Goddell is thinking of eliminating kickoffs in the NFL (Link)......

[hotdigitydog]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...ng-kickoffs-player-safety-164839047--nfl.html

In more general NFL subjects, the TIME article revealed a possible plan to eliminate kickoffs from pro football altogether.

TIME sat in on meeting between Goodell and Rich McKay, head of the NFL's powerful competition committee. Goodell brought up a proposal promoted by Greg Schiano, coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: after a touchdown or field goal, instead of kicking off, a team would get the ball on its own 30-yard line, where it's fourth-and-15. The options are either to go for it and try to retain possession, or punt. If you go for it and fall short, the opposing team would take over with good field position. In essence, punts would replace kickoffs, and punts are less susceptible to violent collisions than kickoffs.
​

"It's a much different end of the play…It's an off-the-wall idea," Goodell said. "It's different and makes you think differently. It did me."

 

[drt7891]

Did you know 72 years ago tomorrow, the Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor?**

 

[chainedup_Dawg]

Hell, I thought he already did**

 

[hotdigitydog]

Uh, yeah but I had no idea he was considering the make it, take it

route......Wonder what the odds are of converting a 4th and 15 versus recovering an on sides kick.......

 

[drt7891]

No doubt. I hate the idea. I wasn't going to say anything about the link but the timing made sense (until I saw another post saying tomorrow was the anniversary of "Germans...")...

 

[DerHntr]

This would put a premium on having a great punter. Plus it would suck if you had trained all thise years as a kickoff guy.

 

[thf24]

Besides damaging the spirit of the game even further, the biggest issue I'd have with it is that in comeback situations, a single chance at a 15 yard play would be much more favorable than an onside kick.

 

[The Peeper]

Hijack: Maybe they will get around to eliminating field goals one day too. I hate it when a 5'4" chubby troll w/ no pads in his pants walks out on the field and wins a game w/ a kick after 59+ minutes of serious competition.

 

[hotdigitydog]

That's kinda what I was thinking.....Again, wonder what the percentages are of

Besides damaging the spirit of the game even further, the biggest issue I'd have with it is that in comeback situations, a single chance at a 15 yard play would be much more favorable than an onside kick.

recovering the kick versus converting 4th and 15(+)........

 

[RocketDawg]

Speaking of kickoffs (College)

Why does anybody in college ever bother to return a kickoff of a ball that's going into the end zone? They rarely return it to the 25, and would be in much better field position just to let it go (which was the intent of the rule change anyway).

And back to the subject ... eliminating the kickoff is a terrible idea. It's been a part of football since its inception, and college is sure to follow soon. Perhaps they could just strictly enforce the rules they have now about hits and follow them up with suspensions.

 

[Toby Nash]

Apparently, they were statistically equivalent.

From an ESPN article:
Since 2001, 125 onside kicks have been recovered in 583 attempts, equating to a rate of 21.4 percent. In that same timeframe, teams have converted on fourth-and-15 at a 21.8 percent rate (17-of-78).

 

[MedDawg]

For safety, we should eliminate rushing the passer in college football...

Just for 2013 (while we have a passing QB and little pass rushing on our own defense). You know, to see if the 1-year trial made any difference in injuries. Yeah, that's the ticket.

 

[patdog]

As a returning team, you should always down kickoffs that go into the end zone. As a kicking team, you should try for a high kickoff that hits at about the 2-yard line. The returning team has to return it or risk a bad bounce when it hits that could give the kicking team a TD or great field position. It's hard to get a 25-yard return with the kickoff moved to the 35.

Agree about eliminating kickoffs. Terrible idea. Has anyone ever actually seen any injury statistics on kickoff returns? Are they really that much more dangerous then other plays? If they really are, just give kicking team a free kick instead of the ball with a 4th and 15 situation. Most teams would punt most of the time, and you still give them the option for an onsides kickoff if they want it.

 

[CookieMonster.sixpack]

Besides damaging the spirit of the game even further, the biggest issue I'd have with it is that in comeback situations, a single chance at a 15 yard play would be much more favorable than an onside kick.

Would it though? You can still get a defensive stop and not give up points if you don't recover the onside kick. If you go for it from your own 30 and don't get it, you are basically giving them three. If you're down five or less, maybe that's a solid strategy. If you're down a TD, I'd rather try the onside.

 

[6sigma]

Pretty soon we'll show up in stadiums to watch two fat guys play Madden on the tron.

 

[ckDOG]

What do they mean by punt?

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...ng-kickoffs-player-safety-164839047--nfl.html

In more general NFL subjects, the TIME article revealed a possible plan to eliminate kickoffs from pro football altogether.

TIME sat in on meeting between Goodell and Rich McKay, head of the NFL's powerful competition committee. Goodell brought up a proposal promoted by Greg Schiano, coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: after a touchdown or field goal, instead of kicking off, a team would get the ball on its own 30-yard line, where it's fourth-and-15. The options are either to go for it and try to retain possession, or punt. If you go for it and fall short, the opposing team would take over with good field position. In essence, punts would replace kickoffs, and punts are less susceptible to violent collisions than kickoffs.
​

"It's a much different end of the play…It's an off-the-wall idea," Goodell said. "It's different and makes you think differently. It did me."

Same rules as kickoff except the kicker must drop and punt? Or line up like you normally see on 4th down and punt? Including the possibility of it being blocked?

I'm not sure the first option would result in a more safe play. You still have your special teams guys getting plenty of speed heading downfield. The only way this would be more safe is if the return team fair catches more often than we see touchbacks today. The second option actually would be more safe since many of your players are tied up at the line of scrimmage and it would have the excitement of the punt block possibility...

 

[Hump4Hoops]

The less a kicker looks like a real football player, the more I like him

asdf

 

[thf24]

Would it though? You can still get a defensive stop and not give up points if you don't recover the onside kick. If you go for it from your own 30 and don't get it, you are basically giving them three. If you're down five or less, maybe that's a solid strategy. If you're down a TD, I'd rather try the onside.

Good point. My line of thinking is that running a play is something you have a decent amount of control over, while the onside kick is fairly random even if executed perfectly. Definitely debatable based on game scenario.

 

[Negative Waves]

Eliminating the kickoff is stupid, but one thing I would like to see tried is

the ability to score more than just 2 points after a TD. Make it something like this:
extra point FG: 1 point
3 yd line - 2 points
15 yd line - 3 points
30 yd line - 4 points
45 yd line - 5 points
own 40 yd line - 6 points

I think it would add a little more excitement to the end of games where the two teams are 2 scores apart late in the game, and the team that's down scores at the end. The chances of completing a hail mary from your own 40 or around midfield are slim, but it would happen every once in a blue moon. Plus, if you do convert from your own 40, you deserve 6 points!