Photo Credit Google Images washingtonexaminer.com
As the lock-out continues, the NFL owners are still working on rule changes. They have agreed to move kick-offs from the 30 yard-line to the 35. Also, the kick-off team will have a five yard running start, as opposed to a 10-15 yard running start before. Another rule change is that referees can review any scoring play at any time during the course of the game.
Last year, 16% of kick-offs resulted in touch-backs. Touch-backs will most likely increase this upcoming season. Bill Belichik stated that touch-backs would increase but most likely 2/3 to 3/4 of kick-offs will still be returned. I guarantee the number will come somewhere between those two numbers since Bill is a genius and I believe anything he says.
Most coaches do not agree with this decision and neither do I. This is football, you can't just change the game. There was actually a proposal to eliminate kick-offs all together and just place the ball at the twenty yard-line. That might be the most absurd thing I've ever heard. Many teams have invested millions of dollars in kick-return specialists such as Devin Hester, Leon Washington, and Joshua Cribbs. Cribbs actually tweeted his displeasure with the rule change.
The only good thing that might come from this is maybe a few more pooch kicks. I'd love to see that as a Pats fan, considering we have the best pooch-kick-returner in the history of the NFL in Dan Conolly. Fucking gold footage right here:
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