2011 NFL Offseason Thread

[mania]

Why does everyone keep comparing Newton to Russell? Outside of the fact that Newton may be a high draft pick, they really have nothing in common. If Newton's play reminds me of anyone it's Ben Roethlisberger or maybe a bigger Steve Young.

Newton's closer to Vince Young only with :censored:tier throwing mechanics.

[floydnimrod]

Why does everyone keep comparing Newton to Russell? Outside of the fact that Newton may be a high draft pick, they really have nothing in common. If Newton's play reminds me of anyone it's Ben Roethlisberger or maybe a bigger Steve Young.

I see Roethlisberger as well. I mentioned this in the Gear-Grinder thread a few months ago: Analysts always compare players to someone that usually looks like them physically (race, or even hairstyle), that's why Anderson Varejao and Joakim Noah get compared to each other, and Newton with Russell.

[BlueSky]

More proposed rule changes for "player safety"...

If enacted, kickoffs will move from the 30 to 35 (= less returns, more touchbacks), touchbacks will come out to the 25 (= more incentive to take touchback), kicking team players must line up between 30 and 35 yard line (= less of a running start), and receiving team players cannot form wedges with more than two players.

While they're at it, maybe they should just make the cancer awareness pink accessories a mandatory part of each team's uniform.

[srj34]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6247029

It's a done, stupid deal. Goodbye, runbacks.

[Lights Out]

It's official: by the time football comes back, it'll be a boring, low-scoring, watered-down shell of its former self. Goodell needs to go for the good of the sport.

[cameroncrazie07]

It's official: by the time football comes back, it'll be a boring, low-scoring, watered-down shell of its former self. Goodell needs to go for the good of the sport.

It's not like theres going to be 0 runbacks this year, personally I don't think it will effect scoring that much. Will it be decreased, most likely. But it's not like every game is going to be a 10-7 defensive struggle. Just because teams are starting further back doesnt mean that theyre going to forget how to score.

[Lights Out]

You're kidding, right? Most often now, a kickoff will end in a touchback. There won't even be a short return on most kickoffs, especially when you're up against an elite kicker like Sebastian Janikowski. What's the point of even doing kickoffs at this point? Just start the offense at the 20-yard line after the other team scores.

[See Red]

As long as the players are safe... enough to play two more games.

I don't think this will affect the game much, but I agree, Goodell needs to go. The NFL is definitely losing this fan.

[cameroncrazie07]

You're kidding, right? Most often now, a kickoff will end in a touchback. There won't even be a short return on most kickoffs, especially when you're up against an elite kicker like Sebastian Janikowski. What's the point of even doing kickoffs at this point? Just start the offense at the 20-yard line after the other team scores.

If there's going to be minimal scoring then we'd only have to worry about this a few times a game. You're contradicting yourself.

[rams80]

You're kidding, right? Most often now, a kickoff will end in a touchback. There won't even be a short return on most kickoffs, especially when you're up against an elite kicker like Sebastian Janikowski. What's the point of even doing kickoffs at this point? Just start the offense at the 20-yard line after the other team scores.

You know, the way they've opened up the rules to protect wideouts, it's not like the 80 yard field is an insurmountable obstacle. I'm pretty sure the average starting field position will only drop a yard or two, if at all.

[BBTV]

The kickoffs have only been at the 30 for a relatively short period of time. I think they were at the 35 for most of my childhood. I really don't think it'll matter much, especially with the coverage starting 5 yards back. Had they increased the touchback to the 25, that would have been a big deal. Just about any kick that would go out of bounds from the 35 wouldn't have been returned even if it was from the 30. Just about any kick that would have come down inside the 5 from the 30 will still be returned.

I'm torn on the wedge thing - I don't think you should legislate strategy, but I think that there is actual evidence that the wedge collisions do really cause severe concussions. I think we forget sometimes that these guys are very big, fast, and strong, and some things that we grew up doing in high school and we see in college just aren't a great idea at this level.

[cameroncrazie07]

I as well am torn on the wedge topic. It is very dangerous and will cause head injuries, but it is effective and used by many. I would say something like make it optional but that's basically like what it is now. There's really no in between, either you let them do it, or you have to ban it outright. They have to make a choice.

[njmeadowlanders]

Well all this means is that it's even MORE embarrassing when Nick Folk can't reach the endzone on a kickoff.

[BBTV]

I as well am torn on the wedge topic. It is very dangerous and will cause head injuries, but it is effective and used by many. I would say something like make it optional but that's basically like what it is now. There's really no in between, either you let them do it, or you have to ban it outright. They have to make a choice.

They should make facemasking optional too. You really shouldn't do it, but if you choose to, that's between you and god to sort out.

[srj34]

If there's going to be minimal scoring then we'd only have to worry about this a few times a game. You're contradicting yourself.

The point, at least for me, has nothing to do with scoring - it's about the near-elimination one of the most exciting plays in football. Guys can kick it into the endzone from the 30 - how many kicks will be returnable with those five extra yards?

[NJTank]

The kickoffs have only been at the 30 for a relatively short period of time. I think they were at the 35 for most of my childhood. I really don't think it'll matter much, especially with the coverage starting 5 yards back. Had they increased the touchback to the 25, that would have been a big deal. Just about any kick that would go out of bounds from the 35 wouldn't have been returned even if it was from the 30. Just about any kick that would have come down inside the 5 from the 30 will still be returned.

I'm torn on the wedge thing - I don't think you should legislate strategy, but I think that there is actual evidence that the wedge collisions do really cause severe concussions. I think we forget sometimes that these guys are very big, fast, and strong, and some things that we grew up doing in high school and we see in college just aren't a great idea at this level.

You are right, the kick off was at the 35 until the early 90s. Of course kickers are better now, but the game was just as good with the kick at the 35 it will be no different now.

[OnWis97]

You're kidding, right? Most often now, a kickoff will end in a touchback. There won't even be a short return on most kickoffs, especially when you're up against an elite kicker like Sebastian Janikowski. What's the point of even doing kickoffs at this point? Just start the offense at the 20-yard line after the other team scores.

The bold is incorrect. I think I just heard on ESPN that about a third of kickoffs were touchbacks previously when it was at the 35. And it was like 17 percent from the 30. So while touchback rate will about double, most kicks will be returned.

I am in the minority, but I actually like moving the kickoff back to the 35 (as stated, it was there into the 1990s). My reasons, in order of importance are:

1. Overtime. I don't know the stats, but I always wondered whether the coin flip had a greater correlation with winning OT games after the move the the 30. I don't like seeing OT kickoffs returned to the 45 yard line, a 25 yard drive and a field goal.

2. Field position. I like field position to be a bit worse. I like to see teams engineer 80-yard drives.

This does not detract from the game at all for me.

[NJTank]

Here's something to chew on. A Kicker is able to balloon a kick have it land near the five a good cover team is able to attack and pin the receiving team near than 10. That is a play you will see more often now.

[The_Admiral]

This just means kickers are going to go for hangtime instead of distance and try to pin guys back that way. With the strength and precision of today's kickers, it should be relatively easy to sky it from your 35 to their 5 with plenty of time to get your guys downfield and stop a runback. This is just going to make everyone look stupid.

EDIT: what the crap. Tank just stole my thoughts from the future.

[dfwabel]

Why are many of you worried about this rule when there are numerous issues which the former NFLPA and their amount of players within the current CBA and the last five years, will be more concerned about anything else outsider of kickoffs.

Health care following the first five years in which a player is eligible is more important than a kickoff. It will be all about COBRA and the NFL did allow for COBRA coverage to apply but the NFLPA wanted more.