NFL to experiment with alternative to onside kick at Pro Bowl

[TwistedChief]

I don't think the NFL will ever allow it to happen, but just imagine a world where we could try keep the ball out of another team's hands using our ridiculously efficient 'and long' offense for an entire half.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28530361/nfl-experiment-alternative-onside-kick-pro-bowl

The NFL will experiment with an alternative to the onside kick during Sunday's Pro Bowl, an indication that the league is still considering the option despite the fact that owners rejected it last year.

As in past years, there will be no kickoffs at all in the Pro Bowl. The twist this year is that teams will have two options after scoring.

The first is to give the ball back to the opposition, which would start its drive at its 25-yard line. The new, second option for the scoring team would serve as a substitute for an onside kick. It would allow it to run one additional play from its own 25-yard line.

If the scoring team gains 15 or more yards, it would retain possession. If it falls short, the opposition would take over at the dead ball spot. Essentially, it will be a fourth-and-15 play.

[TambaBerry]

i think that is a horrible idea lol

[ModSocks]

Read as: "NFL looking for new ways to help teams keep up with Mahomes"

[KC Dan]

There are two alternatives being tested. The other is the scoring team just says screw it and the other team gets it on their own 25 with no kick. They are just going to do away with the kickoff for good. It's a done deal just waiting on the time it happens...

[Beef Supreme]

https://media1.tenor.com/images/b228cd40389ecd491b86b0a7ea5564bc/tenor.gif?itemid=4754628

[ghak99]

Nearly every owner in the NFL, "Fuck no, because Chiefs."

[FringeNC]

They have to do something. Recovering an onside kick now is really hard. Gotta keep viewers watching.

[ChiTown]

Jesus God.........

https://media0.giphy.com/media/EiCQzmzE5HLaw/giphy.gif

[Coochie liquor]

Read as: "NFL looking for new ways to help teams keep up with Mahomes"

No way. Think I saw where Mahomes is God mode on 3rd or 4th and 13+. We’d never give the ball back.

[Pitt Gorilla]

The chiefs O might never leave the field.

[The Franchise]

Holy shit that’s dumb.

[rabblerouser]

The chiefs O might never leave the field.

I'm okay with that?

[rabblerouser]

I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that I haven't watched a Pro Bowl since the 90s.

Has anyone else actually watched that farce of a "game" recently?

[Shaid]

I mean, if you do some shit like this, it better be harder than 4th and 15. Onside kicks are already hard. 4th and 15 seems way more likely for teams to get. I'd be pissed if we were going to the superbowl and something like this allowed a team to get back into it.

[Mecca]

Everyone thinks it's a good idea because statistically speaking the odds of recovering the old onside kick and converting 4th and 15 are basically identical.

The minute you see a high powered offensive team make up 20 points in 4 minutes to win a game they were getting spanked in though will cause backlash.

[St. Patty's Fire]

Tbh with how impossible they’ve made the onside kick I’m definitely for incorporating new ways to steal a possession.

This would give a huge advantage to teams with elite QBs, though.

[ChiTown]

I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that I haven't watched a Pro Bowl since the 90s.

Has anyone else actually watched that farce of a "game" recently?

Like the whole thing? Nope, probably never. As background noise? Yep

[mr. tegu]

My first thought was that this would be great but then I realized we are more often than not a team with the lead near the end of the game trying to hold on to victory so this would do way more harm than good to us.

[Chris Meck]

eww.

no way. that totally changes the entire game.

I hate it.

[threebag]

The chiefs O might never leave the field.

Exactly, just “onside” every time. No kick returns either

[notorious]

Just wait until there is a bad defensive holding or pass interference call during the “onside” play.

[InChiefsHeaven]

I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that I haven't watched a Pro Bowl since the 90s.

Has anyone else actually watched that farce of a "game" recently?

Sometimes I'll watch a bit, just to get a glimpse of Chiefs players that are in it...GUESS THAT WON'T BE THE CASE THIS YEAR!!!!!:thumb:

[Wallcrawler]

Dude.

Just fucking put onside kicks back the way they were. Allow the running start. They dont happen enough to be this huge injury risk.

[tyecopeland]

Just wait until there is a bad defensive holding or pass interference call during the “onside” play.

That it's probably the biggest issue right there. Does a 5 yard illegal contact penalty give the 'onside kicking team' full possession or does it make it 4th and 10 now? Does any DPI result in full possession or only if it's over the 15 yard mark? Sounds sketchy to me

[splatbass]

Just give them the choice of either not kicking it and the other team gets the ball on the 25 or an onside kick. Simple. They want to do away with kickoffs because of injuries, but I don't think injuries are a problem on onside kicks.

[treeguy27]

Just wait until there is a bad defensive holding or pass interference call during the “onside” play.

This was my thought. It would give way too much advantage to the losing team. The trailing team already has a slight advantage when going for every fourth down, the defense is usually playing prevent. If they get a garbage time TD then a PI on this stupid rule no lead would be safe unless you were up three scores. You could be kicking a teams ass all game and then they could get the ball for three straight drives without you even touching it. The NFL doesn't want blow outs. The refs would be inclined to make the end of games exciting by calling defensive holding and PI on these plays. Dumb.

[tk13]

This was my thought. It would give way too much advantage to the losing team. The trailing team already has a slight advantage when going for every fourth down, the defense is usually playing prevent. If they get a garbage time TD then a PI on this stupid rule no lead would be safe unless you were up three scores. You could be kicking a teams ass all game and then they could get the ball for three straight drives without you even touching it. Dumb.

It would make the end of every game more exciting though. I'm sure the TV networks would love it.

[treeguy27]

It would make the end of every game more exciting though. I'm sure the TV networks would love it.

Yeah, but for the next 15 years I expect us to be the team winning in the fourth quarter. I don't want this dumb rule giving the losing teams the advantage and a chance to beat us on fluke plays.

[ChiefBlueCFC]

"it's half-time here in Kansas City, where the Chiefs have held the ball for all 30 minutes of the first half and lead 59-0 against the Raiders."

[tk13]

Yeah, but for the next 15 years I expect us to be the team winning in the fourth quarter. I don't want this dumb rule giving the losing teams the advantage and a chance to beat us on fluke plays.

There's no doubt about that. But this is only partially about being fair, it's also about making an entertaining product for that big TV money.

[kcclone]

They have to do something. Recovering an onside kick now is really hard. Gotta keep viewers watching.


I don’t see why they have to make it easier to steal games? The team who is down 2+ scores with dwindling time on the clock had opportunity to not be in that position, but couldn’t make the plays.

The simple way to not need to recover an “impossible” onside kick is to win the first 56 minutes of the game.

[alpha_omega]

Dude.

Just fucking put onside kicks back the way they were......

The only answer.

[Chiefspants]

Yeah, no. 15 yards is waaaaaaay too low of a threshold.

Make it 25 yards w' the opposing team getting the ball at the spot (if the onside fails to convert), and it starts to sound more interesting.

[smithandrew051]

As a Chiefs fan, I love it.

Of course, eventually someone will get screwed on a ticky tack defensive holding call.

[Pitt Gorilla]

I don’t see why they have to make it easier to steal games? They team that’s down 2+ scores with dwindling time on the clock had opportunity to not be in that position, but couldn’t make the plays.

The simple way to not need to recover an “impossible” onside kick is to win the first 56 minutes of the game.

Exactly this.

[ScareCrowe]

Dude.

Just fucking put onside kicks back the way they were. Allow the running start. They dont happen enough to be this huge injury risk.

Maybe change the rule that the ball has to go 10 yards before the kicking team can recover to 5 yards. So the receiving team has to move forward to get the ball.

[UK_Chief]

Terrible

[DaFace]

I bet that, overall, the percentages would make the 4th and 15 comparable to the old onside kick rules. The problem is that some teams will be WAY better at it than others. So as a Chiefs fan, bring it on. :)

[The Franchise]

As a Chiefs fan, I love it.

Of course, eventually someone will get screwed on a ticky tack defensive holding call.

Yep. It will be a “chuck it and watch for the flag” play.

[Frazod]

Yeah, I'm strongly in the FUCK THAT camp.

[lawrenceRaider]

Read as: "NFL looking for new ways to help teams keep up with Mahomes"

Hell, Chiefs would never have to give the ball back with Mahomes at QB and Hill/Kelce/whoever else Chiefs have at WR.

[dirk digler]

What is not to like about the 4th and 15th play? I like it and should make the games more exciting. They are never going to return to the old onside kick way because of head injuries. Seems reasonable to me.

[wachashi]

15 yards is nothing to the Chiefs. We would truly never be out of a game if this rule took effect.

[Dunerdr]

this is stupid as hell im assuming goodell came up with it himself so its still being pushed.

[Sorce]

So we're gonna try this one out but both teams getting the ball in overtime was too extreme?

[dj56dt58]

so lets replace the automatic holding call on returns with an automatic defensive holding call to let a team (Probably the Patriots) back in a game

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

I don't think it's a terrible idea.

Odds for converting probably increases 5-10%, but the "kicking" team inherits more risk. Force an incomplete pass and you get the ball at the opponent's 25 instead of the 50. I agree that automatic 1st down penalties make it a little harder to swallow, but whatever.

[dirk digler]

this is stupid as hell im assuming goodell came up with it himself so its still being pushed.


The AAF league used this rule to pretty good success IIRC.

The XFL rule is dumb

If a team wishes to run an onside kick, it must indicate this to the official before the play and the two teams will be permitted to line up using traditional NFL rules (i.e. 10 yards apart from the kicking team). There will be no surprise onside kicks.

[oldman]

I agree that automatic 1st down penalties make it a little harder to swallow, but whatever.

That would be all you have to do. Flood a zone and throw a 15-20 yard Hail Mary. The onside kick works, even today.

[Imon Yourside]

Chiefs would never kickoff, not bad I guess.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Chiefs would never kickoff, not bad I guess.

dumbass

[suzzer99]

One thing is teams would get very very good at their 4th and 15 defense. So the #s would go down from whatever they are now.

[ljmhawk]

make it 1 play to get to the 50 starting at the 25. i’m pretty sure the success rate would be around 10%

[patteeu]

They need a replacement of some kind for the nerfed onside kick.

[ghak99]

So we're gonna try this one out but both teams getting the ball in overtime was too extreme?

No shit.

This piddly crap is ignorant as hell considering we're still ending games between two elite offenses based on a god damn coin flip and no one seems to care enough to raise hell about it.

[displacedinMN]

Have not looked at all posts....

The new, second option for the scoring team would serve as a substitute for an onside kick. It would allow it to run one additional play from its own 25-yard line.

If the scoring team gains 15 or more yards, it would retain possession. If it falls short, the opposition would take over at the dead ball spot. Essentially, it will be a fourth-and-15 play.

Instead of going for it, what if you choose to line up and punt????