The New Kickoff Rules Change Everything

[1960Pats]

Yes - but now there is a significant chance he will have to tackle a RB-type player running at full speed. If the returner gets through the single line of players, then the kicker is playing free safety.

Maybe we will see some teams drop another player back to act as a safety.

Is that legal? The rules may require all but one player to be on the LOS.

 

[Huckleberry1]

PFT made a good point. Once a team gets burned a few times, they may give up entirely and just accept the touchback. It's a loss of 5 yards compared with last year.

I think this is the most likely outcome.

 

[Triumph]

Doesn't really help because everyone is frozen until the ball lands or is touched.

I was thinking yes in terms of the ball landing and sticking like in golf.

 

[Triumph]

This could have the opposite effect if a few Kickers get hurt and are out for the season.

Losing your Kicker is catastrophic.

 

[XLIX]

PFT made a good point. Once a team gets burned a few times, they may give up entirely and just accept the touchback. It's a loss of 5 yards compared with last year.

I imagine it will be a case by case basis.... playing against a team with a great returner will certainly incentive teams to just boot it out the end zone and take it on the 30....

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Is that legal? The rules may require all but one player to be on the LOS.

Once the balls lands or is touched, players are free to move in any direction. So could legally drop a free safety type back to help the kicker.

 

[captain stone]

It’ll be interesting to see if this messes with his accuracy. I remember how bad Gostkowski was messed up after he started focusing on aiming kickoffs. Definitely wasn’t the same guy after that.

He wasn't the same after missing his first career XP in Denver, though he had a couple (or more) ****ups prior to that...

 

[captain stone]

All this new **** is making my head hurt... I'm not gonna worry much about it until I can see the new KO rules played-out during preseason...

 

[SlowGettingUp]

Once a team gets burned a few times, they may give up entirely and just accept the touchback. It's a loss of 5 yards compared with last year.

Mayo today:

"It might just be beneficial to take the ball at the 30 [yard line]. I don't know."

Also:

Q: Other coaches have talked about using a non-kicker on kickoffs with the new rule. Have you guys experimented with that at all?

JM: We haven't really experimented with it at all. But Jahlani [Tavai], he's knocking on my door every day. 'I can do it, coach. I can do it.' It's like, just get healthy.