NFL will consider ending kickoffs

[Jeebus]

Speaking about the potential change before Thursday night's Raiders-Broncos game in Oakland, Calif., the commissioner said, "I thought it was an interesting idea. The committee will look at it."

Commissioner Roger Goodell said Thursday the NFL's competition committee would consider in the offseason replacing the kickoff. The league previously had moved the kickoff from the 30- to 35-yard line to cut down on violent collisions.

Goodell and Rich McKay, the head of the league's competition committee, discussed an idea brought up by Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Greg Schiano in which a team, instead of kicking off, would get the ball at its own 30-yard line in a fourth-and-15 situation. The team then would punt the ball away or, to replace an onside kick, could go for it and, if it failed to get a first down, the opposing squad would start with great field position.

A radical change, indeed, but the game always moves forward with different rule changes as it evolves.

I like this idea - the chances of picking up 15 yds in one play vs recovering an on-side kick are probably close (I don't know for sure, just guessing) but the penalty for not converting would be significant (just like not recovering the on-side kick). And the punter can probably get the ball back inside the 10, giving the returner plenty of room to catch it and start a run-back since the kicking team would not get the "head start" they get on conventional punts (leaving at the snap).

I guess in the eyes of the NFL, punt returns are much safer than kickoff returns?

[PEZ]

Insane idea!

[OriginalColtsFan]

Worst idea I've ever heard of! A classic "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

With all the other watered down effects, kickoffs are one of the last remaining vestiges of some actual excitement/surprise that's left in the game.

[AFKAR7]

Great idea! Next they can eliminate those violent collisions by getting rid of rushing the ball.

[Fang]

If they ever implemented something like this I would strongly consider selling my PSLs. I understand they want better player safety but the game is the game. I would vote first to get rid of Thurday Football so players don't have to play on 3 days rest. I'd also do away with a trip to Europe every year.

[OriginalColtsFan]

Better yet...just eliminate tackling all together. They could...hmmmmmm...I don't know....put some sort of tags or flags around their waists and pull them off instead of tackling. WOW. What a great idea. I think I might try to patent it.

Or maybe...they wouldn't even have to have actual players on the field at all. They could just take holograms, run a computerized program (very advanced, of course), and project that down onto the field. That way, people could bet on the games, feel AS IF they're actually watching the games, and the power brokers behind the scenes pulling all the strings could rig the games any way they want, and everybody would be happy!!!

[Fang]

Better yet...just eliminate tackling all together. They could...hmmmmmm...I don't know....put some sort of tags or flags around their waists and pull them off instead of tackling. WOW. What a great idea. I think I might try to patent it.

Or maybe...they wouldn't even have to have actual players on the field at all. They could just take holograms, run a computerized program (very advanced, of course), and project that down onto the field. That way, people could bet on the games, feel AS IF they're actually watching the games, and the people behind the scenes pulling all the strings could rig the games any way they want, and everybody would be happy!!!

Why not just have the head coach play the other head coach in Madden Football and televise that?

[Jeebus]

Worst idea I've ever heard of! A classic "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

In the eyes of the NFL, it "is" broken. Hence the ridiculous "kickoff" rules in place now where only half of every kickoff is actually returned.

This proposal is better than the alternative - not kick at all and give the starting team possession at the 25. - that will eventually happen.

Just as we got used to other changes (16 game season, and moving the goal posts back 10 yds, etc) we would also get used to this as well.

IMHO, anything is better than the "kick it out of the back of the end zone" we have in place today, it's the most boring start to every game.

[OriginalColtsFan]

Why not just have the head coach play the other head coach in Madden Football and televise that?

That's pretty much what I was getting at.

[Jeebus]

What's funny tome is all the "support" for the boring system in place now (kicking it out of the end zone and starting at the 20, a colossal boring waste of time) rather than a new system that would almost ensure drama and excitement every time it's used.

[Jeebus]

With all the other watered down effects, kickoffs are one of the last remaining vestiges of some actual excitement/surprise that's left in the game.

Yet they happen only 50% of the time now, and it's gonna get worse as kickers get bigger and stronger.

Touchbacks are not exciting, nor surprising. They are boring.

[OriginalColtsFan]

In the eyes of the NFL, it "is" broken. Hence the ridiculous "kickoff" rules in place now where only half of every kickoff is actually returned.

This proposal is better than the alternative - not kick at all and give the starting team possession at the 25. - that will eventually happen.

Just as we got used to other changes (16 game season, and moving the goal posts back 10 yds, etc) we would also get used to this as well.

IMHO, anything is better than the "kick it out of the back of the end zone" we have in place today, it's the most boring start to every game.

Wow. Just wow. I guess you're the 21st century football fan the NFL is gearing its decisions towards.

[Jeebus]

Wow. Just wow. I guess you're the 21st century football fan the NFL is gearing its decisions towards.

Nope, been watching as a fan since 1969 season, remembering the Colts lose to the Jets was probably the first game I ever watched.

I guess you are one of those 19th century football fans who long for the days of no forward passing, the leather helmet, and 8 professional teams?



(see, your generalizations can work both ways)

[Steveg85321]

Putting aside the natural human tendency to cling to what we know, I actually don't think it is that bad an idea. It's certainly better than just putting the ball at the 25 after every score. It's actually kind of a new twist, and we'd have to wait and see how it worked out (there is such a thing as unintended consequences).

I keep wondering, though, why is a punt considered better for player safety than a kickoff?

[LarryN]

I keep wondering, though, why is a punt considered better for player safety than a kickoff?

I was wondering the same thing. I would think that it would actually be more dangerous. On punts, since the ball is in the air longer, the kicking team has more time to get down field. If the punt returner forgets to or decided not to call a fair catch, and his teammate fail to block adequately, he's just standing there, looking in the air, waiting to be clobbered.

[tigercruise]

I keep wondering, though, why is a punt considered better for player safety than a kickoff?

Because the runner doesn't get up as much head of steam when returning a punt versus getting the ball in the end zone and running like hell...

It's an idiotic idea. Just another dismantling of what used to be a great game. Damn shame.

[Jeebus]

Because the runner doesn't get up as much head of steam when returning a punt versus getting the ball in the end zone and running like hell...

It's an idiotic idea. Just another dismantling of what used to be a great game. Damn shame.

You're comparing what "was" in regards to kickoffs, to what "is."

Compare the boring out-of-the-endzone touchback to the new idea, and then make a statement of comparison.

They are NOT going backwards, the new kickoff rule sux, over 50% of all kickoffs start at the 20 with NO hitting or action whatsoever!

Rather than " dismantling" I look at this new proposal as a "fix" to the current boring kickoff system in place today.

[OriginalColtsFan]

You're comparing what "was" in regards to kickoffs, to what "is."

Compare the boring out-of-the-endzone touchback to the new idea, and then make a statement of comparison.

They are NOT going backwards, the new kickoff rule sux, over 50% of all kickoffs start at the 20 with NO hitting or action whatsoever!

Rather than " dismantling" I look at this new proposal as a "fix" to the current boring kickoff system in place today.

Yeah. It was really boring to see Jones run back a 107 yard kickoff.



Like I said...you ARE the dumbed down audience the NFL is targeting these days.

[mythoughts]

Speaking about the potential change before Thursday night's Raiders-Broncos game in Oakland, Calif., the commissioner said, "I thought it was an interesting idea. The committee will look at it."



A radical change, indeed, but the game always moves forward with different rule changes as it evolves.

I like this idea - the chances of picking up 15 yds in one play vs recovering an on-side kick are probably close (I don't know for sure, just guessing) but the penalty for not converting would be significant (just like not recovering the on-side kick). And the punter can probably get the ball back inside the 10, giving the returner plenty of room to catch it and start a run-back since the kicking team would not get the "head start" they get on conventional punts (leaving at the snap).

I guess in the eyes of the NFL, punt returns are much safer than kickoff returns?

I think it would make the game more exciting if a team scores a TD they (the scoring team) would get the ball 1st and 10 on their own 30. And if they kick a FG they (the scoring team) would get the ball 1st and 10 on their own 20).


But I still say the easiest way to make the game safer is to allow more contact.
Let Defenses bump receivers more - for 10 yds. Most of all eliminate artificial turf and requirer slower surfaces. How can the NFL say they want to protect players yet allow the game to be played on a concrete floor with a thin layer of vinyl on top. Players would run much slower on grass (and mud) which would mean lower impact collisions.

[Rael]

I have come up with an idea for the 18 game season. Since you know they are going to do it regardless at some point, I propose the following. Eliminate the team wide bye week. Increase the roster by 10 or so players (the union should like that). Require each player be given one week off in each half of the season. This would be announced the week prior and that player is not even allowed to come to practice. This would reward teams with a smarter overall organization, would have each player playing no more than 16 weeks worth of games and practices, and bring more players into the NFL. Oh, and I would leave the kickoff alone and institute what mythoughts suggest about mandating natural surfaces.

What do you all think?