The NFL rules committee has just made kick offs more boring.
From ESPN: NFL owners voted to alter rules for kickoffs and instant replay next season but tabled a proposal that would have expanded language changes in the rule involving penalties against defenseless players.
The rule that moves kickoffs from the 30 to the 35-yard line passed 26-6, while the rule to have the booth replay official review all scoring plays passed 30-2. Overall, four of the five proposals up for vote passed.
With changes suggested by 32 head coaches attending the NFL owners meetings, kickoffs will move from the 30 to the 35-yard line but adjustments were made in the proposal by the NFL competition committee.
With the input of coaches, the committee decided to allow return teams to have a two-man wedge. The committee proposal suggested the elimination of the two-man wedge, but coaches argued that would make it harder to have quality returns.
The other tradeoff by the committee to get the vote passed was not changing the spotting of a touchback. Touchbacks will still be spotted at the 20-yard line. The committee had suggested moving touchbacks to the 25.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6247029
Maybe they can call it the Devon Hester rule. Last season, they had 23 touchdown returns from a kickoff. Now, maybe there will 5 or fewer.
Most teams, unless they are kicking into a strong wind, have a kicker who can reach the end zone if they kick off from the 35 yard line.
The NFL says it is doing it to prevent injuries. Perhaps a little, but they still block and kick each other's butt even if there is no return.
Hell, if the kick off team has a very strong kicker, maybe Brett Favre can come back as a special teams player since he won't have to do much tackling and running.
At the Prairie Café...
6 hours ago
Let's just remove one of the most exciting plays in the game.
ReplyDeleteI have an idea: let's go to flag football, instead of tackle. That will significantly reduce the number of injuries. Or we could eliminate all injuries by disbanding the league altogether.