Should Teams Still Return Punts?

[Gary Cooper]

There were two TDs all of 2021 on punt returns. In the entire league. Just two. I feel like directional punting and coverage have improved a lot. More so than the return units.

Meanwhile, there's a much higher likelihood of being penalized, fumbling, or injuries than there is a positive gain. I'm surprised teams even bother returning punts these days. The rules already favor the offense. Getting a head start isn't as important as it was when the league was more defensive. The extra 10 yards or so aren't worth the risk IMO.

Should teams just fair catch punts going forward? Does your stomach tighten whenever any player on your favorite team is fielding a punt?

I've thought about this all last year, so it's not just a Skyy Moore reaction thing.

[htismaqe]

Fair catching it still requires one to CATCH the punt. It wouldn't prevent fumbles. In fact, I believe Moore called for a fair catch and then let it go through his hands.

[ptlyon]

Inb4poll

[Gary Cooper]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Fair catching it still requires one to CATCH the punt. It wouldn't prevent fumbles. In fact, I believe Moore called for a fair catch and then let it go through his hands.

I know. I'm talking about fair catching only. Obviously fumbles can still happen on a fair catch, though you take the indecision out if the coaches only want the fair catch. Sometimes players make a last second decision to field it and that costs them.

Let me be clear. If I never see another Chiefs punt return TD, but that also means no more fumbles or penalties on returns, I'll take it. We don't need Tamarick Vanover to carry us anymore.

[BleedingRed]

The answer is OFC they should... Its about field position in some games. Sometimes you just have to get to the 40 for points if your kicker can make it.

[louie aguiar]

Same line of thinking- I think the chiefs should definitely stop trying to take kickoffs out of the endzone. You have Mahomes- don’t risk an injury or a turnover and start on the 25.

[Gary Cooper]

Originally Posted by BleedingRed

The answer is OFC they should... Its about field position in some games. Sometimes you just have to get to the 40 for points if your kicker can make it.

Makes sense except the punting units have improved too much lately. That's why there's so few big returns. Or the refs have gotten tighter with calling penalties.

[Gary Cooper]

Originally Posted by louie aguiar

Same line of thinking- I think the chiefs should definitely stop trying to take kickoffs out of the endzone. You have Mahomes- don’t risk an injury or a turnover and start on the 25.

Agreed, except teams sometimes choose to kick it short to force a return. The Chiefs do this themselves quite a bit even though Butker could kick it out of the endzone each time. But yes, I hate seeing our kick returners fielding it in the endzone and then running it back.

[Kman34]

Lets do away with kickers all together.. No punts, No FGs. No kickoffs. Everyone starts at the 25 after a TD and a 2 point attempt.. That would make it easier for the NFL Refs to control the game and further screw the fans.

[scho63]

The speed of guys and the way punters are not out-kicking the coverage is making it very hard to return punts for TDs.

I was just thinking this very same topic during our game thinking of not seeing any returns, punts or KOs for TDs.

[notorious]

Remember the days where almost every KC punt and kick return got flagged?

Sigh. Good times.

[Dunerdr]

MORE LIKE JUDASPUSSING AMIRIGHT?

[Gary Cooper]

Originally Posted by notorious

Remember the days where almost every KC punt and kick return got flagged?

Sigh. Good times.

That feels like last season or the year before.

[Garcia Bronco]

If they take the punt out of the game then it can no longer be called football. It's got to be called something else.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by JudasRising20

Meanwhile, there's a much higher likelihood of being penalized, fumbling, or injuries than there is a positive gain.

I don’t believe that is true. A punt return is normally 5 or 10 yards worth of positive yardage. It would be silly to pass that up drive after drive after drive except in situations where the kick or the coverage makes a fair catch the only option, or a touchback is a possibility.

Giving up that many yards over the course of a year because someone might commit a penalty or a turnover is kind of wacky. These are probably more common on plays from scrimmage.