The flip side benefit of the new kickoff rule for the Bears

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Aug 22, 2011 2:11 PM CDT in Notes

I'm already on record as saying that Kicking off from the 35 will have little impact in the NFL. To reiterate my points; It's only 5 yards. And the kick coverage team also has a new rule in place for them, no more 15 yard head starts to build to top speed. The coverage players have a 5 yard max now. I get a little deeper in my original post, but you get the gist of it. Even though I don't expect drastic changes in the return game, some Bears fans are worried the rule will hurt the offenses field position, but they fail to mention how it could help the defense.

I can understand how some fans are concerned that a rule designed to take away some of the excitement of kickoff returns (actually it's designed to thwart some of the full speed collisions... a safety thing...) would hurt a team that is so reliant on getting big run-backs. Devin Hester, Johnny Knox, and Danieal Manning of seasons past, were a huge part of what Chicago did. But the Bears, and their stellar special teams play, led by their stellar special teams coach Dave Toub, will find a way to make the new rule benefit them.

The Bears defense is one that tries to make an offense methodically march down-field. They don't want to give up big chunks of yards, with the thought that they'll eventually cause an offense to make a mistake via a turnover. If the Bears special teams can pin the opposition deeper in their own territory, their brand of field position football will weigh in their favor. The Tampa 2, at it's heart, is a bend but don't break D, with fast players converging on the ball. So in theory, the longer an offense has to go, the more opportunities the Bears will have to cause a turnover.

Helmet tip to Kev for inspiring this post.

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Yes, but that bit about "fast players"

is basically neagted by soldier field’s…field.
Sure, I see your point…not many offenses can consistently go 80 yards against a D like the Bears’…I just don’t think it makes up for our virtual loss of special teams plays

by BOBdaBEAR on Aug 22, 2011 2:20 PM CDT reply actions

Oh stop

the field has nothing to do with anything

Bears always win at home and always will

"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders

by suckmyditka on Aug 22, 2011 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions

not many offenses can consistently go 80 yards against a D like the Bears’

On the flip side, the Bears’ offense isn’t so great at sustaining 80-yard drives either. More touchbacks will probably equal fewer scoring drives. So here’s hoping that Toub can scheme a way to keep getting Hester and Knox some long returns.

by oripunk3485 on Aug 22, 2011 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions

There are many ways in which the Bears kick returners will benefit from the rule change

It’s clearly obvious to me, but seems to elude football journalists.

With the rule change in effect, and touchbacks expected to increase dramatically, teams are placing much less value on bottom roster spots for kick coverage units. Therefore, special teams aces will be struggling to keep their jobs, when their positional value has been dramatically decreased by this rule and the new salary cap restrictions (which will limit the veteran contracts to special teams players).

Additonally, less time will be spent by the average team, practicing kick off coverage throughout the week. Less reps = less preparation.

And furthermore, no longer getting a 15 yard head start, vanishes a major advantage for coverage units.

I expect the Bears to take the ball out of the endzone at every opportunity, and force their opposition to make a play… a play that they are less equipped and prepared to make this year, then in years before.

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)

Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)

by SackMan on Aug 22, 2011 2:22 PM CDT reply actions

I get what you're saying and it is an interesting take.

With the rule change in effect, and touchbacks expected to increase dramatically, teams are placing much less value on bottom roster spots for kick coverage units.

But by this do you mean every team except the Bears? Because if the same generalization applies to us, advantage gone.

Above all; keep 'em guessing, never let them lose their sense of confusion.

by Just Dave on Aug 22, 2011 2:43 PM CDT up reply actions

I doubt

we, as a team, will be reducing our value of ST players anytime soon. No one has a wholesale dedication to ST like the Bears…Most teams call their #1 & #2 priorities “offense” and “defense”….We don’t believe in that first one.

"just as Gary Fencik will go down as the last person to catch a Joe Namath pass, Wootton will be remembered in NFL history as the last player to sack Brett Favre." - John "Moon" Mullin

by Brendan Hess on Aug 22, 2011 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Additionally

while the kickoff returns are nice…punt returns are where we’ll be making our money.

In a perfect world, the other team is only kicking off to the Bears one time in an entire game.

Took the 'G' out your waffle, all you got left is your Ego.

Writer at windycitygridiron.com | @KDoggers

by Kev H on Aug 22, 2011 4:09 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't like the rule one bit.

I’m sure by now most of the readers here have heard the stat: The percentage of touchbacks has more than doubled this season. You may not expect drastic changes in the return game, but the numbers say otherwise thus far. Furthermore, the percentage is expected to increase once the regular season starts, as was astutely pointed out in this piece on the Sacramento Bee:

The touchback rate promises to be even more pronounced early in the regular season. In exhibition games, special-teams coaches are giving return men more leeway to take the ball out of the end zone than they might in a real game, simply so they can practice returns.

I don’t think this rule will last, the outcry against it will increase as the season moves along.

by dakoose on Aug 22, 2011 2:38 PM CDT reply actions

Read an article somewhere that a new tactic for the kicking side may be trying to drop the ball on the 5 with more hang time, to force teams to attempt a return and pin them inside the 20.

Just Dave (on possible new OL signings): JaMarcus Russell. He's been standing in front of better quarterbacks his entire career.

by Spongie on Aug 22, 2011 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

this.

Teams will start kicking higher…At least the ones that value and trust their ST

"just as Gary Fencik will go down as the last person to catch a Joe Namath pass, Wootton will be remembered in NFL history as the last player to sack Brett Favre." - John "Moon" Mullin

by Brendan Hess on Aug 22, 2011 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions

My brother had an interesting take...

If none of the coverage guys get to line up 5 yards behind the kick-line, why does the kicker? If the kicker were limited to a 5 yard run-up, kicks wouldn’t travel as far, and returners could field kicks in the 5yrd-line-to-goal-line area, and nobody has the advantage of full speed.

by kokobear on Aug 22, 2011 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Or, go the whole hog and use a drop-kick like they do in rugby. Alternatively, have the punter perform the kickoff as a punt.

Just Dave (on possible new OL signings): JaMarcus Russell. He's been standing in front of better quarterbacks his entire career.

by Spongie on Aug 22, 2011 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions

So, will this mean another Specialist on the roster?

Aside from K, P, and LS, will there now be a KO specialist position? Cuz I’m not sure that many K or P can consistently and reliably place the ball with that kind of precision some 60 yards down the field…

by Doshi on Aug 22, 2011 3:10 PM CDT up reply actions

I have faith in Robbie

WCG's Resident Nickelback and Boy Band fan

Also rated Worst WCG Blogger by Dr. Steven Schweickert's extensive "Total BR" (Blogger Rating)

by ThorCo on Aug 22, 2011 3:17 PM CDT up reply actions

Well, that’s going to be the risk – go for the touchback, or attempt to force a return with the risk of going short.

Just Dave (on possible new OL signings): JaMarcus Russell. He's been standing in front of better quarterbacks his entire career.

by Spongie on Aug 22, 2011 3:27 PM CDT up reply actions

This is where having a returner like Manning would be handy

if the coverage team has less time/yards to build up speed to get downfield to make a tackle, a guy like Manning could exploit that due to his awesome speed/breaking tackle abilities

WCG's Resident Nickelback and Boy Band fan

Also rated Worst WCG Blogger by Dr. Steven Schweickert's extensive "Total BR" (Blogger Rating)

by ThorCo on Aug 22, 2011 3:04 PM CDT reply actions

I inspired the hell out of this thing.

I request…nay…I DEMAND respect.

Which means that I will get none.

Took the 'G' out your waffle, all you got left is your Ego.

Writer at windycitygridiron.com | @KDoggers

by Kev H on Aug 22, 2011 4:08 PM CDT reply actions

In other words...

… what else is new?

Weekend contributor and official editorial lackey/waitstaff at Windy City Gridiron
If a people-avoiding gaming hermit is on Twitter, I should be too. Follow me!

by Steven Schweickert on Aug 22, 2011 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Without the inspirational, educational, and spiritual words from Kev I don’t think I would have even come up with a post for today. Kev is the rock that holds Windy City Gridiron together.

Thank you Kev H.

When ever Mike Ditka boards an aircraft the aircraft changes it's call sign to Bear Force One.

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Aug 22, 2011 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah

Damn straight.

Took the 'G' out your waffle, all you got left is your Ego.

Writer at windycitygridiron.com | @KDoggers

by Kev H on Aug 22, 2011 6:21 PM CDT up reply actions

I was thinking we might see more "pooch" kicks

to see if you could keep teams inside their 20 yard line. It also could open up chances for recovering bouncing kicks by the kicking team. You do run the risk of the ball bouncing out of bounds for a penalty but if your kicker can get that kick down, it could make for some interesting plays.

by BearFan611 on Aug 22, 2011 5:23 PM CDT reply actions

would be interesting

to see the rugby touch finder rule applied to kick-offs. Legal to kick out of bounds as long as the ball bounces inside the field.

by lmfsilva on Aug 23, 2011 10:52 AM CDT up reply actions

I’m surprised it wasn’t already the case; currently there’s no incentive for kickers to put it anywhere but up the middle as it is, given the unpredictable nature of the bounce. With this modification, returners would have to make the decision whether to catch it for a return or see if it bounces into the endzone (and down it for a touchback), in which case the risk is that it goes out somewhere inside the 20 and that’s where the offense start from.

When I assume, I'm not "making an ass out of u and me"... I'm actually putting u between me and an ass.

by Spongie on Aug 24, 2011 7:01 AM CDT up reply actions