Are the NFL’s reimagined kickoff rules working? The early returns are mixed

The NFL introduced a dramatic overhaul of its kickoff rules for this year’s season.Photograph: Aaron M Sprecher/Getty Images

With four full weeks of the NFL regular-season schedule complete, merely one kickoff has been returned for a touchdown under the league’s funky new kickoff rules. DeeJay Dallas, who actually plays for Arizona, took one 96 yards to the house in the Cardinals’ season opener.

NFL kick returners are on pace to score precisely 4.25 touchdowns this season, only slightly better than the four touchdowns scored on kickoff returns last year. But it is very early in the season, and to judge the effect of the new rules just by touchdowns is to miss the point(s).

Related: The Black quarterback is now the NFL’s leading man. But at what cost?

The NFL rewrote the kickoff rules to encourage teams to return more kickoffs, while moving the coverage teams (but not the kicker) 25 yards upfield for the kickoff, in large part to minimize those breakneck, full-speed collisions that have caused far too many injuries.

As intended, teams are returning more kickoffs – in spades. Through the first four weeks of the season – not including Thursday night’s game between the Buccaneers and Falcons – the NFL’s 32 teams have combined to return 187 of 642 kickoffs, or 29.1%, according to statistics from the NFL. Through all of last year, 587 of 2,698 kickoffs were returned, or 21.7%.

Kickoffs are still made from the 35-yard line, so there have been 437 thrill-killing touchbacks, or 68.1%. But that is still an improvement over last season’s overall touchback rate of 73%. With cold and damp weather on the way, the touchback percentage is certain to fall.

“There’s always going to be a cat-and-mouse game until the weather changes and the ball doesn’t go out [for a touchback] all the time,” Michael Clay, the Philadelphia Eagles’ special teams coach, said at a news conference last week. “I still think guys are kicking out the back of the end zone at a…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-reimagined-kickoff-rules-working-083019018.html

Author : The Guardian

Publish date : 2024-10-05 08:30:19

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.