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.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Blaming Toub seems like the time someone wanted to fire the "tackling" coach

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Pasta Little Brother

There's some here that act like we have the worst coaching staff in football

Yes, well these are probably the same dullards that think we should be passing on every snap, regardless of situation or down-and-distance, because "potential points per play," or whatever metrics nonsense the likes of Frank Reich and Brandon Staley have been ****ing themselves with for several seasons.

And in spite of the fact that historical precedent shows quite clearly that an effective run game is necessary to success on an actual football field in the NFL.

But why let actual facts get in the way of a wild theory?

[Titty Meat]

How many games would we have lost if it weren't for a return? Field position still matters.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Absolutely.

Field position decides games.

The league needs to tell refs to only call holding or blocks in the back when it is directly relevant to the play.

Seeing a return TD wiped away by a holding call either 20 yards away or behind is disgusting.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Carr4MVP

Absolutely.

Field position decides games.

The league needs to tell refs to only call holding or blocks in the back when it is directly relevant to the play.

Seeing a return TD wiped away by a holding call either 20 yards away or behind is disgusting.

Does it really matter if our chances to score a TD increase tremendously if Mahomes gets the ball on the 35 yard line or the 25 yard line?

[oldman]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Does it really matter if our chances to score a TD increase tremendously if Mahomes gets the ball on the 35 yard line or the 25 yard line?

I believe you have to look at the situation. How much time is left, are we behind, etc. But the bottom line is we probably wouldn't be having this discussion if it weren't for Moore's muffed return attempt.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by oldman

I believe you have to look at the situation. How much time is left, are we behind, etc. But the bottom line is we probably wouldn't be having this discussion if it weren't for Moore's muffed return attempt.

Yep. In that situation, at that point in the game, there wasn’t a reason to field that. Let it bounce. Just cannot give the other team the ball at the 4.

[Wallcrawler]

Originally Posted by Pasta Little Brother

You realize Toub is one of the most respected coaches at his position in the league right?? Consistently has had among the best ST units for YEARS. But go on crying...

If by best, you mean drawing a flag on every return, sure.

That ST performance against the Colts was an abomination.

I don't give a flying shit what you've supposedly done over your career. Toub in recent history has been a flag collecting, dumb decision-making shitshow.

On top of that he appears to have zero common sense whatsoever in telling these returners to take the ball out of the endzone 5 yards deep. Yes, let's make Patrick start from the 12 this drive boys. He can handle it.

That's not how you gain respect abd it's certainly not top 10 st unit coaching. Christ we got Shady Mccoy junior out there returning a kickoff, slips, falls, and fumbles the football with nobody within 10 yards.

Let's be aggressive with guys who can't even handle the complexity of CATCHING the punt to start with.

Now let's run a fake fg where even if it had been caught, it doesn't count, because your unit can't execute without drawing the flag.

Yes. Spectacular coaching from Dave Toub. They lookedlike a bunch of reeruns trying to **** a doorknob.

[htismaqe]

That game was Toub's worst game EVER.

By a large, large margin.

Let me see if I can find the article.

[DrunkBassGuitar]

Originally Posted by Molitoth

I wouldn't even return kickoffs. It would be interesting to see the data on how often a team gets past the 25 yard line since the NFL changed the rule there.

It seems the Chiefs rarely get past the 20...

There's a jon bois YouTube that I'm too lazy to look up where he looks into that data and it's basically around the 25 give or take a few yards. And I think it's also that having a good return doesn't really increase your chances of scoring a TD all that much but I think his video was about getting rid of kicking all together

[saphojunkie]

Originally Posted by threebag

Yeah, they need to quit ****ing with the game.

Should we get rid of running the ball? Too many fumbles!

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

Should we get rid of running the ball? Too many fumbles!

Yeah, pretty much.

[BWillie]

Speaking of this issue. I have no idea why Toub even had anyone back there fielding the punt when Chiefs were up 41-24 with 7:58 left in the 4th quarter. The risk reward of a return vs a fumble or muffed point is not worth the expected yards in this situation. They only beat you at this point by you turning it over.