Kickoff Rule Change

by steel.curtain.number2 on Mar 22, 2011 3:52 PM EDT

nfl.com is now reporting that NFL owners have voted for a rule change on Kickoffs. The kicking team will now kickoff from the 35 yard line, but touchbacks shall remain at the 20 yard line (article here). The original proposal was to move the kickoff line to the 35 and the touchback to the 25, but the owners voted otherwise. The extra 5 yards is incredibly significant. I want to open this thread up so we can all discuss how this affects the game, the league, and specifically our Steelers.

On the one hand, I think this is great for the Steelers. Our kickoff coverage has been spotty at best the past few years, and we haven't had a Kicker who can consistently get touchbacks since before Jeff Reed. Getting the extra 5 yards will help our coverage units get to the return man faster, not to mention the added touchbacks. Also, this is a huge advantage for the defense. Moving touchbacks to the 25 would have somewhat counteracted the kickoffs, but now the average starting position for offenses will be much farther back. For a team like ours with a dominant defense, this is huge.

On the other hand, I think this is a huge mistake for the league and it will be a detriment to the game in general. Special teams is an exciting part of the game, and this change will take opportunities away from those units. Players like Devin Hester, Josh Cribbs, etc. will become much less valuable because there will simply not be enough opportunities for them to make an impact on the game. Anyone who makes their mark on Special teams (coaches included) will lose a lot of money because teams aren't going to want to pay them with that aspect of the game losing value.

What do you all think?

Poll

Did the owners get this right?

Yes, too many injuries happen on Special Teams to risk it.

5 votes

No, Special Teams is an exciting part of the game, why change it?

30 votes

I dont care either way- if it helps the Steelers I'm for it.

7 votes

42 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 11 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I could be wrong

but didnt they kickoff from the 35 yard line 17 or 18 years ago? If so, how did you feel about the rule back then.

"My rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them."-Winston Churchill

by cscmember on Mar 22, 2011 4:13 PM EDT reply actions

You're right

I dont know about dates, but they did used to kick from the 35, but guys started getting stronger and kicking too many Touchbacks so they moved it back to the 30. Although this will give an advantage to the Steelers in terms of ST coverage, and hopefully reduce Keyaron Fox’s penalties, I still think this is a lame change to try and ‘increase safety.’ I totally agree with the post that it’ll make a lot of guys obsolete for KR, including ST coaches. How much more frequent are injuries on Kick Returns compared to any other play of the game?

by Bringin' the Wood(ley) on Mar 22, 2011 4:58 PM EDT reply actions

changed in 94

by Steely McSmash on Mar 23, 2011 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Look at the rest of the rule

5 yard running starts max for coverage units, no longer the 10-15 yards they used to have to get up to speed. For all we know the gunners on our coverage team might be meeting them at the same point on the field anyways

by barnerburner on Mar 22, 2011 5:00 PM EDT reply actions

that doesnt take into account touchbacks

by steel.curtain.number2 on Mar 22, 2011 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s a complicated change – more kicks will be going deeper than before, but hang time of kicks isn’t going to be changing. Coverage guys are going to need a few more steps to get up to speed, but while getting up to speed they’ll be easier to set up and hold up by the returning team’s blockers.

There are going to be more touchbacks than before, but I don’t think the increase is going to be even across the board – to be honest I think most of them are going to be from the usual suspects who’d been bombing them already. I don’t like it because I don’t think everyone’s kicking game is going to get the same benefit out of it.

by barnerburner on Mar 22, 2011 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions

think about it though....

If a kicker is consistently putting it at the 2 or 3 yard line, it has to be returned. If they move it up 5 more yards to the 35, now this same kicker is hitting it 2 or 3 yards deep in the endzone, and returners will be much more hesitant to return them…

by Bringin' the Wood(ley) on Mar 23, 2011 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't like the rule as a whole

But this significantly helps out the Steelers.

Back on the Sweed train. Choo Choo!
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller

by John Stephens on Mar 23, 2011 8:55 AM EDT reply actions

Great for the Steelers ...

If we get some corners, not many teams are going to consistently go 80 yards against our D to score.

by datruth4life2.0 on Mar 23, 2011 10:27 AM EDT reply actions

I preferred it at the 35, glad they are finally fixing that mistake/change. Avg. starting field position jumped considerably the first year they moved it back to the 30.

by alistar7 on Mar 24, 2011 4:27 AM EDT reply actions

I hate it and it stanks

Yes it benefits us but it meh’s the game more and more… Hester had some solid words about this. He pointed out you can already kick a punt OOB and now this will make KR’s pretty much nil..

Although a skilled kicker could try and loft one to the edge of the EZ and that’ll lead to really crappy field position. I dont know that we have a kicker that can do that, although he just might do it naturally given his relatively meager leg.

I wasn’t watching foosball when they had it at the 35 before so I will give it a wait and see attitude. But personally I don’t like the pansification of football and the KR is a wonderful thing to watch when a guy gets demolished or theres a fumblah or a big return…

Then again, I guess I won’t be holding my breath as a steeler fan. Oh the mixed emotions.

by Mechem on Mar 24, 2011 5:03 PM EDT reply actions