — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:14:40 +0000

Maybe they should do something about having 40% of the returns flagged. Its pretty stupid to get injured for returns that likely don’t even count.

By: blackcatnfl

blackcatnfl — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:13:26 +0000

We’re going to make it easy to keep the ball out of the hands of the most exciting returners in the game? Ridiculous.

By: favrefan

favrefan — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:07:37 +0000

Eventually, guys are going to be on the field in panties

By: stixzidinia

stixzidinia — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:47:52 +0000

The legacy of Roger Goodell will be that of a guy who insisted upon fixing what wasn’t even broken…….and ruining the league and the pro game in the process. Just about time to walk away from the NFL. It no longer even resembles the game I grew up with from the 70′s on.

By: dutchman1350

dutchman1350 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:47:24 +0000

Moving the kickoff forward will allow the kickers to get more height on their kick (hang-time). This will squeeze the coverage gap (like a punt), possibly slowing the pursuit.

By: seanmmartin

seanmmartin — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:31:25 +0000

Where is/are your reference(s)?

By: mikerol124

mikerol124 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:01:58 +0000

They should worry more about the decision to actually kick off before they worry about where the hell they’re kicking off from.

By: aclerok

aclerok — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:55:53 +0000

Couldn’t this backfire and potentially increase the chance of injuries?

Kickers would have less incentive to kick to the end zone. Why give up 25 yards when you can try and kick it a little short of the end zone? With your coverage team 5 yards closer, by keeping it in play you’ve got a better chance of pinning them deep than with the current rules.

By: terrellochouno

terrellochouno — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:54:31 +0000

In other news, the owners have proposed the four-down format be replaced with eight downs

By: goodjet

goodjet — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:46:40 +0000

And the (GREAT) watering down of the game continues —- Hell, at this rate they will be able to play a 60 game season —- You know, I don’t even know if I really even care anymore, they keep watering it down and watering it down so really the game in so many ways is already lost —- Maybe I’ll just have to watch ski jumping or something else with a little danger to it —- Maybe I’ll watch the web-cam of convenience store clerks working at night, that’s pretty freaking dangerous and a million times more dangerous then Pro Football

By: Little Earthquake

Little Earthquake — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:46:07 +0000

Let’s get rid of the forward pass, too. Someone might get hurt.

By: kristenjanellsullivan

kristenjanellsullivan — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:40:35 +0000

their logic is flawed though. There is less incentive for the kicker to kick it through the endzone because their coverage team is now closer and the “reward” is worse. Since the coverage team is 5 yards closer, they are more likely to stop a return before the 20. Before, it was really hard for a coverage team to stop a player before the 20, but now it is easier and the reward for a touchback is worse. So kickers will now kick the ball higher which will give the coverage team more time to get down the field…which there is less to cover now. Result, less touchbacks, more hits, more injuries.

By: BC

BC — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:34:52 +0000

Just remove kickoffs altogether, and give the team the ball at the 20 or 25 yard line. Would save time. They basically eliminated the jump ball in basketball and no one noticed.

By: p4ck3r5

p4ck3r5 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:26:05 +0000

Why not make the field smaller like the arena football league too whild you guys are at it

By: oldbyrd

oldbyrd — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:23:12 +0000

Im dropping my season tickets. Soon ping pong will be more dangerous. I hear the players Union wants the NFL to consider going to Flag Football. Whats next?

By: johnnycash19

johnnycash19 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:22:17 +0000

So let me get this straight, they basically want to take 1/3rd of the game away in returns and such, but they can’t define what a catch is? I really hate to say it, but I’m slowly losing my love for the NFL.

By: richm2256

richm2256 — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:19:55 +0000

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”

It ain’t “broke”.

This rule virtually eliminates kick returns; kickers routinely hit the endzone from the 30, moving them up to the 35 just makes that a certainty. Playmaker’s Dealer is right, why even bother kicking at all, just give the other team the ball at the 25 for Pete’s sakes.

Me, I love watching a guy back into the endzone and make that split-second decision “should I, or shouldn’t I?” and he either breaks off a nice run to get past the 20, or gets stuffed at the six yard line.

Why, in God’s name, would these morons want to take that excitement away for an automatic down at the 25?

These idiots actually believe that they’re making this game BETTER with this????

By: mataug

mataug — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:16:16 +0000

As a Colts fan, I would love it if this happens, 5 yds less to Peyton Manning when he’s got one of the worst special teams in the league to play with woohoo!

By: mybuttsayspft

mybuttsayspft — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:15:43 +0000

You’re welcome baseball. The NFL seems to be wanting you to take over as America’s game again.

By: angrycorgi

angrycorgi — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:15:11 +0000

Any word on a special rule to cover tripping on the sidelines during a kickoff/punt??