Belichick comments on the kickoff rule: "...they want to eliminate the play."

When a question was posed saying, "If the intention of the league is to almost eliminate kickoffs . . ."

"That's what they told us," Belichick interrupted. "I'm not speaking for anyone else. That's what they told us, that they want to eliminate the play."

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The league response claims that's not accurate.

Belichick: 'League wants to eliminate kickoffs'

The back and forth on this within league circles should start really ratcheting up now.

So, we ask ourselves "cui bono"?

I wonder which GMs have the most influence in the NFL Competition Committee?

PatsWickedPissah said:

So, we ask ourselves "cui bono"?

I wonder which GMs have the most influence in the NFL Competition Committee?

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I don't think it's coincidental that the Colts have had special teams issues.

PatsWickedPissah said:

I wonder which GMs have the most influence in the NFL Competition Committee?

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Devin Hester you are ridiculous........

PatsWickedPissah said:

So, we ask ourselves "cui bono"?

I wonder which GMs have the most influence in the NFL Competition Committee?

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BB, on the new rules:

"We've got a good kicker," Belichick said with a shrug, "sorry."

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Belichick: 'We've got a good kicker, sorry' - AFC East Blog - ESPN

Another stupid rule change from the Goodell Era. Why doesn't he just make it Chess on the field and get it over with?

Kickoffs are some of the most exciting plays in the game.

Seems strange, i thought the league wanted More Offense. That fans like offense thats why the the kick offs were move back years ago so that there were more returns.

Bye bye Brandon Tate, we hardly knew ye.

reflexblue said:

Seems strange, i thought the league wanted More Offense. That fans like offense thats why the the kick offs were move back years ago so that there were more returns.

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+1. It devalues players who are on the brink of making a roster. I like the move the yets ST coach did. If you have a running start, bring it out. But even then, If a kicking team has good solid ST'ers, I rather take the ball at the 20.

"(Chairman of the Competition Committee) Rich McKay and (NFL Vice President) Ray Anderson say that’s not accurate," Aiello wrote. "They said the Competition Committee’s position was that they wanted to 'shorten the field' and that the movement of the kickoff line would potentially reduce the number of kickoffs to be returned. They said they are unaware of anyone saying that it was intended to 'eliminate' the kickoff return."

Potentially?

These folks need better PR people or writers. When you put that word in there, you lose all credibility. The response immediately goes from being a response to being defensive, and it's hard to take a word of it seriously.

There is nothing potential about it. If you want to defend it, defend it. If you want to talk about it, talk about it. It might be a great change, and obviously 22 owners thought it was a good idea, and so maybe so would I. But it is insulting to our intelligence, what little I may have, to suggest that it will not reduce the number of returns.

So this rule devalues guys like Tate and Slater then who's main contribution are special teams. It will be interesting to see who Bill cuts amongst our ST specialist guys.

For it being less important or eliminated, it sure seemed like the opposite this first week. There were several kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns. Maybe you can blame it on the preseason, but I'm not so sure KR is worthless.

sbpatfan said:

For it being less important or eliminated, it sure seemed like the opposite this first week. There were several kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns. Maybe you can blame it on the preseason, but I'm not so sure KR is worthless.

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Kickoffs and punts are completely different animals, and teams were experimenting with how to work kickoffs. The Bears and Jets are just the two most widely known examples.

One of the comments on that link was spot on I think. (Hey that rhymes!)

wolveswall44 said:

I don't see how the logical fix hasn't been made yet. Everyone wants to see big returns, they are one of the most exciting aspects of the game. Nobody wants to see guys get carted off the field after a defender darts 50 yards at full speed and hits them like a bullet. Moving the kickoff up just results in less returns altogether and everyone is disappointed. Leaving it the way it was results in tons of injuries and everyone is also disappointed. Therefore: Why not leave the kickoff where it was originally, have the same number of kicks be returnable, have the same amount of opportunities to return the kickoff for a score, but move the kickoff team up 5-10 yards. That way players won't have as much time to get up to speed, they will be closer to the return team and won't have as much room to pick up a full head of steam and everyone's happy. I feel like this is a happy medium, less injuries and not a drastic drop in return TD's.

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reflexblue said:

Seems strange, i thought the league wanted More Offense. That fans like offense thats why the the kick offs were move back years ago so that there were more returns.

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I also remember that is one reason it was moved back in the first place. I remember seeing SI covers in the early-mid 90's saying how football was in trouble and moving the kickoff back was one idea.

This league has a good thing going and I can't fathom why they continue to tinker with something that ain't broke.

juny said:

I also remember that is one reason it was moved back in the first place. I remember seeing SI covers in the early-mid 90's saying how football was in trouble and moving the kickoff back was one idea.

This league has a good thing going and I can't fathom why they continue to tinker with something that ain't broke.

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Heard/read that the league was scared about lawsuits from former players suffering long term health effects of concussions and that the kick off is the most dangerous play. Personally I wish they had only changed with the distance the kickoff team lined up and left the ball on the 30 yard line. I think this would have been a less drastic step.

BB said he expected the average number of kickoffs defended dropped from 60 to 30 and likewise the number of kickoffs returned from 60 to 30. I feel this hurts Slater and White more as I still see value in Tate as a player-hope he grows into a Shawn Jefferson type receiver (I am using these players as examples based on what I saw of them last year and not what I know of them this year). It is definitely a new part of the equation in team building.

The bottom of the game day roster often fluctuates with special teams players and I see that happening more this year. Start the season with our best 53 players when the weather is good and there are more touch backs reducing the importance of kickoff teams. As the season goes on injuries will naturally occur. The players that were held in place of special teams players move up and special teams players are brought onto the club in place of the injured player. This would correspond to weather having more of an impact on the kicking game in New England. Right now we have the best home field advantage and this helps us.

I personally like touchbacks when we're kicking, but I think you should have to earn them. That's why I was so bummed when Ghost went down last year because Graham came in and was capable, but he wasn't getting touchbacks like Ghost was, and it was hurting us on our opp starting field position.

Deus Irae said:

I don't think it's coincidental that the Colts have had special teams issues.

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LOL. The new kickoff rule does diminish the importance of special teams doesn't it? It's much safer to take a knee now and take it at the 25, then risk returning a kickoff and getting less yardage. I'm sure kickoff returners in the NFL aren't happy about this new rule as well. They're going to have less of an impact on games now because they won't be returning as many kicks.

watching guys like ellis hobbs and kevin everett have their careers (and nearly ability to walk) ended in recent years on kickoffs makes me fine with reducing the number of plays where those kind of gruesome injuries can happen

I don't like it, it fundamentally changes the game. To me this makes Tate by far the most expendable because why bother having a returner who's never going to do returns?

White and Slater types are still needed for the punt game.

This is as bad as when they put the instigator penalty in hockey to stop fighting. Now you just have head hunters instead who know they won't have any retribution.