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

[ctpatsfan77]

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.

The original proposal called for changing the touchback, but that didn't change; it's still the 20.

 

[jczxohn1]

Ironically, returns will increase late in the season in cold weather which takes 5-10 yds off the distance most kickers can yield. Injuries could be worse unless they bump the kick up to the 40 after Thanksgiving, or maybe just north of the Mason-Dixon line--

 

[supafly]

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.

Yes, straight out of Belichick's mouth--well, in so many words ala Belichickian roundabout style.

He did say that it very well could change the 53 man roster projections though. Regardless, it certainly appears on all counts that you are right in the guys that may be affected. And BB even goes on to say that there may be a re-assessment based on the actual number of kickoff returns, vs the number of punt returns. In other words, it sounded like a guy like Edelman may be a bit safer than a guy like (your examples) Tate and Slater.

It certainly will be interesting to see what the roster shapes up as, and to be honest I have been harping all off-season that we'd lose at least ONE ST-only position, if not TWO--to a guy that can do his ST job by actually contributing on the field. I am guessing that there won't be more than 2 ST only players (not including K, P, LS of course).

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

It's a dumb rule but it's going to help teams like us. This almost guarantees that teams will have to go 80 yards on us after every kickoff, we did have some issues on KR and coverages last year. Tate did great early on but after week 5 or so (whatever the Miami game was) our KR didn't have any major impact. And our coverage was not good in the playoff game I remember Cro having a few pretty good returns around the 35/40.

When you are an elite team offensively and [hopefully] defensively but not necessarily a strong return team, this rule plays right into your hands, especially when you have a kicker like Ghost.

 

[37Harrison]

The original proposal called for changing the touchback, but that didn't change; it's still the 20.

Not to hijack the thread but did anyone else catch BB's response to this...

Belichick also liked keeping touchback spots where they are.

"I think that's good for the game," he said. "We don't need too many new rules every year. It's hard for the coach to keep up with them, let alone the fans. I'm still working on some of the new rules from last year."

Translation: You're putting too many damn new rules in at once! How am I supposed to properly exploit all the loop holes in your damn rules if you keep adding new ones!

 

[Fencer]

Notes on the kick return rule changes

Belichick, NFL at odds over new kickoff rule - The Boston Globe

“You’ve got to think about it,’’ said Belichick. “If, instead of covering 60 kickoffs in a year, you think you’re only going to be covering 30, then is that coverage player as important?



“Or on the flip side of it, in the return game, if you’re going to be returning 30 instead of 60, is what the guys who block on the kickoff return - or if you have a designated kickoff returner, if you think you’re going to be returning more punts than kickoffs . . . then maybe you put more of a priority on your punt returner than your kickoff returner, just as an example.’’

And those details aside -- the base-case assumption on Corwin Brown is that he messed up his life due to collisions on special teams. BB can surely connect those dots. So even though he has incentive to be heavily in denial about that, I'd guess he isn't as much in disapproval of the rule changes as the press seems to think.

I'd further guess that Corwin Brown is the single case of football-related brain damage that BB has had the most contact with, because of employing him as a coach last season. My theory is that BB has a lot or back-and-forth conversations with any one coach than with any one player. Even more to the point, Brown's case is evidently more advanced than an actual active player's would typically be.

 

[sportsreport360]

I am wondering will the new kickoff rule lead to more onside kicks? Maybe some special teams coach on some team will step forward and take more chances now. It is definitely going to cost players around the NFL who could have possibly made a team as a late round pick on special teams an opportunity to possibly earn a spot as a returner.

 

[DarrylS]

Why don't they just eliminate kicks and start from the 20 yard line.. what is the sense of risking injury if there are only going to be touchbacks??

The whole thing seems rather foolish..

 

[jefmblrd]

I can understand trying to limit injuries which is a good thing, but it also limits the excitement in the game. Watching those kickoffs sail into the end zone time and time again is very tedious.

 

[NEGoldenAge]

Why don't they just eliminate kicks and start from the 20 yard line.. what is the sense of risking injury if there are only going to be touchbacks??

The whole thing seems rather foolish..

Because kickoffs give another opportunity for commercials.