Football NFL will crowdsource ideas to change the punt - Page 3

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/

tooge · 12-05-2018, 11:49 AM

There’s some good ideas here, but none as good as the naked, or at least bikini clad female punter. Benefits include:
1. Nobody would care if their team had to punt.
2. Wait, screw it. Too many to list. Punters are basically just regular dudes, so let’s spice it up with naked female punters.

bowener · 12-05-2018, 11:57 AM

Somewhat unrelated to this, but I would love to see most teams go for it every 4th down, and utilize the QB punt if everything is covered on a pass. I'd go a step further and line up with your starters and have the QB punt without attempting a conversion more often than not. A team would never know what to expect. Obviously, if your QB is garbage at this don't do it or drop the punter from your roster and draft an athlete that can learn to punt decently but also be a threat to run or throw decently. Somebody that isn't great at anything, but decent at everything.

Pitt Gorilla · 12-05-2018, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bowener

Somewhat unrelated to this, but I would love to see most teams go for it every 4th down, and utilize the QB punt if everything is covered on a pass. I'd go a step further and line up with your starters and have the QB punt without attempting a conversion more often than not. A team would never know what to expect. Obviously, if your QB is garbage at this don't do it or drop the punter from your roster and draft an athlete that can learn to punt decently but also be a threat to run or throw decently. Somebody that isn't great at anything, but decent at everything.

Not sure the QB would have the room to punt. How deep are you lining him up?

Discuss Thrower · 12-05-2018, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

Not sure the QB would have the room to punt. How deep are you lining him up?

Roethlisberger seemingly gets the luxury of a pooch punt every season or so.

Chiefnj2 · 12-05-2018, 12:08 PM

I love it when the NFL uses player safety as an excuse to try to change or tweak a rule. If they cared about player safety there would no Thursday night games.

I'd love to see the data that there are more concussions on the 8-10 punts in a game compared to the 100 plus other plays during a game.

**TinyEvel** · 12-05-2018, 12:09 PM

Start the punting team players behind the returner, and they have to do a "one potato, two potato, three potato" count before taking off after him.

Also, flag football belts and rules only on punts. Tapped it, no take backs. Pinkyswear.

ClevelandBronco · 12-05-2018, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frazod

go

****

your

self

Not a bad idea. And the cool thing is, unlike you I can actually see my cock without standing on a mirror, so it's possible.

Frazod · 12-05-2018, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClevelandBronco

Not a bad idea. And the cool thing is, unlike you I can actually see my cock without standing on a mirror, so it's possible.

Well, it sticks out of your collar, so it would be hard to miss.

ClevelandBronco · 12-05-2018, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frazod

Well, it sticks out of your collar, so it would be hard to miss.

That's an exaggeration. I mean, it's long, but ...

Frazod · 12-05-2018, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClevelandBronco

That's an exaggeration. I mean, it's long, but ...

I figure you're at least 5'2", right?

Discuss Thrower · 12-05-2018, 12:15 PM

This is ChiefsPlanet, not Grindr, you chuckle****s.

ClevelandBronco · 12-05-2018, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frazod

I figure you're at least 5'2", right?

I figure you're at least 5'2" wide, right?

By the way, you were right about ****ing myself. Mmmmmmmm.

Discuss Thrower · 12-05-2018, 12:19 PM

Ho damn

**Rausch** · 12-05-2018, 12:20 PM

Could we please stop ****ing with the game?

Safer helmets and pads is great but leave the game alone...

Fish · 12-05-2018, 12:20 PM

For punts, all players on the field must wear inflatable bubble outfits...

12-05-2018, 10:08 AM
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, 11:49 AM	#31
tooge MVP Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Liberty, MO Casino cash: $3484112	There’s some good ideas here, but none as good as the naked, or at least bikini clad female punter. Benefits include: 1. Nobody would care if their team had to punt. 2. Wait, screw it. Too many to list. Punters are basically just regular dudes, so let’s spice it up with naked female punters.
Posts: 15,330

12-05-2018, 11:57 AM	#32
bowener BAMF! Join Date: Nov 2007 Casino cash: $9549897	Somewhat unrelated to this, but I would love to see most teams go for it every 4th down, and utilize the QB punt if everything is covered on a pass. I'd go a step further and line up with your starters and have the QB punt without attempting a conversion more often than not. A team would never know what to expect. Obviously, if your QB is garbage at this don't do it or drop the punter from your roster and draft an athlete that can learn to punt decently but also be a threat to run or throw decently. Somebody that isn't great at anything, but decent at everything. __________________ Main Entry: bowe·ner Pronunciation: \ˈbō-nər\ Function: noun Date: circa 2007
Posts: 8,358

12-05-2018, 12:08 PM	#35
Chiefnj2 In Search of a Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Casino cash: $7813688	I love it when the NFL uses player safety as an excuse to try to change or tweak a rule. If they cared about player safety there would no Thursday night games. I'd love to see the data that there are more concussions on the 8-10 punts in a game compared to the 100 plus other plays during a game. __________________ Mismanaging the clock.
Posts: 22,396

12-05-2018, 12:09 PM	#36
TinyEvel Just a li'l Evel Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Bald. Goatee. Jorts. Casino cash: $5187131	Start the punting team players behind the returner, and they have to do a "one potato, two potato, three potato" count before taking off after him. Also, flag football belts and rules only on punts. Tapped it, no take backs. Pinkyswear.
Posts: 11,823

12-05-2018, 12:15 PM	#41
Discuss Thrower "You like to drink?" Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: "I like to drink." Casino cash: $2696869	This is ChiefsPlanet, not Grindr, you chuckle**s. __________________ Chiefs 2016 Opponents: Home: JAX, TEN, NO, TB, NYJ. Away: HOU, IND, ATL, CAR, PIT Chiefs 2017 Opponents**: Home: BUF, MIA, PHI, WSH, AFC North. Away: NE, NYJ, NYG, DAL, AFC South
Posts: 43,008

12-05-2018, 12:19 PM	#43
Discuss Thrower "You like to drink?" Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: "I like to drink." Casino cash: $2696869	Ho damn __________________ Chiefs 2016 Opponents: Home: JAX, TEN, NO, TB, NYJ. Away: HOU, IND, ATL, CAR, PIT Chiefs 2017 Opponents: Home: BUF, MIA, PHI, WSH, AFC North. Away: NE, NYJ, NYG, DAL, AFC South
Posts: 43,008

12-05-2018, 12:20 PM	#45
Fish Ain't no relax! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $1718919	For punts, all players on the field must wear inflatable bubble outfits... __________________
Posts: 47,803