Owners approve changes to kickoff

While this does not happen very often I think that it totally sucks that with this new format it completely eliminates surprise on side kicks. It seems that they were so worried about the amount of non returns more than injuries. Perhaps they should have considered kicking off from the 25 yard line instead of the 35. Maybe the change will grow on me but I’m just not digging this new rule change right now.

 

If I understand this new rule correctly:

* A ball that ls caught in the endzone, or lands in the endzone (without bouncing), can be returned, or downed and placed at the 30 yard line.

* If the ball lands in between the goal line and the 20 yard line, and bounces in the endzone , it can be returned, or downed and placed at the 20 yard line. If it lands between the goal line and 20 yard line, and then bounces out of the endzone, it will be placed at the 20 yard line.

* If the ball does not make it to the 20 yard line in the air, or if the kick is out of bounds, the ball will be placed at the 40 yard line, thus doing away with the squib kick.

I think we should have brought back Josh Dobbs just to help interpret these rules, because it might take an actual rocket scientist to figure all of this out!

 

yea it’s going to be a challenge for the low wonderlic scoring people.

 

Still not sure what the rule is if the ball lands between the goal line and the 20, and then bounces out of bounds. I know traditionally, that it would be considered our of bounds, and placed at the 40 yard line, but I read somewhere where the rule was any ball that lands in the "Landing Zone" must be returned, so still not quite sure on that. Does anyone out there know for sure where the ball would be placed?

 

If it lands in the "landing zone" but bounces sideways out of bounds before it reaches the end zone the ball comes out to the forty yard line just like before.