NFL Competition Committee Announces Rule Changes for 2016 Season

[Fritz]

Good point. I get the concern for injuries, but you're getting to the point where there's not any sense in even having a kickoff.

[hoosier]

Kickoff returns just got a whole lot more like punt returns, without the fair catch option unless it's in the end zone.

Wow. Those short pop-ups that get fielded at 40 are going to be a bitch.

[gbgary]

my guess is they'll kick deep as they can...just like now. what's 5 yards? teams with great coverage might kick it to the 5+-, and anyone wanting the clock to move will kick it to the 5+-. i don't see it affecting the game that much.

There is no fair catch on KO not in the end zone.

never seen a fair catch on a kick-off unless it was a punt after a safety; and that would be
the best kick-off coverage in the history of the nfl if someone was forced to fair-catch one in the end-zone.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Mike and Mike discussed this and had an interesting take. Golic believes that there will be more kickoff returns with the rule (Greenburg agrees). He believes that now kickers are going to kick it higher and have it drop around the 5. Gives the coverage team more time to get there and stop the returner before the 25. 5 yards may mean a lot to some coaches so they may very well teach their kickers to do the higher, shorter kickoffs with the goal of stopping them before the 25.

54% of kickoffs last year were touchbacks. Will be interesting to see what that number is this coming season.

[mraynrand]

Mike and Mike discussed this and had an interesting take. Golic believes that there will be more kickoff returns with the rule (Greenburg agrees). He believes that now kickers are going to kick it higher and have it drop around the 5. Gives the coverage team more time to get there and stop the returner before the 25. 5 yards may mean a lot to some coaches so they may very well teach their kickers to do the higher, shorter kickoffs with the goal of stopping them before the 25.

54% of kickoffs last year were touchbacks. Will be interesting to see what that number is this coming season.

Those types of KOs will set up more like punt returns which don't have quite as many of the full speed collisions.

Still, we are moving toward electronic tackle football (like two hands below the waist - easy, Harlan!). It is only a matter of time.

[Cheesehead Craig]

Those types of KOs will set up more like punt returns which don't have quite as many of the full speed collisions.

Still, we are moving toward electronic tackle football (like two hands below the waist - easy, Harlan!). It is only a matter of time.

Cue wist coming on and saying that our defense already plays like the electronic football game. Guys going everywhere, some going to the sideline for no reason and there's always that one that just runs around in a circle.