Seems like the New Kickoff Rule will change Special Team Numbers.

[Patpartizan]

Pats kicker Koepplin had 8 kickoffs last night resulting in 2 touchbacks, 2 were 8 yards deep, 1 -6, 1-5,1-2.
Won't Gost's kicks be equally good when he's healthy?


I wonder if this was regular season whether Jags would have taken 5 touchbacks last night. The Jags needed the preseason chance to watch their special teams compete

Will more teams now employ 2 kickers, one for distance and one for accuracy.

Will less special team plays result in less special team only players?

If there is contact in only 1 of 3 kickoffs, you can risk starters more and potentially keep 11 fresh leg, big body D-lineman on the roster.

 

[Sciz]

It means you want your special teams only guys to excel in the punting game.

 

[DaBruinz]

Pats kicker Koepplin had 8 kickoffs last night resulting in 2 touchbacks, 2 were 8 yards deep, 1 -6, 1-5,1-2.
Won't Gost's kicks be equally good when he's healthy?


I wonder if this was regular season whether Jags would have taken 5 touchbacks last night. The Jags needed the preseason chance to watch their special teams compete

Will more teams now employ 2 kickers, one for distance and one for accuracy.

Will less special team plays result in less special team only players?

If there is contact in only 1 of 3 kickoffs, you can risk starters more and potentially keep 11 fresh leg, big body D-lineman on the roster.

Most kickers are not of the caliber of Gostkowski. In fact, there was only ONE kicker better than Gostkowski last year before he went down. And that was Billy Cundiff. Most other kickers averaged between 62 and 64 YPK. Even moving it to the 35, that is still outside the end zone, as we saw last night.

Koepplin, Cundiff and Gostkowski are the exceptions. Not the rule.

I think that Deji Kareem proved that all the yapping about kick-offs becoming "obsolete" is proof that there are too many young people who don't remember that, before 1994, kick-offs were done from the 35.

I don't think there will be "less" special teams only players nor do I think that there

 

[jmt57]

- Some kickers will boom it to the back of the end zone resulting in touchbacks, but not all are capable of doing that.

- Some teams may try to kick the ball higher, to try and force a fumble or trap the opponent inside the twenty.

- Very little is being paid attention to the fact that players on the kickoff team do not get a running start this year, which offsets the five-yard difference; that could result in return teams getting a good running start and having their blocking better positioned.

- With the kickoff being closer if anything I would think the concept of two kickers on a roster would go away, rather than having more teams employ two kickers.

- Based on what I have seen from special teams so far there is still a critical need for teams to reserve a couple of roster spots for players whose primary contribution is on special teams. In other words players like White and Slater are not obsolete.

 

[The Scrizz]

Most kickers are not of the caliber of Gostkowski. In fact, there was only ONE kicker better than Gostkowski last year before he went down. And that was Billy Cundiff. Most other kickers averaged between 62 and 64 YPK. Even moving it to the 35, that is still outside the end zone, as we saw last night.

Koepplin, Cundiff and Gostkowski are the exceptions. Not the rule.

I think that Deji Kareem proved that all the yapping about kick-offs becoming "obsolete" is proof that there are too many young people who don't remember that, before 1994, kick-offs were done from the 35.

I don't think there will be "less" special teams only players nor do I think that there

The distance is a minor change. The removal of the three-man wedge is what is going to make it tougher for the receiving team to block returns. The combination should benefit a team like the Pats who have the kicker with the big leg.

Not being able to block using the wedge and therefore no longer needing a wedge buster, size becomes much less of a factor on the return and coverage teams which is why I think we had so many running backs and DB's on that unit last night. But those RB's better learn how to tackle because all Kareem proved last night is that when you get your shot at the returner you better not Wilhite, I mean miss. Those terms are synonymous to me now.

 

[DaBruinz]

The distance is a minor change. The removal of the three-man wedge is what is going to make it tougher for the receiving team to block returns. The combination should benefit a team like the Pats who have the kicker with the big leg.

Not being able to block using the wedge and therefore no longer needing a wedge buster, size becomes much less of a factor on the return and coverage teams which is why I think we had so many running backs and DB's on that unit last night. But those RB's better learn how to tackle because all Kareem proved last night is that when you get your shot at the returner you better not Wilhite, I mean miss. Those terms are synonymous to me now.

This will be the 3rd season without the wedge. Not sure why you think that whatever factor it was going to have hasn't already been seen?