Why would you ever kick a high kick-off if the coverage team can't move until the ball is touched? Shouldn't every kick be a low line drive to try to skip it into the endzone, and shouldn't the return team have 3 guys back?

The kickoff has to land inside the 20 (what is being called the "landing zone"). If it hits the ground before reaching the 20 yard line, it automatically comes out to the 40. I assume it may be tricky for the kickers to kick a low liner from the opposing 35 and not have the kick hit the ground before the 20.

Thanks. If only there were a way to practice this...

800 rules to kick off

Sports getting more ****e by the day

Yeah, I would guess that is something kickers will be working on throughout the season. We will have to wait and see if any of them can get good at it. And if it gets to a point where they can execute it with regularity and it puts the opposing offense at a significant field position disadvantage, then the league will probably have to tweak the kickoff rules again.

Receiving team also can only have two returners back. Seven must be lined up on the 35 and two can be between the 30 and 35.

I think it's silly they made this drastic change and teams still kicking it into the endzone. The risk is too high to not boot it out. I think returns were up 9% based off week one stats.