Thread: NFL’s new touchback rule is backfiring and the Broncos are trying to adjust

The last time the Broncos returned a kickoff for a touchdown feels like ancient history. Trindon Holliday, a 5-foot-5 mighty mite, ran 105 yards through a crowd of head-hunting Philadelphia Eagles defenders from deep in his end zone to the other coast in 2013. There were, amazingly, two kickoff returns longer than Holliday’s that season, a 109-yarder and another for 108.

Fans may never see it again.

If the NFL has its way, the return will go the way of leather helmets and a coach’s fedora, a relic of a long-ago game. Safety is the goal. Kickoffs are among the most dangerous plays in football, with two groups of 11 large men running full speed at each other, many of them young players trying to make a big hit to make a big impression on their coaches. So the NFL, for the second time in five years, tweaked its return rules.

But instead of eliminating the kickoff altogether, the NFL is trying to nudge teams into doing it themselves. And the idea is backfiring.

The NFL’s new kickoff rule — which moved touchbacks from the 20-yard line to the 25-yard line — is having the opposite effect of the league’s intended impact. Instead of kick returners staying in the end zone for a touchback, knowing the difficulty of getting a 25-yard return, early preseason games show kicking teams are not giving the kickers a choice. Kickers are using a higher, shorter “mortar kick” that lands inside the 10-yard line and forces a return.

rest - http://www.denverpost.com/2016/08/25...trying-adjust/

The ONLY choice to make the kickoff return safe is to place the ball at the 20 after a score. Until the NFL makes that rule, teams will continue to figure out how to make KO returns "profitable".

Originally Posted by Denver Native (Carol)

with two groups of 11 large men running full speed at each other,

Meh, in heavy metal we call that the wall of death.

Pat Kirwin was talking about this in the offseason. He said that this rule change would increase the number of kickoffs. He talked about how accurate the kickers were, and pointed to one team (maybe Seahawks or Patriots or some other team I don't like) that already routinely used high kicks landing a few yards outside the goal line, or just inside, to regularly pin teams back around the 15. He said that making the touchback start at 25 would result in all teams moving to that approach and increase the number of returns, not decrease them.

Originally Posted by Tned

Pat Kirwin was talking about this in the offseason. He said that this rule change would increase the number of kickoffs. He talked about how accurate the kickers were, and pointed to one team (maybe Seahawks or Patriots or some other team I don't like) that already routinely used high kicks landing a few yards outside the goal line, or just inside, to regularly pin teams back around the 15. He said that making the touchback start at 25 would result in all teams moving to that approach and increase the number of returns, not decrease them.

When we all heard of this earlier in the year, most on this board said the same thing.

Good. Statistically, 1st and 10 at ones own 20 has proven to be worth exactly 0 pts to BOTH teams, so the NFLs decision to give offense a free 5 yds (especially since all but 16 of the kickoffs a team fields each season is the result of SURRENDERING a score) was asinine. If coaches are sufficiently aware of that to prefer taking their chances forcing a return rather than giving away a free 5 yds (i.e. ½ pt, on average) that's exactly what they should do.

The only viable logical alternative is precisely what The Glue Factory said: Whenever a ball's returned to play (whether after a score or at the start of a half/OT) AUTOMATICALLY place it at one of the two possible truly and perfectly neutral sites (i.e. the 20 yd line of the with possession.) You could let the SCORING team retain the ball at its own 20; historically, it really doesn't matter, because each team would remain equally likely to score an equal number of points next.

In other words, if you want to ban kickoffs, have the balls and honesty to explicitly do so; if you can't do the second part, don't attempt the first (and not because it's guaranteed to fail miserably, though that's a great reason.)

Just get rid of the play altogether. Anything that reduces the 'worth' of kickers and special teams players is fine by me.

Originally Posted by Von Kinger

Just get rid of the play altogether. Anything that reduces the 'worth' of kickers and special teams players is fine by me.

I see: So special teamers are WORTH LESS THAN OTHER PEOPLE?! #KickerLivesMatter

Specials temss is a huge part of the game. Can be a game changet, the x factor at times. I want it to stay.

But it's played by a bunch of guys who are awful at the game and are only there because ST exists. It's stupid when a game is decided by STs. Those guys are barely football players. It cheapens the real parts of the game.

Originally Posted by Von Kinger

But it's played by a bunch of guys who are awful at the game and are only there because ST exists. It's stupid when a game is decided by STs. Those guys are barely football players. It cheapens the real parts of the game.

Jesus, King. That's about the dumbest thing I've ever seen you post. And, that's saying a lot.

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

Jesus, King. That's about the dumbest thing I've ever seen you post. And, that's saying a lot.

I guess Antonio Brown wouldn't have a job if not for special teams

Originally Posted by BroncoJoe

Jesus, King. That's about the dumbest thing I've ever seen you post. And, that's saying a lot.

Well it's based in fact. Most of those guys are bad at football by professional levels. The meat of the game is predicated on offense and defense. When STs makes a huge impact in the game, it invalidates the efforts of everyone else. Watch a hard fought game where the changing factor was a stupid kickoff for a score. Then actually think about that.

Originally Posted by slim

I guess Antonio Brown wouldn't have a job if not for special teams

TD wouldn't have ever made the Broncos.....

Originally Posted by Von Kinger

Well it's based in fact. Most of those guys are bad at football by professional levels. The meat of the game is predicated on offense and defense. When STs makes a huge impact in the game, it invalidates the efforts of everyone else. Watch a hard fought game where the changing factor was a stupid kickoff for a score. Then actually think about that.

Originally Posted by Mike

TD wouldn't have ever made the Broncos.....

/Kings Argument