Football NFL will crowdsource ideas to change the punt

Stinger · 12-05-2018, 10:08 AM

The NFL wants to implement changes to the punt after making plenty of changes to the kickoff

by Sean Wagner-McGough @seanjwagner

It's not just kickoffs that are in a period of change in today's NFL. After enacting a number of rule changes in recent years to make the kickoff safer, the NFL will now focus on the punt as it aims to decrease injuries and penalties, league officials told ESPN on Tuesday. Changes could be coming as soon as next season.

According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, the league will "crowdsource ideas from the analytics community" as "part of the 1st and Future project, an innovation competition that culminates in a Feb. 2 presentation in Atlanta, site of Super Bowl LIII." However, the league did not promise to use any of the ideas brought to them.

So why is the NFL planning on changing the punt? NFL executive vice president of health and safety initiatives Jeff Miller said that punts cause twice as many concussions than normal plays. Meanwhile, penalties most frequently occur during punts, Seifert reported, which is easy to believe after seeing holding and illegal-block-in-the-back penalties get flagged on what seems like every other punt -- if not more.

"We know our fans are not big fans of every play ending in a penalty, and that's one thing we definitely want to look at," Rich McKay, the head of the competition committee, said.

None of this should come as a huge surprise after all of the rules we've seen the NFL modify in an attempt to make the kickoff less dangerous. The NFL decreased the number of kickoff returns by moving the kickoff from the 30 to the 35-yard line in addition to moving the touchback from the 20 to the 25-yard line. More recently, they eliminated wedge blocking techniques by the return team and running starts for the kicking team.

Punts appear to be the NFL's next target. While complaints will undoubtedly be made whenever the NFL does make changes to the punt, it's easy to understand why the NFL is trying to make a special teams play safer and less likely to end in a penalty. Hopefully, the changes won't prohibit the Devin Hesters and Johnny Hekkers of the NFL from making the kind of plays that can make the punt exciting, but even if that happens and the end result is a safer sport, it'll be tough to criticize the league for doing so.

Many critics have bemoaned the changes made to the kickoff in recent years, but those changes have hardly impacted the quality of football in today's NFL while the league says injuries have been reduced to the point where the kickoff won't have to be eliminated entirely, which was mentioned as a possible outcome as recently as March. Next up? The punt.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/n...ies-penalties/

ToxSocks · 12-05-2018, 10:10 AM

To prevent concussions the NFL should just remove everyone from the field except the return man and punter.

And since our offense doesn't punt, we have nothing to worry about.

**wazu** · 12-05-2018, 10:10 AM

Make it a 15 yard penalty for kicking out of bounds.

Chief Pagan · 12-06-2018, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wazu

Make it a 15 yard penalty for kicking out of bounds.

I would make it a penalty for punts and kickoffs if the ball lands out of bounds.

If either one lands in bounds and then goes out no penalty.

pugsnotdrugs19 · 12-05-2018, 10:11 AM

Fine with me if it makes things safer. Don’t think they can do anything to make football any less exciting really.

InChiefsHeaven · 12-05-2018, 10:13 AM

Wear flags. It's the only way.

**wazu** · 12-05-2018, 10:13 AM

If you truly want safer game play, eliminate all helmets and pads.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 12-05-2018, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wazu

If you truly want safer game play, eliminate all helmets and pads.

Which is a great idea until the first time someone goes down and catches a knee to the face on the descent.

BlackHelicopters · 12-05-2018, 10:18 AM

Penalties on punts will be self called by players and subject to intense ten minute play review. A string of commercials three minutes long can and will be inserted at least three times, stretching the “ punt review” to nearly 20 minutes. The NFL announced that the revenue bump from expanding punt coverage will add one billion to NFL coffers annually.

**Rain Man** · 12-05-2018, 10:18 AM

A few ideas off the top of my head.

1. No punts. Go for it on every fourth down.

2. No punts. Go for it on every fourth down, but a pass is essentially a punt. If it's incomplete, the defense gets the ball where it hit the ground.

3. No punt returns. The punter kicks the ball and the offense gets it where it comes to rest.

4. The punter must line up 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage to keep the collisions low-speed. If he can't, then Rule 3 happens.

**wazu** · 12-05-2018, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

A few ideas off the top of my head.

1. No punts. Go for it on every fourth down.

2. No punts. Go for it on every fourth down, but a pass is essentially a punt. If it's incomplete, the defense gets the ball where it hit the ground.

3. No punt returns. The punter kicks the ball and the offense gets it where it comes to rest.

4. The punter must line up 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage to keep the collisions low-speed. If he can't, then Rule 3 happens.

I’m okay with #1. #2 sounds great for us. #3 would be terrible. #4 sounds like pure comedy.

m80mayhem · 12-05-2018, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wazu

I’m okay with #1. #2 sounds great for us. #3 would be terrible. #4 sounds like pure comedy.

NFLPA would not go for anything that eliminated a job.

**Rain Man** · 12-05-2018, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wazu

I’m okay with #1. #2 sounds great for us. #3 would be terrible. #4 sounds like pure comedy.

I would agree with this.

#5 - Allow holding and blocks in the back, but the punter doesn't count toward the 11 men on the kicking team. They get a 12th guy.

#6 - No punts, but allow five downs if the distance to a first down is 10 yards or more.

#7 - You know the NFL will want this one. Option #5, but the punter cannot be touched nor can initiate contact, and the punter must be female.

InChiefsHeaven · 12-05-2018, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I would agree with this.

#5 - Allow holding and blocks in the back, but the punter doesn't count toward the 11 men on the kicking team. They get a 12th guy.

#6 - No punts, but allow five downs if the distance to a first down is 10 yards or more.

#7 - You know the NFL will want this one. Option #5, but the punter cannot be touched nor can initiate contact, and the punter must be female.

...and nekid!

**Rain Man** · 12-05-2018, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InChiefsHell

...and nekid!

That's a possibility.

Now that I think about it, if we take the female punter idea and build on it, the NFL can send a very important social message. Whenever she's on the field, any player who touches her is automatically ejected from the game. This occurs even if she initiates the contact, so it will be the receiving team's obligation to return the punt while also avoiding any contact with her.

As they say, football is a metaphor for life. This would be a perfect way to add another layer.

12-05-2018, 10:08 AM	Topic Starter
Stinger Bazinga Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Springfield, MO Casino cash: $4014507	NFL will crowdsource ideas to change the punt The NFL wants to implement changes to the punt after making plenty of changes to the kickoff by Sean Wagner-McGough @seanjwagner It's not just kickoffs that are in a period of change in today's NFL. After enacting a number of rule changes in recent years to make the kickoff safer, the NFL will now focus on the punt as it aims to decrease injuries and penalties, league officials told ESPN on Tuesday. Changes could be coming as soon as next season. According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, the league will "crowdsource ideas from the analytics community" as "part of the 1st and Future project, an innovation competition that culminates in a Feb. 2 presentation in Atlanta, site of Super Bowl LIII." However, the league did not promise to use any of the ideas brought to them. So why is the NFL planning on changing the punt? NFL executive vice president of health and safety initiatives Jeff Miller said that punts cause twice as many concussions than normal plays. Meanwhile, penalties most frequently occur during punts, Seifert reported, which is easy to believe after seeing holding and illegal-block-in-the-back penalties get flagged on what seems like every other punt -- if not more. "We know our fans are not big fans of every play ending in a penalty, and that's one thing we definitely want to look at," Rich McKay, the head of the competition committee, said. None of this should come as a huge surprise after all of the rules we've seen the NFL modify in an attempt to make the kickoff less dangerous. The NFL decreased the number of kickoff returns by moving the kickoff from the 30 to the 35-yard line in addition to moving the touchback from the 20 to the 25-yard line. More recently, they eliminated wedge blocking techniques by the return team and running starts for the kicking team. Punts appear to be the NFL's next target. While complaints will undoubtedly be made whenever the NFL does make changes to the punt, it's easy to understand why the NFL is trying to make a special teams play safer and less likely to end in a penalty. Hopefully, the changes won't prohibit the Devin Hesters and Johnny Hekkers of the NFL from making the kind of plays that can make the punt exciting, but even if that happens and the end result is a safer sport, it'll be tough to criticize the league for doing so. Many critics have bemoaned the changes made to the kickoff in recent years, but those changes have hardly impacted the quality of football in today's NFL while the league says injuries have been reduced to the point where the kickoff won't have to be eliminated entirely, which was mentioned as a possible outcome as recently as March. Next up? The punt. https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/n...ies-penalties/
Posts: 10,180

12-05-2018, 10:10 AM	#2
ToxSocks Needs more middle fingers Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego Casino cash: $3874563	To prevent concussions the NFL should just remove everyone from the field except the return man and punter. And since our offense doesn't punt, we have nothing to worry about. __________________ Life is like a dick. Sometimes it gets hard for no reason, but it can't stay hard forever.
Posts: 64,767	1 0

12-05-2018, 10:13 AM	#6
InChiefsHeaven Rockin' yer FACE OFF! Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Omaha, Nebraska Casino cash: $3364937	Wear flags. It's the only way. __________________ We have a million reasons for failure, but not one excuse... Die Donks, DIE!! Holy Crap fellas!!! We did it!!! THREE TIMES!!!
Posts: 25,894

12-05-2018, 10:18 AM	#9
BlackHelicopters Spiraling down the Drain Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dante's Ninth Circle Casino cash: $2240588	Penalties on punts will be self called by players and subject to intense ten minute play review. A string of commercials three minutes long can and will be inserted at least three times, stretching the “ punt review” to nearly 20 minutes. The NFL announced that the revenue bump from expanding punt coverage will add one billion to NFL coffers annually. __________________ "We're both part of the same hypocrisy, Senator, but never think it applies to my family." "Fredo. You are my brother, and I love you. But never take sides against the Family again. Ever." 2019 Adopt a Chief - Travis Kelce #87
Posts: 31,763

12-05-2018, 10:18 AM	#10
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $2758491 VARSITY	A few ideas off the top of my head. 1. No punts. Go for it on every fourth down. 2. No punts. Go for it on every fourth down, but a pass is essentially a punt. If it's incomplete, the defense gets the ball where it hit the ground. 3. No punt returns. The punter kicks the ball and the offense gets it where it comes to rest. 4. The punter must line up 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage to keep the collisions low-speed. If he can't, then Rule 3 happens. __________________ I'm putting random letters here as a celebration of free speech: xigrakgrah misorojeq rkemeseit.
Posts: 141,873

12-05-2018, 10:10 AM	#3
wazu ... Join Date: May 2002 Location: Kansas City, MO Casino cash: $1642295 VARSITY	Make it a 15 yard penalty for kicking out of bounds.
Posts: 28,125

12-05-2018, 10:11 AM	#5
pugsnotdrugs19 SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS Join Date: Aug 2013 Casino cash: $9089447	Fine with me if it makes things safer. Don’t think they can do anything to make football any less exciting really.
Posts: 26,383