77 replies to this topic

[GOBILLS!!!!!]

People are forgetting that these kickoffs that happened last year were terrible! I never seem to see anyone complaining about the fact that almost every return last year was a touchback. This is terrible for football because it ruins one of the best and most exciting moments during the game. Obviously goodell did this to reduce injuries but really how much did it help? Plus most of the players that play special teams are back up players anyways and it just doesn't outweigh the importance of field position and other factors that play into returns. When will they be pushed back to the 30 again bc until then the kickoffs are meaningless and should just be placed at the 20 to save time and energy that players use by sprinting down the field. they need to stop changing so many rules and leave the game as it is.

Edited by GOBILLS!!!!!, 10 April 2012 - 11:44 AM.

[BuffaloBillsSD]

GOBILLS!!!!!, on 10 April 2012 - 01:02 AM, said:

That these kickoffs that happened last year were terrible! I never seem to see anyone complaining about the fact that almost every return last year was a touchback. This is terrible for football because it ruins one of the best and most exciting moments during the game. Obviously goodell did this to reduce injuries but really how much did it help? Plus most of the players that play special teams are back up players anyways and it just doesn't outweigh the importance of field position and other factors that play into returns. When will they be pushed back to the 30 again bc until then the kickoffs are meaningless and should just be placed at the 20 to save time and energy that players use by sprinting down the field. they need to stop changing so many rules and leave the game as it is.

I like your reasoning that backups aren't deserving of being protected from injury.

[NoSaint]

Didn't it reduce concussions on returns like 50% or more?

[Dirtbag]

i don't know why i keep forgetting.  i just do.

[Stealth]

NoSaint, on 10 April 2012 - 01:09 AM, said:

Didn't it reduce concussions on returns like 50% or more?

I'm not saying the league shouldn't do what it can to protect injuries, but it's a risk you take when you play the game.  It takes away a big part of the game, that fan's enjoy, also can swing game momentum. To make that aspect almost negligible hurts the game itself  Again it's a good thing players are protected, and it might not seem like much to average joe, but too much more of these rule changes in the interest of "player safety" will run the risk of reducing fans by 50% or more.  


I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I watch football to see big hits.  I'm not saying "bounty" like dirty intent to injure hits, but I watch football because of the physical aspect of the game.  The kickoff rule, changes some of that. As does the "defenseless receiver" and the rules about protecting quarterbacks and such.

Edited by Stealth, 10 April 2012 - 03:12 AM.

[Dennis in AZ]

I don't think fans are forgetting about this stupid rule change, we just can not do anything about it. Perhaps fans could picket the stadiums and refuse to buy tickets, but fat chance of that.

It certainly has taken away an important aspect of the game.  

Maybe they could make that aspect of the game like touch football. The kick returner would have a little NFL-licensed bandana hanging out of his belt that the opposing kick coverage guys would have to remove to show the returner (punt catcher) has been safely "tackled".

[jimmyo]

NoSaint, on 10 April 2012 - 01:09 AM, said:

Didn't it reduce concussions on returns like 50% or more?

I thought i read somewhere that, while there were fewer injuries on kickoffs, there were fewer returns too, obviously. And that if you broke down injuries per kick return, injuries actually occurred at the same (or maybe even higher) rate. I'll try to look it up when I'm at a computer later.

[8and8Forever]

GOBILLS!!!!!, on 10 April 2012 - 01:02 AM, said:

That these kickoffs that happened last year were terrible! I never seem to see anyone complaining about the fact that almost every return last year was a touchback. This is terrible for football because it ruins one of the best and most exciting moments during the game. Obviously goodell did this to reduce injuries but really how much did it help? Plus most of the players that play special teams are back up players anyways and it just doesn't outweigh the importance of field position and other factors that play into returns. When will they be pushed back to the 30 again bc until then the kickoffs are meaningless and should just be placed at the 20 to save time and energy that players use by sprinting down the field. they need to stop changing so many rules and leave the game as it is.

i think they should kick off from the 20.  Make the kickoff a real play every time.

Edited by 8and8Forever, 10 April 2012 - 06:00 AM.

[Mr. WEO]

GOBILLS!!!!!, on 10 April 2012 - 01:02 AM, said:

That these kickoffs that happened last year were terrible! I never seem to see anyone complaining about the fact that almost every return last year was a touchback. This is terrible for football because it ruins one of the best and most exciting moments during the game. Obviously goodell did this to reduce injuries but really how much did it help? Plus most of the players that play special teams are back up players anyways and it just doesn't outweigh the importance of field position and other factors that play into returns. When will they be pushed back to the 30 again bc until then the kickoffs are meaningless and should just be placed at the 20 to save time and energy that players use by sprinting down the field. they need to stop changing so many rules and leave the game as it is.

You "keep forgetting" that they are kicking off from the same spot they did until 1993 (and without the big runup they were allowed back then)?  I don't recall any fans complaining back during the Bills 4 year SB run about the spot for kickoffs.

Edited by Mr. WEO, 10 April 2012 - 06:02 AM.

[BLEDSOE1QB]

GOBILLS!!!!!, on 10 April 2012 - 01:02 AM, said:

That these kickoffs that happened last year were terrible! I never seem to see anyone complaining about the fact that almost every return last year was a touchback. This is terrible for football because it ruins one of the best and most exciting moments during the game. Obviously goodell did this to reduce injuries but really how much did it help? Plus most of the players that play special teams are back up players anyways and it just doesn't outweigh the importance of field position and other factors that play into returns. When will they be pushed back to the 30 again bc until then the kickoffs are meaningless and should just be placed at the 20 to save time and energy that players use by sprinting down the field. they need to stop changing so many rules and leave the game as it is.

Back ups are people to! lol

[mountainwampus]

Can we make this thread about the "tuck rule" instead?

[KD in CT]

BuffaloBillsSD, on 10 April 2012 - 01:06 AM, said:

I like your reasoning that backups aren't deserving of being protected from injury.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

Dirtbag, on 10 April 2012 - 01:23 AM, said:

i don't know why i keep forgetting.  i just do.

Same here.  Must be all the concussions.

[Triple Threat]

It seemed to me as the year went on there were more returns.  I don't have any data to back that up, more of an observation.  Chan's stance was that he had numbers to back up that you don't bring it out, but then it appeared other teams started taking more chances bringing it out.

Edited by Triple Threat, 10 April 2012 - 07:39 AM.

[Max997]

it was even worse in Madden

[Simon]

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[Turbosrrgood]

Mr. WEO, on 10 April 2012 - 06:01 AM, said:

You "keep forgetting" that they are kicking off from the same spot they did until 1993 (and without the big runup they were allowed back then)?  I don't recall any fans complaining back during the Bills 4 year SB run about the spot for kickoffs.

THIS ^.

It's a non-issue as far as I'm concerned. Believe it or not there WERE still kick off returns for TD's last year, there WERE still big return plays. Less? Maybe, but I'd rather see what offenses and defenses can do anyway. All the rule change did was put the kickoff spot back to where it always had been.

Banning wedges has to do more with fewer big kickoff returns IMO, and I'm fine with that too.

Edited by Turbosrrgood, 10 April 2012 - 07:56 AM.

[Just in Atlanta]

We forgot because Goodell hypnotized us.

Seriously, though--I hate the rule. Also don't know why people aren't complaining. We all complained the first couple games, then we just stopped.

Turns out one of the most exciting parts of the game is, in fact, being taken away. According to this ESPN story, the touchback rate jumped from 16 percent to 44 percent from the previous season and the average field position after kickoff was reduced by four-plus yards.

I'm with ya--watching guys kneel down in the endzone 44 percent of the time doesn't thrill me.

Edited by JustinAtlanta, 10 April 2012 - 07:59 AM.

[Simon]

Triple Threat, on 10 April 2012 - 07:39 AM, said:

It seemed to me as the year went on there were more returns.  I don't have any data to back that up, more of an observation.  Chan's stance was that he had numbers to back up that you don't bring it out, but then it appeared other teams started taking more chances bringing it out.

I got the same sense that there were more live returns as the season went on; but I don't think it was as much an issue of teams being willing to take more chances bringing it out, but instead there were more teams that began emulating the Bills strategy of kicking the ball to the goalline outside the hashes. At teh beginning of the year, the Bills were virtually the only team in teh league who were showing the confidence in their kicker to place the ball there, and while I also have no data to back this up, but it seemed that by the end of the year half the teams in the league were doing it.

[plenzmd1]

Simon, on 10 April 2012 - 08:09 AM, said:

I got the same sense that there were more live returns as the season went on; but I don't think it was as much an issue of teams being willing to take more chances bringing it out, but instead there were more teams that began emulating the Bills strategy of kicking the ball to the goalline outside the hashes. At teh beginning of the year, the Bills were virtually the only team in teh league who were showing the confidence in their kicker to place the ball there, and while I also have no data to back this up, but it seemed that by the end of the year half the teams in the league were doing it.

Agree on thisand lets not forget the weather. While certainly not a cold season, just like a golf ball, as the weather cools your ball does not travel as far with the same force hit. As long as we have McLovin returning returning kicks, i am all for the touchback LOL(and i like him as a CB BTW)