New Kickoff Rule: Hurting Or Helping Packers?
By jasonperone
The annual NFL Owner's meeting in Florida yielded a few new rule changes and one in particular isn't sitting well with Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy. A touchback on a kickoff will now give the receiving team possession of the ball at their own 25-yard line instead of the traditional 20. McCarthy questioned the reasoning and asked a legitimate question: is the league trying to make the game more or less competitive?
In 2011, kickoffs were moved up from the 30-yard line to the 35. This seemed to be in response to safety concerns about the violent collisions that often occur during returns. As a result, many kickers can now easily boot the ball out of the back of the end zone and keep the dangerous returners from doing more damage. It would seem now that kickers who have confidence in their coverage are going to kick short and make the returner earn his way past the 25 versus handing it to him on a silver platter. Hence, the return of. . . returns.
Either way, the question is whether this will help or hinder the Packers. Green Bay hasn't been known for their explosive kick returns since the days of Allen Rossum in the early 2000's. And before that, we have to go back 20 years to the days of Desmond Howard. (Side note: this marks the 20th anniversary of that '96 Packers team that dazzled their way to a Super Bowl). But last season saw the emergence of Ty Montgomery and Jeff Janis as more of a threat in the return game than the Packers have had in years. It would seem that the Packers want to see the ball in either guy's hands more often than not and this new rule may help that cause.
Field position is key in any game and when Aaron Rodgers is the opposing quarterback, any extra yardage in his favor doesn't help. Opposing teams may have to pick their poison in 2016. Concede the 25 yard line or take their chances with Montgomery or Janis, both of whom flashed big return ability last season. It's yet another rule that seems to favor the offense, which is McCarthy's area of expertise. Last season, the Packers really seemed to struggle when starting inside of their own 20, so this new rule may help prevent them from being backed up too far to run their typical offense. Or maybe Mike is just truly an old school football guy who wants the game to stay true to its roots.
Either way, it would seem that the Packers are equipped to benefit from the change one way or another and McCarthy may find himself changing his tune before too long.
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Jason is a freelance writer on staff since 2012 and also co-hosts Cheesehead TV Live, Pulse of the Pack and Pack A Day podcasts. You can follow him on Twitter here
Comments (8)
croatpackfan
March 25, 2016 at 06:37 am
Yeah, it may help Packers O. But surely will not help Packers D! And you need to stop opposite team, too...
porupack
March 25, 2016 at 06:59 am
Strange rule change and weird for kickers who have to now aim for between the +3 yard line to - 3 yard line to entice a return. Otherwise, everyone will just take the 25 now.
While they're at it, maybe just eliminate the Kick-off altogether and just place the ball on the 25, and cut out 5 minutes of TV adverts. We'll all be out of the room pissin anyway.
Doug_In_Sandpoint
March 25, 2016 at 07:53 am
Love the thought of less ads, but they'd find a way around that. Score-commercial. Extra point - commercial. Placing of the ball-commercial.
Also, no kick offs mean no onsides...one of the more exciting moments at the end of games. Actually, after the Seattle game that sounds pretty good.
Since'61
March 25, 2016 at 08:53 am
This rule should help the Packers because they do not return many kicks beyond the 20, never mind the 25. If Janis becomes the primary kick returner the Packers may want him to return any kick that is less than 5 yards deep in the end zone due his breakaway speed. On the defensive side this rule change doesn't help any team. The NFL has been discussing the elimination of kickoffs for several years. This is a step in that direction or at least an attempt to reduce returns. Let's remember that this is being tested for 2016 and this change could be repealed after the season. It may back fire if teams decide to kick short and cover the return in an attempt to keep their opponent from starting at the 25. The problem I have with this change is that it puts a team 5 yards closer to a game winning or game tying field goal late in the game. This will put added pressure on defenses in those situations and with the passing rules already favoring the offense they will have this additional advantage at a critical point in the game. There could be a few back and forth lead changes in them last 2 minutes of a game like the NBA, in which case why watch the entire game if only the last 2 minutes are what matters. If this rule sticks beyond 2016 what steps we will see next to move the NFL ever closer towards Arena Football? Eventually the league will be all passing with all lineman in standing positions before the snap with a frenzy of scoring in the last few minutes. The slippery slope has become a little more slick NFL fans. Let's hope this fails miserably and we go back to the 20 for touchback in 2017. Thanks, Since '61
Hematite
March 25, 2016 at 09:52 am
I agree.
I don't like this at all nor does Mike McCarthy.
dobber
March 25, 2016 at 09:49 am
Part of what moved Ty Montgomery up the draft board for the Packers was his skill in returning KOs. Certainly he had a very good Jr. year at Stanford as a WR, but not so much as a Sr. His value solely as a WR likely would have pushed him back further into the draft. I think this puts a little more pressure on him to produce...
As a kicking team, you bet I'm going to ask my K to try to hang the ball up, now, and force teams to try to return the ball. 20 vs. 25 yard line isn't a lot of difference, but the likelihood that you're going to catch the returner inside the 25 is pretty high. When it was the 20? Just kick it through the endzone...
Thegreatreynoldo
March 25, 2016 at 04:36 pm
Pretty much agree on Monty (I had him in the 5th Rd. as a WR only). Teams that have good KRs and disciplined return units will see opponents just kick it through the end zone. Teams with mediocre KRs would prefer to just take the 25 rather than risk the penalty and starting at their 10, and teams will kick it high and shorter to force the return.
That seems likely to me, but unintended consequences are possible.
Crackerpacker
March 26, 2016 at 05:37 am
If they want to virtually remove kick off returns from the game I suggest moving the kick off to the 50 like most other sports and make it where any kick that goes inside the 20 and the receiving team don't touch it a touchback. You would lose out on watching returns but would be more than compensated with lots of onside kicks.