Owners Approve New Kickoff, Replay Rules
Teams will now kickoff from the 35 yard line and all scoring plays will fall under booth review.
By PackerAaron
Via Adam Schefter, the league has approved a modified version of the proposal put through by the competition committee. Kickoffs will be moved from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line next season. Touchbacks will continue to be returned to the 20-yard line. Also, coverage units will no longer get a running start past 5 yards of the 35 yard line.
What's interesting is that this was sold as an issue of "player safety" with the league citing the number of injuries on kickoffs. Yet the proposal to remove the two man wedge was taken out...
Also approved via vote was the proposal for all scoring plays to be reviewable by replay officials upstairs in the booth. Coaches will no longer need to (or be able to) challenge plays where touchdowns are scored. They will, however, still receive a third challenge if they win the first two. (The original proposal took the third challenge away.)
Initial word is that seven teams voted against the changes on kickoffs. Nine votes were needed to kill the proposal.
Both of these developments are positives for the Packers. On kickoffs, the Packers haven't had a dynamic returner in ages and boast a dynamic offense that can drive the field. A move toward more touchbacks won't hurt them. (Unlike their division opponents in Chicago)
On scoring challenges, well, lets just say it decreases the chances of Mike McCarthy using one of his famous "emotional" challenges. ;)
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Comments (9)
March 22, 2011 at 01:01 pm
This compromise sucks. Good bye onsides kicks. The ends of games are about to become a lot less interesting.
March 22, 2011 at 01:40 pm
Exactly. How the hell are the coverage unit gonna recover it without a running start?
March 22, 2011 at 01:52 pm
But kicking off from the 35 means less of a penalty for an unsuccessful onsides try with posession being 5 yards back from the current. Maybe we'll see more with the new starting point.
March 22, 2011 at 02:09 pm
So did the running start get cut to 5 yards or is it gone completely?
PackerAaron
March 22, 2011 at 02:53 pm
5 yards, can't be beyond. Think I was probably unclear there.
March 22, 2011 at 03:16 pm
Oh. OK. Then it's different.
March 22, 2011 at 04:53 pm
I'm fine with this because it diminishes the advantage that the Bears and Queens have in Hester and Harvin. But, I'm not sure it's going to make players much safer.
What bugs me is that they haven't done anything substantive to address the end zone catch rule.
March 23, 2011 at 06:31 am
For some reason this article is not displayed on the "normal" page, when I'm viewing through my PC. I can only see it on the mobile page, through my phone.
March 23, 2011 at 06:34 am
Although it does appear on the side bar once you view a different article.