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Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

Posted on: August 17, 2011 5:43 pm
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I can't believe the uproar over the rules change to move kickoffs up 5 yards to the 35.

Now we have Patriots coach Bill Belichcik saying he thinks the NFL would love to do away with kickoffs.

What' s the big sea if they did?  It would be like taking away the jump ball in basketball. Who cares?

Put the ball on the 20 and play football. Special teams is rumored to be a third of the game. That's coach-speak. The realty is that it's more like 1/9th of the game. And that counts extra points, which means players leaning on other players as the kicker kicks.

If they eliminate kickoffs, the special-team minions -- you know who you are -- could still get their kicks from field goals and punts. 

Covering kicks is dangerous work. I understand why the NFL has moved the line up.

More touchbacks will mean fewer injuries. So get ready to see the ball blasted out of the back of the end zone.

And then see real football -- the kind played from a scrimmage line.

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Category: NFL
Tags: NFL kickoffs
 
Comments

Since: Aug 7, 2007
Posted on: August 23, 2011 6:22 pm
 

Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

What everyone seems to forget is they made 2 rule changes to this. They moved the kickoff point to the 35 which increases touchbacks, but they also made it so the kicking team doesn't get down field as fast by shortening the running start. Its easy to point out that there were more touchbacks, but I also noticed a lot more big returns. This was a brilliant change by the NFL, the 5 yard only running start not only off-sets but actually goes beyond off-setting the kickoff point. This will also increase the value of kickers. Now sure they can blast it into the endzone pretty easy but this play now can make or break field position for the defense too, meaning if kickers get more hangtime and pressure the kickoff team to return it (IE drop it in at the one yard line) the defense is in great position for a safety and the offense has a lot further to go. Now you'll see more focus put on kickers being more rounded, you can't just make that 50 yard field goal, you also have to be able to pull off hang time on the kickoff. While it will eliminate some kick returns for teams playing it safe, it will increase its value to the aggressive team. I fully expect to see teams like the Bears, Browns, and other great kick return teams continue to make big returns as they run past defenders who now can't reach full speed.  I can also envision that some aggressive teams with skilled kickers like the Patriots, try to take advantage of the rule change and not kick it into the endzone for a touchback, but kick it high and help thier defense. Prisco, you've lost a lot of my respect by trying to say the NFL should turn into flag football, you should learn that the game has more than one facet, and that all facets must be addressed to be great, just ask the San Deigo Chargers and thier special teams. The Chargers had the best defense and the best offense and still couldn't make the playoffs, they went 9-7. so if special teams is so negligable, then they should have been undefeated, or at least 15-1. Look no further than the Chargers Prisco, special teams is 1/3 of the game, if not more. Judging from the season Phillip Rivers and the Chargers had, it sounds more like 45%.

Since: Jul 26, 2011
Posted on: August 22, 2011 8:55 pm
 

Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

Eliminating kickoffs can be done but I think we need to start improving what we have for football, not taking away.  I gotta tell you though, couldn't ever figure out why folks like the "Field Goal".  This is also not European Football, get rid of the goals all together and leave that for Hockey and Basketball where there is a goal.  Also if we eliminate Kickoffs and Field Goals, can we get rid of the kicker?  There is one thing we can take from Soccer, the Yellow and Red card.  Yeah John Madden would have loved that.  The NFL needs to figure out what the public likes and stick to it, we fund the darn thing after all.

Since: Mar 6, 2010
Posted on: August 22, 2011 7:28 pm
 

Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

I don't understand the big deal here. For the longest time kickoffs were from the 35-yard line. Its only been in the last 20 years, maybe, that they moved it back to the 30 to bring more excitement to the game through kickoff returns. They never should have made the change to begin with, and they wouldn't have the problem they have now. The problem is all perception now because they made that change back then. If they remove kickoffs, why don't they also institute the whole "make it, take it rule" too, like in playground basketball? That way, if someone scores, they keep the ball until the other team stops them. It makes about the same amount of sense as removing kickoffs from FOOTBALL. Besides, once it gets colder in the northern cities, you'll start seeing more returns even with the line being at the 35, because the ball won't fly as far. So, just relax. The game is fine as is.

Since: Aug 21, 2006
Posted on: August 22, 2011 7:19 pm
 

Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

Yeah, gotta love all those game winning 30 yard field goals.  And the point after touchdown.  Doesn't get more exciting than that.  And I don't know how football would survive without run, run, run, punt. 
I don't either. All of those are part of the game. Without those, it isn't football anymore.

Since: Aug 16, 2006
Posted on: August 19, 2011 11:45 pm
 

Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

Congratulations, you just supplanted Prisco as the dumbest person on this thread. That is beyond stupid.
Yeah, gotta love all those game winning 30 yard field goals.  And the point after touchdown.  Doesn't get more exciting than that.  And I don't know how football would survive without run, run, run, punt. 



Since: Sep 7, 2010
Posted on: August 18, 2011 11:13 pm
 

Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

For teams like Chicago and Cleveland, special teams is a form of offense. Taking away a potential homerun play from these teams is obviously a cause for concern.



Since: Aug 21, 2006
Posted on: August 18, 2011 10:27 pm
 

Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

just get rid if kickers altogether. either go for 1 from the 1 or 2 from the 5 after a TD. play all 4 downs. get a 1st or turn it over. nfl would be better w/o kickers. trust me.
Congratulations, you just supplanted Prisco as the dumbest person on this thread. That is beyond stupid.

Since: Jul 24, 2007
Posted on: August 18, 2011 6:25 pm
 

Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

Maybe you could do away with kickoffs, and reduce some of the hitting.  Then you could also remove the defense.  Then people wouldn't want to watch nothing so the players could take off the helmets and sing and dance to entertain people.  It would be just like broadway.

If you aren't a fan of the game of football and only like certain aspects of it, you are really not a fan of the game.  If you aren't a fan of the game, move to Spain and watch some soccer.  Don't ruin the sport by posting your sorry opinion everywhere.

Maybe people don't live forever. Maybe it is a fact of life for players that there will be injuries. There should be people ensuring safety, but at the same time they need to look at fairness.  Most of these rules are not fair to defenders, most do not address issues they have.  Like they never did away with wedges on kickoffs.  They never addressed zone blocking that tears up defenders knees every year.  I am tired of people trying to force there agendas through under the guise of safety.  The rules only protect the offense and promote higher scores.  So you are a Colt fan and would like to see everything be all about the quarterback.  Be careful what you ask for you just might get it, and ruin the game in the process.  Congradulations, jackass.

Since: Apr 4, 2010
Posted on: August 18, 2011 5:48 pm
 

Eliminate kickoffs? I'm OK with that

Prisco, you are the worst sports writer in the universe!

Since: Aug 18, 2011
Posted on: August 18, 2011 1:52 pm
 

Bull

I completely disagree. This is what happens when sports become main stream. You get a bunch of idiots who want to change the rules. Anyone who has ever played football knows that the kick Retrurn although dangerous is the most exciting play in football when executed correctly. All of these rule changes regarding player safety is a bunch of garbage. Football is what it is because it involves skilled players vs. physical players. All of these player safety rules are creating another Arena League type style game. Just line up and chuck it down the field. Next they will eliminate line man and put a flag in everyones pockets. The sad thing is even the coaches are at fault who know don't put there best return men out there in fear of them being hurt. Its a sad day for foortball.


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