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New NFL Kickoff Rule

batmagadanleadoff Sep 05 2023 10:34 AM

Just read about a new kickoff rule effective beginning this season: on a kickoff, a player from the receiving team can signal for a fair catch, just like on a punt, provided that player is anywhere between his goal line and his 25 yard line. If the fair catch is successful, the ball is then spotted on the receiving team's 25 yard line. The rule is designed to discourage kickoff returns and further prevent injuries on what is the most dangerous play in the game. So why don't they just abolish the kickoff altogether? https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/opinion/contributors/nfl-kickoff-rule-change.html

Johnny Lunchbucket Sep 05 2023 11:07 AM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

They should have the kickoff from the goal line; that would be better

Frayed Knot Sep 05 2023 04:42 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

=batmagadanleadoff post_id=136781 time=1693931678 user_id=68] So why don't they just abolish the kickoff altogether?

So that they can claim that they're not really altering the game (just tweaking the rules a bit) while at the same

time planting their flag on the 'We're all about player safety' side of the line after which they'll publish stats citing

decreases in player injuries, evidence of which will be about as transparent as the surveys where we all demanded

the universal DH and a permanent Ghost Runner rule.









My favorite story of the not-yet-set-sail 23-24 NFL season is the 49ers QB saga where they decided that:

- Trey Lance, the guy who they acquired after dealing multiple 1st round picks in order to move up to #3 in 2021 draft was dropped to 3rd string

- Sam Darnold, the guy around whom NYJ fans decided was worthy of throwing away an entire season 'Suck for Sam!!' in order to snag him with

the 3rd pick of the 2018 draft, was going to be their 2nd string guy

- Brock Purdy, the guy drafted not just in the 7th round (2022) but with the very last pick in the entire dog and pony show, was given the starters

job even as he was coming off an injury from his lone partial season.



And it's my fave not to pick on SF. In fact I admire their decision not to chase sunk causes beyond all reason.

But having a 262nd pick from a 'lesser' college program (Iowa St) and with less pro experience beating out to top picks from just 2 and 5 years

earlier flies in the face of the idea that the draft 'experts' are worth listening to for months on end during the lead up to each year's draft.

nymr83 Sep 05 2023 07:59 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Just read about a new kickoff rule effective beginning this season: on a kickoff, a player from the receiving team can signal for a fair catch, just like on a punt, provided that player is anywhere between his goal line and his 25 yard line. If the fair catch is successful, the ball is then spotted on the receiving team's 25 yard line. The rule is designed to discourage kickoff returns and further prevent injuries on what is the most dangerous play in the game. So why don't they just abolish the kickoff altogether? https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/opinion/contributors/nfl-kickoff-rule-change.html The NFL essentially wants to abolish the kickoff. the problem with officially doing so, is that the possibility of recovering an onside kick keeps TVs turned on longer in blowouts. The best solution I've heard to that is that if you wanted to go for an onside kick, you can choose not to kickoff at all - you get the ball back after you score except its 4th and 15 from your own 35 yard line.

whippoorwill Sep 05 2023 08:17 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

I wish they'd just leave stuff alone. Baseball Has enough wussy assed new rules.

whippoorwill Sep 05 2023 08:18 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Just read about a new kickoff rule effective beginning this season: on a kickoff, a player from the receiving team can signal for a fair catch, just like on a punt, provided that player is anywhere between his goal line and his 25 yard line. If the fair catch is successful, the ball is then spotted on the receiving team's 25 yard line. The rule is designed to discourage kickoff returns and further prevent injuries on what is the most dangerous play in the game. So why don't they just abolish the kickoff altogether? https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/05/opinion/contributors/nfl-kickoff-rule-change.html Id like to know how this differs from the original intent

Frayed Knot Sep 06 2023 05:07 AM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

=nymr83 post_id=136838 time=1693965559 user_id=54]The NFL essentially wants to abolish the kickoff. the problem with officially doing so, is that the possibility of recovering an onside kick keeps TVs turned on longer in blowouts.

Definitely a big factor. The favorite 'Don't Touch that Dial' phrase among NFL talking heads these days with any game where the gap is 16 points or less is: 'And now it's only a two-score game!!!'

The best solution I've heard to that is that if you wanted to go for an onside kick, you can choose not to kickoff at all - you get the ball back after you score except its 4th and 15 from your own 35 yard line.

This is so contrived, gimmicky, and unfair that I'm surprised the league hasn't already implemented it.

MFS62 Sep 06 2023 07:30 AM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

=whippoorwill post_id=136845 time=1693966650 user_id=79] I wish they'd just leave stuff alone. Baseball Has enough wussy assed new rules.

Amen!

Later

nymr83 Sep 06 2023 05:39 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

The best solution I've heard to that is that if you wanted to go for an onside kick, you can choose not to kickoff at all - you get the ball back after you score except its 4th and 15 from your own 35 yard line. This is so contrived, gimmicky, and unfair that I'm surprised the league hasn't already implemented it. contrived and gimmicky yes. unfair? i wouldn't think so. the exact distance and yard line could be determined by the historic percentage to convert so as to match it up with the percentage to recover an onside kick - it would be the same odds you have now, just without those evil kickoffs.

Frayed Knot Sep 07 2023 07:01 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Unfair in that after one team scores the other then gets the ball. Only in this case the scoring team decides that they're going to still be on offense (Yeah, I know it's the 3rd out but we're going to keep batting). Not sure what the success rate of onside kicks are but it's gotta be lower than that of gaining 15 yards on a given play.

Edgy MD Sep 07 2023 07:32 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

They should start just by placing the ball at the 50. Put both teams in their respective end zones and blow the whistle.

MFS62 Sep 07 2023 07:49 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Frayed Knot wrote: Not sure what the success rate of onside kicks are but it's gotta be lower than that of gaining 15 yards on a given play. IIRC, last year one of the announcers said the success rate of recovering an on-side was around 30%. Not sure if that was just last year or if it included past years. I'd like to see what the percentage is for gaining 15 yards on one play but I'm guessing it is comparable because that's the distance the rules committee picked. Later

Frayed Knot Sep 07 2023 08:22 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

I'd be shocked if the long term success rate of onside kicks is 30%

DocTee Sep 08 2023 05:16 AM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Last year's success rate was 5.6% (3 out of 56). The 4th and 15 "gimmick" is actually used in the XFL I think, and I could see it being adopted at some point in the future after the kinks are worked out.

metirish Sep 08 2023 10:28 AM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Green Bay punter Dan Whelan is the first Irish born NFL player since 1985 ( Neil O' Donoghue ) Should be noted that Whelan moved to the US with his family nearly ten years ago

kcmets Sep 08 2023 12:51 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Here's an idea, in the fourth quarter every team gets the ball on the opposing 20 yard line and they just see who can score the most. Can't get a first down? Five yard penalty, do over!!

MFS62 Sep 08 2023 03:29 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Or, they can select one Las Vegas Casino every week, and let the head bookmaker from that casino pick he final score. No player gets injured and we get the same result in the game. Sheesh. This is getting ridiculous. (start at 53 seconds mark) [YOUTUBE]YDXKAwzdxn4[/YOUTUBE] Later

Frayed Knot Sep 08 2023 04:14 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Last year's success rate was 5.6% (3 out of 56). Yeah, roughly 1 in 20 sounds Much more realistic to me. The 4th and 15 "gimmick" is actually used in the XFL I think, and I could see it being adopted at some point in the future after the kinks are worked out. Oh I think it will be adopted, probably sooner rather than later. First of all the NFL rarely comes up with these ideas first. Most of their so-called innovations over the years [2-pt conversions, goal posts in the back of the end-zone, radios in helmets, replay reviews, etc] were not only invented elsewhere first (AFL, USFL, college) but were dismissed by the Shield as gimmicks unworthy of their superior league ... before eventually being incorporated. And this one will just extend the whole idea that even a blowout in progress can still be turned around. A team can be down by multiple touchdowns late in the game but, with the usual assortments of timeouts, plus the 2-minute warning (what a weird rule!) plus all the other various game stoppages, and now each time they score they can continue with the possibility that the other side never gets to go on offense. Plus, y'know, imagine the betting possibilities.

MFS62 Sep 08 2023 04:25 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Frayed Knot wrote: plus the 2-minute warning (what a weird rule!) The NFL may have stolen that, too. The CFL has a three minute warning. Not sure which came first. Later

Frayed Knot Sep 08 2023 05:48 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

I've just never understood the origin or the purpose of the rule. It seems to exist for no reason other than to stop play for the sake of stopping play.

MFS62 Sep 08 2023 07:19 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Frayed Knot wrote: I've just never understood the origin or the purpose of the rule. It seems to exist for no reason other than to stop play for the sake of stopping play. I didn't know, but here's what I found. It goes back to the time when there was no large clock on the field. The ref timed the game with a stopwatch, and he would stop the time to alert the coaches that the end of the half (or game) was coming. Here's more: https://footballadvantage.com/2-minute-warning/ Its almost one of those traditions they've kept around like something we've kept around in baseball for the nostalgia. Like the seventh inning stretch. Of course, it is now another delay into which the networks can pump additional commercials. So much for nostalgia. Later

Edgy MD Sep 09 2023 12:55 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

The seventh-inning stretch is the best.

Frayed Knot Sep 09 2023 01:16 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

And, unlike football's TMW, the 7th inning stretch doesn't affect game strategy or on-field results.

Lefty Specialist Sep 09 2023 03:23 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Frayed Knot wrote: I've just never understood the origin or the purpose of the rule. It seems to exist for no reason other than to stop play for the sake of stopping play. It exists for the chance to cram in a block of pricey commercials.

Frayed Knot Sep 11 2023 06:22 AM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

So the second half of the NY/NY Prime Time opening weekend show is bound to go at least a little bit better than Act 1, eh?

Frayed Knot Sep 11 2023 06:28 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Lefty Specialist wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: I've just never understood the origin or the purpose of the rule. It seems to exist for no reason other than to stop play for the sake of stopping play. It exists for the chance to cram in a block of pricey commercials. That, along with giving more time for three trailing team to catch up, is certainly the reason why it'll continue to exist. Another weird rule: Why is a kick that goes out of bounds a penalty while a punt that does the same is considered strategy?

Frayed Knot Sep 11 2023 06:33 PM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Frayed Knot wrote: So the second half of the NY/NY Prime Time opening weekend show is bound to go at least a little bit better than Act 1, eh? Or, maybe not.

RealityChuck Sep 12 2023 06:19 AM Re: New NFL Kickoff Rule

Frayed Knot wrote: I've just never understood the origin or the purpose of the rule. It seems to exist for no reason other than to stop play for the sake of stopping play. I didn't know, but here's what I found. It goes back to the time when there was no large clock on the field. The ref timed the game with a stopwatch, and he would stop the time to alert the coaches that the end of the half (or game) was coming. Here's more: https://footballadvantage.com/2-minute-warning/ Its almost one of those traditions they've kept around like something we've kept around in baseball for the nostalgia. Like the seventh inning stretch. Of course, it is now another delay into which the networks can pump additional commercials. So much for nostalgia. Later This was true into the 1960s. In the NFL, the stadium clock was not official. There was a referee that kept the official time (he'd indicate to the stadium timekeeper to adjust if they didn't sync, using hand signals). So they still needed the warning to inform the coaches and set the stadium clock. The AFL was first to make the stadium clock official and the NFL refused to use their idea until the merger.