Frisco, Texas – Hip, hip, hurray.
The NFL kickoff witch is dead.
Yes, one of the most boring, inconsequential, least impactful plays in 60 minutes of an NFL game. It's been since the league legitimately put the rule in place to reduce injuries caused by this somewhat barbaric practice of playing at the start, half, or after a score. , well, I got kicked to the curb.
And the loudest cheer heard Tuesday, when NFL owners overwhelmingly approved the change, came from Kavonte Turpin, who did a backflip. The Cowboys' return specialist will have more opportunities to use his special ability to return kicks in the final year of his first three-year NFL contract.
Touchbacks are a thing of the past. In fact, if it is done, it will be punished.
Consider how the NFL game turned out. For example, as he has 93,000 people excited for the start of the Cowboys vs. Eagles game at AT&T Stadium, the outcome will have a huge impact on his NFC East title contention. . Everyone stands and waves the white towels placed on each seat. Players are jacked up on the field and raise their hands in the air to further incite themselves and the crowd. The venue was filled with excitement in anticipation of this ceremonial start of the game.
Brandon Aubrey approached the ball at the 35-yard line and expertly kicked the ball into the end zone, on his way to setting an NFL-leading 99 kickoff touchbacks in 2023. Let's talk about Deflate Gate.
It might have been better to stick a pin in the excitement balloon. Play has been stopped. The ball is placed on the 25-yard line. In 2023, he had over 90% chance of it happening. Now, play ball.
No more. At least for this 2024 trial season of the new NFL.
If you're not familiar with this change, call up XFL Kickoff from past seasons. Or tune in to his UFL 2024 season launch on Saturday or Easter Sunday to check out the opening kickoff for the new league that has combined the XFL and USFL.
Simply put, the kicker still puts the ball in play from the 35-yard line. However, the 10 coverage personnel line up at number 40 on the returning team and cannot move until the ball is caught or falls between number 20 and the goal line. The nine members of the returning team will line up within 30 to 35 yards and within five yards of the coverage team. They can't move either. Kicker only.
For safety reasons, this ensures that no one gets a running start, reduces the physical impact, and gives the returner a chance to run with the ball. It’s almost like a play from scrimmage. In the XFL's 2023 season, he returned 94% of his kickoffs.
Kicks below 20 of the landing zone will be penalized as if kicking the ball out of bounds. The ball still leaves him with 40 points. A kick that lands in the end zone scores him 30 points instead of 25. Accuracy is emphasized.
In two seasons in the USFL, Turpin started 20 kickoffs and returned 31 kickoffs in 20 regular season games, averaging 26.7 yards. In two seasons with the Cowboys under antiquated kickoff rules, he returned just 31 in 34 NFL regular season games, up from a minimum of 10 last season, when the team intentionally missed touchbacks. had minimized the threat of his return.
Well, there you have it. can't wait. Alright, let's go.
- Kickball: Now, last year, unheralded rookie Brandon Aubrey, in his third season actually kicking a football, entered the NFL for the first time after two seasons in the USFL and became the Cowboys' Pro Bowl kicker. became a hot topic. Another thing was that Aubrey was 10-of-10 from long distances of 50 yards or more at 58, 59 and 60 yards. But I guarantee you that Aubrey's ability to manipulate kicks from his days as a soccer player will be even more important with these new kickoff rules. Being able to control the ball and land it between the 20 and the goal line is an amazing feat. Special teams coach John Fassel also gave Aubrey directional training, including not only placing kicks within the landing zone, but also placing kicks between his number and the sideline for easier coverage. Guaranteed to tell you to work on your kicks as well. Under this new rule, kickers will be just as important as return men. Heck, a kicker's ball control ability might be even more valuable. If the returner breaks through the only line of defense, he can clear sail for about 70 yards unless the kicker tackles him in the open field.
- Ha, a year: Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is constantly asked about coaching in the final year of his five-year contract and his assistants, who are currently on one-year contracts. Well, welcome to most of our world. How many of the media people asking these questions have multi-year contracts? Well, during my career I worked at a newspaper company and basically lived hand to mouth. Certainly, the pressure to perform at my best every day was definitely a driving force.
- Wide disparity: Many, many continue to argue that the Cowboys should just extend wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to free up cap space by mitigating the impact of his $17.99 million fifth-year option cap hit. ing. But it takes two people to tango. And his agent has ensured that Minnesota's Justin Jefferson, who also faces a fifth-year option, doesn't want to move before signing him, and perhaps vice versa. There are reports that Jefferson has already turned down a contract worth an average of $30 million per year. Indeed, neither side sets a market value and wants the other to exceed it in a transaction. It's a complicated cat-and-mouse game, especially considering the raw numbers suggest Tyreek Hill's contract with Miami averages $30 million per year. Granted, the Cowboys are aware that Lamb's market value will be more than $20 million to $25 million per year, but looking at the fine print in Hill's contract, realistically the three-year contract would be worth $75 million. You can see that it comes with a dollar guarantee. That's because $45 million is packed into the final season. 2026. There are 16 receivers whose packages average more than $20 million, and Lamb is coming off a franchise-record-setting season for the Cowboys and is on track to break the record held by three of the Hall of Fame receivers. I want you to know. stay tuned.
- Words to win: As McCarthy hinted at his winning philosophy in this week's NFL meetings, Green Bay's Super Bowl-winning head coach said, “The defense has to be able to keep you in the game all the time. The offense has to lose.” I think that's extremely important in playoff football, winning games. '' Therefore, it can be assumed that the defense that allowed 40 points in the Packers' 48-32 loss in the first round did not measure up to him.
- Raise your shoulders: A key takeaway from Mike's 40-minute interview at Tuesday's NFC Coaches Breakfast was the revelation that Maji Smith and Luke Schoonmaker are recovering from offseason shoulder surgeries. Mazi played through a shoulder issue, but his only four snaps in the playoff loss to Green Bay may have been affected. Both players are expected to be ready by the start of training camp. What the Cowboys do or don't do in the draft and free agency could say something about the confidence they have in last year's first-round draft pick to make a big leap in year two. .
- Shorties: Speaking of one-year contracts, it seems like the Cowboys are happy with Dak Prescott playing this season in the final year of his contract, but it takes two years to tango with these extensions, so there are implications for renegotiation. There might be…and while running back room is in short supply, McCarthy with experience and proven talent has made it clear that the addition of experienced backs and draft picks should be expected. did. This is a great idea on both counts…while hoping Demarvion Overshawn returns from his ACL repair in time for training camp and replenishes the force to some extent. Even though he played linebacker, he almost forgot how impressed the Cowboys were with free agent rookie tight end Jon Stevens until he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in training camp. Ta. He's also expected to be ready for training camp to add an interesting touch to that room…obviously, the Cowboys want to save cap space since the Seahawks didn't really do too much. They signed the veteran run-stopper to a one-year deal worth $1.96 million, with only $300,000 guaranteed, in hopes of re-signing defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins as a veteran exception. Or maybe they just have faith in… Big 12 Conference Pro Day workouts begin here at the Ford Center on Thursday, and draft-eligible players from the conference members are typically drafted by each school. Perform training similar to what you would do during a pro day. Campus … And don't ask me why Texas held a Pro Day workout last week, because, well, Texas is now in the SEC.
I thought this from Mike McCarthy was an interesting look at what the offensive-minded veteran coach thinks about quarterbacks these days. Especially since the top two picks in this year's draft could end up with two highly mobile quarterbacks, USC's past two Heisman Trophy winners. Caleb Williams and LSU's Jayden Daniels.
“You have to be special to be able to win all day in the pocket,” said McCarthy, who knows that pure pocket guys fresh out of college are becoming extinct these days. “I've always believed you have to be able to play in and out of the pocket.”
He may have learned that from his years in Green Bay with Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
