The league’s new kickoff rules made their debut last night during the Hall of Fame preseason game.
The NFL adopted the kickoff format that the spring football leagues have championed in recent years. They’ve even modified the onside kick rules. Thunderstorms in Canton, Ohio, forced the game to be halted late in the third quarter on Thursday night. Nonetheless, the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans managed to get in eight kickoffs in the Bears’ 21-17 win.
The experiment is very early, and one game is a very tiny sample size, so it’s unclear how teams will react to the new structure.
The Changes
Approximately 77% of kickoffs from the previous season ended in a touchback, giving the offense the ball at the 25.
It was important to get kickoff returns back into the mix. The issue is that the league wants to reduce injuries as well. And injuries were being caused by kickoff returns. Now when the football is on the 35-yard line, the kicker is by himself.
Somewhere between the opposing goal line and the 20-yard line is where he has to land the ball. His teammates are positioned at the 40, on the opposing side of midfield. The players on the other team line up with one or two returners standing back in the landing zone, anywhere from five to ten yards out. Until the kick touches down or is recovered by the returner, nobody can move.
The opposing players gather together, no more than ten yards apart, if the returner plays the ball. Longer distances were involved in the past. Players were able to move faster as a result, which increased the risk of collisions and injury.
The ball is placed at the 20 if it does land in the landing zone and is brought down in the end zone. However, the ball is placed at the 40 if it lands outside of the landing zone. The ball is placed at the 35 after a kickoff that lands in the end zone and is either downed or goes out of the back results in a touchback.
A New Onside Kick
It is now forbidden to attempt an onside kick until the last quarter. Furthermore, only the team in the lead may try one. thus after making their plan known and permitting both sides to line up according to the previous regulations.
One of the main arguments against this change is that it eliminates the element of surprise throughout the game. Recall the Super Bowl of 2014–15. The Saints were scheduled to kick off against the Colts to begin the second half, behind 10-6 at the half. Rather, they retrieved it and called an onside kick.
As a result, the Saints were able to change the game’s momentum and win the title with a score. The NFL no longer uses such tactic.
Indeterminable Debut
Once more, one game is not really a representative sample. Eight kickoffs were made, and just one touchback was recorded. There was no attempt at an onside kick because the game was never extended to the fourth quarter.
The Bears started the third quarter with the ball at their own 32 after the longest return of the game, which was 31 yards. It doesn’t really matter if you start at the 25. Give or take a few yards, the majority of kickoff returns ended up close to the 25-yard line.
The absence of a yellow flag on the pitch indicating an illegal block in the back was a positive indicator. In the game on Thursday, none of those calls were made. However, there were two flags, one for each player that moved before it was appropriate. That’s to be expected until gamers get used to it.
Impact On Cowboys
Less than 91% of Brandon Aubrey’s kickoffs for Dallas ended in a touchback. His strength is, or was, his length in kickoffs. Aubrey might not be overly happy about the new regulations. KaVontae Turpin is probably licking his chops in anticipation of the Cowboys’ trip to Los Angeles on August 11 to play the Rams. Given that John Fassel is working hard, Turpin ought to have plenty opportunity to break off a large return.
The special teams units that adjust the best will have a significant impact on the success of their individual teams, just like the 31 other clubs. Whoever doesn’t, they’re in for a difficult year. In any case, it should be intriguing to watch how everything turns out.
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