Rules: Touchback to 25 yard line? Who is in favor?

[Big Bucks]

Just make it a 10 yard penalty if the kickoff goes through the endzone without touching the ground.

So its either another kick 10 yards back or the off starts from the 30.

 

[lurker1965]

Proposed rule change: The receiving team would start at their own 25 yards line following a touchback from a free kick (instead of the 20 yard line).

First question: Would a punt qualify as a free kick or are we just talking kick offs?

Second question: Would you guys be in favor of this change, against it, or indifferent?

I for one would be against it. I like the fact that teams often have to travel 80 yards to get a touchdown. With all of the rules changes it's going to get more and more like Arena football. I say keep it at the 20.

The thinking is there will be less returns as the benefit for taking a knee 8 yards deep is the 25 and the returner figures he has to make it to the 25 to just break even.
However the law 0f unintended consequences has not been repealed. Teams will try to kick Shallow with a better hang time to pin their opponents deep, and increase the number of returns.

I'm ambivalent, but I wonder if Gost can do height.

Oh, from what I know (and I could be wrong) a punt is not a free kick. (It can be blocked, etc.)

 

[lurker1965]

LEAVE.THE.GAME.ALONE.

I agree, but you are not taking a strong enough stand.
Repeal the 1978 rule change that gets "re-emphasized." Giving DBs something other than hit-him-so-hard-he-drops-the-ball would actually do more to limit concussions than this crap.

 

[brdmaverick]

Just make it a 10 yard penalty if the kickoff goes through the endzone without touching the ground.

So its either another kick 10 yards back or the off starts from the 30.

I'm not sure I like it yet, but I'll definitely give you kudos for the interesting idea. That definitely would take an almost meaningless play and add a little more skill to it. Of course, it would also mean more returns which is what the NFL doesn't want.

 

[GaryfromTO]

move the kickoff back to where they were originally and lets get kickoff returns back into the game

 

[PatsDeb]

Since on average we score more often than our opponent no matter where we start on the field, moving touchbacks up 5 yards can only help the competition. If I had a crappy QB or an offense that struggled to make every single yard, then it would be a yes.

Pats should vote NO.