Posted on 03/23/2011 9:46:19 PM PDT by Impy
NEW ORLEANS — Opposing players haven't had much luck slowing return ace Devin Hester, but opposing team owners did so Tuesday when they passed a rule that will make it more difficult to return kickoffs.
The Bears steadfastly opposed the proposal to move kickoffs from the 30-yard line to the 35 and voted against it to no avail.
Kickers will find it much easier to reach the end zone and force the returner to settle for a touchback as opposed to risking a big return. It is anticipated the touchback rate could more than double to near 40 percent.
Coach Lovie Smith acknowledged the new rule would make it more difficult for the Bears.
"We'll still be able to get returns in," he said before the rule was passed Tuesday. "We'll find ways to deal with it."
The league implemented the rule because it found a higher incidence of collision injuries, specifically concussions, on kickoffs. But Smith said the Bears had incurred only one injury in two years, and that was an ankle sprain.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.chicagotribune.com ...
They could just eliminate the kickoff and start on the 20, but then they’d lose a commercial break.
All about the commercials.
RIsk of injury is high during returns, btw.
This is lame.
Cloaked in overly stern and self-important preachy talk of “player safety” it’s imo a combination of
A)The owners trying to show the players how much there care about safety (with a meaningless gesture that will have little injury impact).
and maybe I’m paranoid but
B)A conspiracy by the majority of teams which lack an elite return game to blunt the advantage of the minority of teams that do
They actually debated that.
Insane imo, to force such a radical change on the game. The field position battle is an interesting part of the game to many.
If they want to make football “safe” there is only one way, start playing touch football like grade schoolers.
Years ago, they kicked off from the 40 yard line. There were so many touchbacks that they moved the kickoff back to the 35, then the 30, to encourage kickoff returns.
Now they are going in the opposite direction, to encourage more touchbacks.
Interesting..............
wimpy er wimpy er. They should just change to flag football, let the cheerleaders play and be done with it.
I thought football involved defensive tackling? Am I missing something or has the game changed?
Why not just move it to the 50 and be done with it.
“If they are worried about injuries, they could wear skirts.” (thanks for the quote to Jack Lambert)
What a strange decision. Kickoffs used to be from the 40-yd line, but soccer-style kickers began creating too many touchbacks. So the NFL moved it to the 35, and later to the 30-yd line, to get kick returns back into the game.
Now they want to take kick returns out of the game. What a crock.
More touchbacks = stupid. That 5 yards may not sound like much on kickoffs, but I believe this will have consequences.
This will hurt overall scoring. Gives the offense a longer field which will mean more field goals and less touchdowns.
Hell, if the wind is right with a great kicker, we might see a couple of instances of putting a kickoff through the goal posts. (would that count as a field goal?) lol
Me, too. And no thugs in the headlines.
I second the motion: No kickoffs. Start on the 20. The brutal injuries from kickoffs deserve a change in plans, especially in youth leagues.
I wanted to give up on football when Jones took over our team, but he did win three SBs, but now the Cowboys suck. And I loved it when the Stars won the Cup, but now they suck too.
I think I'm a UFC fan now, even though they quit having no time limits. There used to be two rules: no biting and no gouging of eyes. Long live Royce Gracie, 6'1" and 170 pounds, a bad SOB in his day. Now there are rules about no beating down yer opponent if a knee is on the mat. They make the fighters stand up after being in a clinch for a couple of minutes or so. You can tap out if you are choking. I just hope the UFC never goes so sissified, but you never know.
“Thats why girls don’t play the game” The Replacements.
‘They should just change to flag football, let the cheerleaders play and be done with it.’
This is the new America, in which all the Moms will only let their kids play soccer, so, yes, this may be coming...
Dude, seriously, ask yossef this question...
Why are you “cheering”?
One of many. Sublime game.
Hockey huh?
Hey, let me ask you then...
How many players on YOUR team, have been there 4 yrs or longer? How many players are born, or went to high school within 300 miles of YOUR stadium? How many of YOUR players, do not take PEDs?...are you sure? Are you sure the Refs, are on the up and up? Don’t you feel manipulated by watching all those TV commercials while you watch YOUR team?
Sorry, didn’t mean to pick on you. I just had an awakening a few years back. Genuinely interested in your response.
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