The Kicking Game...

[volstopfan14]

I'd hate to see the NFL get rid of kickoffs or kickers. Special teams is underrated, but a critical aspect to the game of football. There is nothing quite like watching a team make a big play in the kicking game.

[Jr.]

Quote: Originally Posted by jmood88

Why is that bad, though?

Eh, it's just weird to me that a game can be decided by one player who plays less than 10% of the game... or a trio of players, I guess (Long-snapper, holder, kicker).

I would just rather see the game decided by the guys that are on the field the vast majority of the game.

[fugazi]

Quote: Originally Posted by Baughn3

Eh, it's just weird to me that a game can be decided by one player who plays less than 10% of the game... or a trio of players, I guess (Long-snapper, holder, kicker). I would just rather see the game decided by the guys that are on the field the vast majority of the game.

It is decided by the "vast majority" guys...

You're failing to see the forest for the trees....

Take Dallas v Baltimore...the "vast" guys from Dallas decided the game by not managing to give the kicker a chance.

When Vinatieri wins a game, it's because the team made it happen in countless ways.

Seriously, it just seems like a bunch of really short-sighted thinking. Kickers don't decide games on their own...if the defense didn't give up a late TD, they wouldn't need the kicker to pull em out, etc.

Football has almost reached the point of redundancy...if the "chip kelly" brand and/or read option don't bring new wrinkles to the game, stylistically, it seems to be going nowhere.

removing the kicking game removes stuff like fake field goals, Yapremian-esque madness, and blocked field goals, the music city miracle, etc...

The kicking game is an ENORMOUS part of strategy, too. The field position game, whether to go for it on 4th down, or even go all out on a 3rd and long...

removing much of the kicking game would be worse than the DH in baseball. It removes such an important, and at bottom, "risky" element/variable of the game...

[slickdtc]

Removing the kicking game would be doing a huge disservice to the sport of football.

Add games, add playoff teams, move the ball 5 yards, I don't care, just don't take out a whole element of the game!

[Matt10]

I wrote a paper once in highschool - it went over how the name of the game is "foot" "ball" - yet the only times when the ball is met by the foot is during "special" "teams".

If they get rid of the kicking game - there'll be nothing left to the name, LOL.

[kcharles520]

the kicking game adds a HUGE element of strategy to football. i'd be very disappointed if they took it away. consider a 4th and short in the opposing teams redzone. conservative teams will take the FG, aggressive teams will go for it.

by removing field goals, every team is forced to become "aggressive" rather than playing for small points. it's not fair, and ruins the diversity of the game.

i could see why they'd want to remove kickoffs due to injuries and whatnot, (though i'd oppose that as well), but field goals....that's been a part of football since the beginning, you just can't take that away.

[Jr.]

Quote: Originally Posted by fugazi

It is decided by the "vast majority" guys... You're failing to see the forest for the trees.... Take Dallas v Baltimore...the "vast" guys from Dallas decided the game by not managing to give the kicker a chance. When Vinatieri wins a game, it's because the team made it happen in countless ways. Seriously, it just seems like a bunch of really short-sighted thinking. Kickers don't decide games on their own...if the defense didn't give up a late TD, they wouldn't need the kicker to pull em out, etc. Football has almost reached the point of redundancy...if the "chip kelly" brand and/or read option don't bring new wrinkles to the game, stylistically, it seems to be going nowhere. removing the kicking game removes stuff like fake field goals, Yapremian-esque madness, and blocked field goals, the music city miracle, etc... The kicking game is an ENORMOUS part of strategy, too. The field position game, whether to go for it on 4th down, or even go all out on a 3rd and long... removing much of the kicking game would be worse than the DH in baseball. It removes such an important, and at bottom, "risky" element/variable of the game...

Yeah, I understand what you're saying. I guess it just sucks to see a team drive down the field late in the game only to see the result come down to the ability of a player that has only been on the field for a handful of snaps.

I would much rather see the offense have the game in their hands, and I think it would add to the strategy if they were forced to try to score rather than getting to the 30 and letting the FG kicker decide it.

On the other hand, late game situations would likely be less dramatic if teams always had to score a TD.

Anyway, just thinking out loud.

[wwharton]

Quote: Originally Posted by BlastX21

That would be a reason that an NFL team may not want to sign him, not a reason to impose a league-wide ban on such a player. Like...I just need to see some kind of justification as to why the ratio of Importance divided by Playing Time is somehow relevant before I even give this a passing thought lol.

It's devaluing the position by saying what he brings to the team isn't worth big money bc of the position. He had to become an average player at another position for them to consider paying him.

No debating the point, just saying that's a bad example.

Quote: Originally Posted by Baughn3

Yeah, I understand what you're saying. I guess it just sucks to see a team drive down the field late in the game only to see the result come down to the ability of a player that has only been on the field for a handful of snaps. I would much rather see the offense have the game in their hands, and I think it would add to the strategy if they were forced to try to score rather than getting to the 30 and letting the FG kicker decide it. On the other hand, late game situations would likely be less dramatic if teams always had to score a TD. Anyway, just thinking out loud.

That's the fault of the team. They could take any of the guys that play most of the game and have them kick, but they choose to use up a roster spot on a guy that specializes in it. We could look at it like the closer in baseball.