I am not a fan of the new kick off rules. I have a general disdain for most of the rules changes in the past 10 years.
Originally Posted by: wpr
It feels like the NFL just over or under thinks all rules changes and usually go to the extremes with most rule changes while the NFL recent trend is also to make rules more vague, so they can claim the refs got the ruling right as the rules aren't clear... and then the Refs are forced to over correct and then they get the backlash and then the NFL tells the refs to chill out a bit.
Also, it's well known the NFL defuses to take rules from others, such as the college game, which writers say it based on Ego. Technically they are taking this rule from the NFL, but the XFL only adopted it after agreeing to be the test group for the NFL, so it was their testing. But College clearly has the better overtime rules, which the NFL refuse to adopt, while saying they want something fair to both sides but refuses to adopt the college rules.
Also, I still say the NFL only changed the touch back rule in the first place, but PR wise they were getting their asses publicly handed to them in the safety debate, as the NFL owners agreed to give the Soccer players grass fields, but refused to do the same for the NFL players, and grass fields is statistically safer.
So the NFL found some other safety rules, touch backs and used the shockingly high preseason injury rate, when players that are not going to make the 53 man rosters are doing extra stupid stuff to try to get extra looks and make a play, and guys on the 3rd string return units don't know how to block, lead to one preseason of a shockingly high injuries, in which the NFL could cha ge the rule and claim victory, as normally there aren't half that many injuries, so the lower normal of injuries would just be things returning to normal, not that the rule was more helpful.