Kickoff returns - Go or stay?

http://www.nepatriotslife.com/2012/12/i-like-greg-schiano-kickoff-removal.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I liked the idea presented in the article that you face a 4th and 15 from your own 30 yard line. So you can either punt it away or go for it. Would be a pretty good thing imo

One thing I read was someone mentioned what if they always go for it...and convert every time? Theoretically the other team would never get the ball in the first half! Obviously unlikely, but all the same.

I think the best option is to have a conventional punt. If the danger is that they don't want the guys streaking down the field, then it covers that while also being an actual "kick" off.

I don't want to lose the play, and lose the potential for a score on a return, but a punt would be safer for players.

But it would be kind of cool to have the option of going for it on 4th and 15 which lets face it more often than not aint gonna be converted!

Imagine being down by a TD with a minute left and you have the 4th and 15. How cool would that be!

Actually that's another point - if they take away the kickoff they take away the chance of onside kicks to try and get back into games. I guess that's where the 4th and 15 comes into it.

I don't know, I'm sceptical about it changing too much.

What a pile of crap. They should just move the kick off back to the 30, bring back actual kick returns. Considering over 75% (and I'm pretty certain that's under estimating) of kick offs end up as touchbacks no idea how this would improve player safety. Absolute cowpat. Good work Goodell and Schiano all we need is more ways to ruin football, here's an idea get rid of defenses improves player safety as we only have 11 people on the pitch at a time.

Is the kick off return inherrently dangerous? I've seen more concussions as a result of poor tackling and leading with the head. Perhaps the kick off thing is a red herring.

I don't think the idea has much of a chance of coming to fruition next season, but I personally think it's a decent idea seeming as Derby said most kickoffs now end in a touchback

Grant Holt V2 wrote:I don't think the idea has much of a chance of coming to fruition next season, but I personally think it's a decent idea seeming as Derby said most kickoffs now end in a touchback

Yes because the NFL were stupid and moved kicks forward 5 yards. They either are so dumb they didn't see it happening, or they wanted most kicks to end in touchbacks. Oh and on the "safety" thing I would say a Punt is far less safe than a kick off (without looking at any sort of figures).

I like kickoffs. I like punting. I'm torn.

That 4th and 15 is a terrible idea.

No no no no Goodell needs to go now

I certainly don't like the 4th and 15 idea.

Whilst the downside risk is much worse, you stand a much much better chance of conversion that the onside kick which... and thats the point... it should be damn hard to get possession straight back of the opposition

Derbyblue wrote:Oh and on the "safety" thing I would say a Punt is far less safe than a kick off (without looking at any sort of figures).

I dunno a KR has 11 meeting 11 heading in opposite directions. Generally on a PR everyone bar the returner is going 1 way.

GSC wrote:

Derbyblue wrote:Oh and on the "safety" thing I would say a Punt is far less safe than a kick off (without looking at any sort of figures).

I dunno a KR has 11 meeting 11 heading in opposite directions. Generally on a PR everyone bar the returner is going 1 way.

True, but on a kickoff it's less likely we see the big hits we do on punts for a number of reasons:
1- Majority of kick offs are touchbacks anyway, so most the contact is fairly normal blocks.
2- When you catch a punt you tend to be faced with a number of opponents within just a few yards of you pretty much immediately, who due to the tackling skills of American Footballers are looking to continue running at full pace and simply dive at you head first.
3- Due to 99.99% of the time catching a kick off in the end zone, returners have time to analyse the field and see if lanes are opening up, if not they simply get to take a knee and again avoid any of the contact being more than blocks.
4- While obviously you can signal for fair catches on punt returns, a number of returners leave it pretty late or don't make it obvious enough leading to some more unneccessary hits.

Also I'm going to put it out there if you're snapping from the 30 yard line you're punting from about the 15 yard line meaning you're opponent will probably start on roughly their own 40 yard line, why have a 100 yard field if the most anyone will ever have to drive from is the 30 yard line, which would only happen if they needed to make the 4&15 to catch up?

Eh, the major problem on returns seems to be collisions between blockers/tacklers, hence the elimination of the wedge. Don't get nearly as many on punts

Ok, well personally I don't see blocks on returns as being bad unless you're doing it terribly.

No no no no no no no no NO

Just have kick offs and put them back to the old spot so I can actually see a kick off get returned every now and then

Another rotten idea from the NFL. I agree with Ed Reed - he was spot on when he said they're turning it into a soft league.

Instead of banning kick offs why not just cut to the chase and turn it into a flag league just now.

In this drive to improve player safety, Goodell is threatening to rip the heart out of the game and destroy a big part of what attracts a lot of people to it in the first place.