People have been talking about the new kickoff/touchback rule. Might as well end kickoffs totally and just give teams the ball on 25 or 20 yard line every time.
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People have been talking about the new kickoff/touchback rule. Might as well end kickoffs totally and just give teams the ball on 25 or 20 yard line every time.
I know I was reading about the new kickoff rule and thought it was in this thread, but it is in the rules survey thread: http://www.bisonville.com/forum/show...A-Rules-Survey
I'm not sure what the original desired outcome was, but I thought I read somewhere the number of touchbacks went from like 15% to 37%. So they definitely increased but far from eliminated returns. It's easier said than done to sky a kick to the 5 near the sideline. I'm sure we'll see an increase in touchbacks but there will still be plenty of returns.
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Most discussions have included an option for the "kicking" team to run one play on their side of the field with an opportunity to pick up a first down in 10 or 15 yards or punt the ball away. If the rule ever does eliminate the free kick I would expect to see something like that.
I re-read the earlier posts on this thread about the dreaded fumble into and out of the end zone. Another point I've heard is the reason the forward fumble out of bounds coming back to the spot of the fumble is to prevent a team from gaining yards from intentionally fumbling forward out of bounds. The rule applies whether or not the fumble is intentional. A player is not going to intentionally fumble into the end zone out of bounds. That's another reason the rule is different when it comes to the goal line. The 4th down fumble rule is similar preventing anyone but the player who fumbled from advancing. The rule is preventing a player from fumbling intentionally so his teammate could advance it beyond the line to gain. Again, it doesn't matter if the fumble was intentional.
The only possible change I could see would be to bring the ball back to the spot of the fumble if it goes out of bounds in the end zone. But I would be very surprised to see that change. The goal line is a big factor on the play.
Football is general is in big trouble over the next few years. Studies are finding more and more head injury data at ALL levels. Prominent players are coming forward every day with new horror stories, Kickoffs are violent and almost every returning kickoff in an NFL game results in somebody being helped off the field (while we are away at commercial). Asking 225lb top athletes to run full speed 40-50 yards and crash into each other is currently in the radar of common sense medicine. The NFL is being given a small window to clean this up or a couple large legal firms, backed by former NFL stars and members of their families are going to. I love football and it may be the only sport I watch on tv, however, I give it about 20 years if there is no radical change.
The new kick off rule :facepalm: