Patriots exploiting new kickoff rule to their benefit

[Growl]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/09/23/through-three-games-patriots-have-played-kickoff-rule-perfectly/

 

Quote

 

 The Patriots have played three games and kicked off 18 times this season,

and they’ve still yet to allow an opposing team to take the ball out past the 25 yard line. 

 

It was kind of expected this offseason that the Panthers would be slow to adapt to the new rule. They've never been quick to capitalize on changes like this and it can be difficult to admit that something that was once a strength is now pretty much moot (Graham's ability to kick Touchbacks)

 

Most worrisome however, was their apparent refusal to adapt on KR. SF really kicked our butt on ST Sunday, exploiting the rule change over and over and pinning us inside the 20. Most notably, obviously was the free 7 points they picked up that risked changing the game when Ginn had to come from the goalpost over to the left side of the field and about ten yards up from where he was, interrupting his routine and by his own admission leading to the bobble.

 

Quote

 

 “With the scheme we had and the mortar kicks, it was kind of a hard deal for us,”

 

This could've been a massive deal against a better team, and perhaps fortuitously, swallowing our medicine against the Whiners may have been to our benefit, as the team admitted they had to adjust after that.

 

However, we've seen in the past the team admit they made a mistake only to trot out the same schematical philosophy the week after, and id like to hope the team has spent the week altering both phases of kickoff to exploit the new rule. 

 

They'll have to at some point-willingly giving teams an extra 5 yards is notable. Consider the affect this has on the defense in comparison to last year, and then look a domino further and look at how many points the offense scored off of defensive turnovers.

 

Refusing to adjust could lead to a domino effect that hurts the team in the long run. It can be difficult to swallow that the game may have passed you by, but the Panthers need to put aside their feelings quick or risk ending up looking like Tampa from a few years back-desperately trying to make a Kiffin Cover 2 work in a league that had long since left it behind.

 

Quote

 

 Our kickoff guys are doing a great job. It would be dumb just to kick it out of the end zone every time right now,” Gostkowski told USA Today.

 

Indeed it would.

[thefuzz]

ST has been a weakness for this team for a while.  I'm hoping for some adjustments, but not expecting any just yet.

[Gregg S]

This whole thing to me just shows the utter stupidity of the NFL.  First, they make a rule moving the kickoff up 5 yards to get more touchbacks so as to reduce injuries on returns.  Then they turn around a couple of years later and move the starting point from touchbacks out 5 yards which encourages the kicking team to kick short in order to force a return in order to pin the receiving team behind the 25. 

I can't really blame teams for taking advantage of the rules.  And I think this past past weeks game with the 9ers showed why it's still not a bad idea to kick the ball deep in order to force touchbacks.  On one Carolina kick-off that did go short, SF ran the ball out to around the 35.  Then on the SF kick-off following Ginn's mishandling of the ball which gave them the ball on the 1, Ginn returned the ball into 49er territory, almost breaking it for a TD.  So, do you kick-off knowing you're giving the opponent an extra 5 yards, or take a chance on trying to pin them deeper and them getting a good return?

As thefuzz says, our special teams has been a weakness, so I'm not upset about them not trying to take advantage of the rule. 

[ShutDwn]

If not for the fumbles we're talking about an average of a few yards difference between returns and touchbacks.

 

One return TD and the cost benefit is back to zero.

[LinvilleGorge]

Not sure how they're "abusing" it. Fug the Pats, but all they're doing here is strategically taking advantage of a new, poorly thought out rule. Before the season even started, many were speculating that this is exactly what some if not most NFL teams would do. 

[Growl]

I don't think most teams feel that the exceptionally rare long KR is more damaging than consistently giving the opposing team a free 5 tbh, especially since most opposing teams don't have Ted Ginn.

 

 

[LinvilleGorge]

2 minutes ago, ShutDwn said:

If not for the fumbles we're talking about an average of a few yards difference between returns and touchbacks.

 

One return TD and the cost benefit is back to zero.

Exactly. It's a strategy. Just like any strategy it has the potential to blow up in your face in a hurry if not executed properly. Such is the life of a coach. You're a genius when it works, you're an idiot when it doesn't. 

[Growl]

3 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Not sure how they're "abusing" it. Fug the Pats, but all they're doing here is strategically taking advantage of a new, poorly thought out rule. Before the season even started, many were speculating that this is exactly what some if not most NFL teams would do. 

I don't know if you read the post but this thread isn't actually about the Patriots.

[Growl]

A "few" yards on a 100 yard field isn't a small deal.

 

Teams went decades facing the possibility that the opposing team could run it back. You don't base your game plan around a fluke play that happens maybe once a season.

[top dawg]

Not "abusing," but exploiting.

I'm not gonna second guess the coaches though. Maybe we're trying depending upon the situation. Perhaps Gostkowski and the Pats are just better at this. Rivera is cerebral enough to adapt.

[rmoneyg35]

This is why the Pats are always winning. They learn to use the rules to their advantage. Call it cheating but if playing dirty and turning the rules in their favor helps you win then so be it.


Sent from my iPhone using CarolinaHuddle

[blackcat]

Teams doing this are playing within the rules given to them by the league.  They're not 'exploiting' anything.

[Growl]

1 minute ago, blackcat said:

Teams doing this are playing within the rules given to them by the league.  They're not 'exploiting' anything.

Semantics and irrelevant. Nobody is criticizing them for it.

[jayflip]

I love how the Pats are handling this stupid rule. A nice F U to the rule and spinning it to their advantage. 

As to the dude who said "it's only 5 yards" I would love to see someone **cough** @KB_fan **cough** show some data on avg starting position and scoring % broken down further FG vs TD. 

I have a feeling that only a "few yards" can make a pretty big difference.