Touchbacks to the 25 and kickoffs at the 35?

[rzb+ 367]

Yet another "safety" excuse to ruin the game. I hope players run it out of the endzone every time.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Billy Cundiff will have a touchback on every kickoff lol.

[BigBen07 285]

Well the Bills special teams unit has taken a hit. Also looks like Devin Hester will be useless.

Edited March 23, 2011 by BigBen07

[oochymp 2,393]

the interesting thing to watch IMO is how many returners are suddenly out of a job, I don't think as many teams will keep a return specialist unless they have some value on offense or defense

[SteVo+ 3,702]

the interesting thing to watch IMO is how many returners are suddenly out of a job, I don't think as many teams will keep a return specialist unless they have some value on offense or defense

 

Don't forget kickers with really strong legs, since it will be easier to get touchbacks now.

[FartWaffles 1,857]

Don't forget kickers with really strong legs, since it will be easier to get touchbacks now.

Well they still gotta kick field goals...

[Krawnka 282]

Probably just gonna be more punters doing kickoffs

[oochymp 2,393]

Don't forget kickers with really strong legs, since it will be easier to get touchbacks now.

I don't think they'll be out of a job, just maybe not compensated as much as their value goes down, and nobody's gonna have a kickoff specialist, though there weren't many teams that did that anyway, I think teams still carry two kickers with a similar division of labor

[Wacko4Flacco61 355]

I agree with the New Rule touchback unchanged. 35 yard line kickoff i approve. But they should change the turnover touchback rule. If the offense throws an interception in the end zone or a fumble recovery in the end zone it goes to 25 yard line not on a kickoff.

[Vin+ 3,121]

In the five years after NFL moved the kickoff from the 35- to the 30-yard line (1994-1998), touchbacks per game dropped from 1.8 to 1.1 compared to the five years leading up to the change.

 

The percentage of touchbacks on all kickoffs last season was 16.1 compared to 27.1 in 1993, the last year of the ball being kicked off from the 35-yard line. From 1989 through 1993, returners totaled 33 touchdowns. That number doubled when the line was moved back to 30. We have to factor in the five yard decrease in head-starts for the kickoff coverage team, but it's clear that the new rule will have a big impact in return-yardage leagues.

Source: Pro Football Talk on NBCSports.com

[Touchdown 1]

This is absolutely pathetic. The NFL keeps changing the rules constantly every year. How is it supposed to be a "World sport" with a self-proclaimed "World Champion" team if it doesn't have a consistent rule set? Nevermind the current spectacle of Billionaires arguing with Millionaires over money and benefits which may cost loyal (non-super rich) fans a whole season of football. Way to go, NFL.

 

Before 1990's kickoffs were at the 35 YL like in Canadian Football, but in Canada they have the longer field of play and the Single point rather than touchbacks. Touchbacks are total bullshit anyway, the Single point eliminates free balls for doing nothing on kicking plays and means that the receiver HAS to return the ball out of the endzone or else his team gives up a point.

 

 

But of course, this would be too big a change for American Football. So, with Kickoffs at the 35 again we will get more touchbacks as a large percentage will be unreturnable and the rest going out the back of the endzone untouched. Total crap and very boring. This is a big mistake for the NFL...oh but then, they make so many anyway, it hardly seems to matter.

 

They should go to 18 games a season, allow the old CBA to stand, and keep the on-field rules as they are. IMO.

[FSUViking 184]

Well the Bills special teams unit has taken a hit. Also looks like Devin Hester will be useless.

 

And Josh Cribbs. Hell, the Browns may get shut-out 16 times next year now.

[Vin+ 3,121]

Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league will revisit its decision to move kickoffs to the 35-yard line after the season.

 

"We haven’t come up in my mind with the best solution yet," he said. "We’re roughly 50/50 on touchbacks vs. kickoff returns. It’s higher than we thought, quite frankly." Goodell says the league will "clearly look at it at the end of the season." There has been an average of one kickoff return touchdown per week so far in 2011, which is well below the 2010 average of 1.35.

Source: Chicago Tribune

[Shotgun 442]

If they don't want it on the 30 exactly what would they change? Move it to the 33? the 32? Get rid of touchbacks on kick returns all together? It's not like there's many options.