Football (North America: NFL, CFL, Arena Football, minor leagues)

[1995hoo]

....

It would be interesting if an MLB wild-card playoff game went to 20 innings or more. The winner might have very little time to recover before playing the first game in the next round, though at least it will have at least two more games to recover and catch up if it loses the first game.

One of the best examples of that sort of thing would probably be the 1987 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Islanders eliminated the Capitals in seven games (the only first-round series to go seven that year), but Game 7 went to 8:47 of the fourth overtime (in essence, two full games plus 8:47 of a third game) and then the Islanders had to begin the next round against the Flyers two nights later. Talk about an extreme disadvantage! Somehow the Islanders took the Flyers to seven games before losing.

Not a perfect analogy to baseball, of course, given how the pitching rotation works, but it's probably the closest thing of which I'm aware in terms of a super-long game to close out one opponent followed by facing another opponent who had more rest.

[NWI_Irish96]

Proposal to speed up games and increase safety:

1) Eliminate kickoffs - at the beginning of each half and after each score, the ball will be put into play at the 25 yard line.
2) Eliminate kicking PATs - if you want to go for 2, the standard rules apply, otherwise, the touchdown is just counted as 7 points.
3) Timeouts - At the 2 minute warning of each half, any team with 3 timeouts remaining has their total reduced to 2.

[Alps]

Proposal to speed up games and increase safety:

1) Eliminate kickoffs - at the beginning of each half and after each score, the ball will be put into play at the 25 yard line.
2) Eliminate kicking PATs - if you want to go for 2, the standard rules apply, otherwise, the touchdown is just counted as 7 points.
3) Timeouts - At the 2 minute warning of each half, any team with 3 timeouts remaining has their total reduced to 2.

Eliminating the NFL will also accomplish the desired goal, and may as well do it based on the above.

[Eth]

Proposal to speed up games and increase safety:

1) Eliminate kickoffs - at the beginning of each half and after each score, the ball will be put into play at the 25 yard line.
2) Eliminate kicking PATs - if you want to go for 2, the standard rules apply, otherwise, the touchdown is just counted as 7 points.
3) Timeouts - At the 2 minute warning of each half, any team with 3 timeouts remaining has their total reduced to 2.

I expect #1 will happen soon enough. There's already a new rule being used in college this year in which you can call for a fair catch anywhere inside the 25 and automatically receive the ball at the 25.

For #3, there's a simpler way: just ditch the 2-minute warning. I've never understood why that exists in the first place.

[ilpt4u]

Proposal to speed up games and increase safety:

1) Eliminate kickoffs - at the beginning of each half and after each score, the ball will be put into play at the 25 yard line.
2) Eliminate kicking PATs - if you want to go for 2, the standard rules apply, otherwise, the touchdown is just counted as 7 points.
3) Timeouts - At the 2 minute warning of each half, any team with 3 timeouts remaining has their total reduced to 2.

Problem with #1: Eliminates the onside kick

The potential solution, I have seen proposed, is that the Scoring Team, after the score, instead of a kickoff, gets a 4th and 15 or 4th and 20 from their own 25 to 35 yard line (the exact yard to spot the ball at, could be up for discussion at a formal Rule Making session).

Most teams will run the Punter out and bomb it away, and a Punt/Return play is much safer compared to the kickoff

If you need the ball back, the Scoring Team can run the Offense out there to try and convert the 1st Down, which a 4th and Long has better Coversion odds than an Onside Kick anyway. If successful, they continue the drive. If not, they turn the ball over, deep in their own end. And again, standard Offense vs Defense Plays are generally safer than Kickoff/Returns

[NWI_Irish96]

Proposal to speed up games and increase safety:

1) Eliminate kickoffs - at the beginning of each half and after each score, the ball will be put into play at the 25 yard line.
2) Eliminate kicking PATs - if you want to go for 2, the standard rules apply, otherwise, the touchdown is just counted as 7 points.
3) Timeouts - At the 2 minute warning of each half, any team with 3 timeouts remaining has their total reduced to 2.

Problem with #1: Eliminates the onside kick

The potential solution, I have seen proposed, is that the Scoring Team, after the score, instead of a kickoff, gets a 4th and 15 or 4th and 20 from their own 25 to 35 yard line (the exact yard to spot the ball at, could be up for discussion at a formal Rule Making session).

Most teams will run the Punter out and bomb it away, and a Punt/Return play is much safer compared to the kickoff

If you need the ball back, the Scoring Team can run the Offense out there to try and convert the 1st Down, which a 4th and Long has better Coversion odds than an Onside Kick anyway. If successful, they continue the drive. If not, they turn the ball over, deep in their own end. And again, standard Offense vs Defense Plays are generally safer than Kickoff/Returns

I don't see a problem with eliminating the onside kick.  I've never understood the need for the team that just scored to have the opportunity to get the ball back.  How about just not getting down by two touchdowns in the 4th quarter?

[MNHighwayMan]

I don't see a problem with eliminating the onside kick.  I've never understood the need for the team that just scored to have the opportunity to get the ball back.  How about just not getting down by two touchdowns in the 4th quarter?

Thing is, onside kicks aren't necessarily about catching up from far behind. See: second half opening kick in Super Bowl XLIV.

Now, normally I find people who are all "lol sports" and "football? Isn't it really handegg??" to be insufferable. But if the league eliminates kickoffs, I might just start. Quit screwing with the rules of the game.

[US 89]

3) Timeouts - At the 2 minute warning of each half, any team with 3 timeouts remaining has their total reduced to 2.

For #3, there's a simpler way: just ditch the 2-minute warning. I've never understood why that exists in the first place.

The 2-minute warning exists as a way to stop the clock without costing anyone a timeout, and also because there are several rules that change after the 2-minute warning. For example, in the NFL there are no coaches' challenges past the two-minute warning; all reviews come from the booth. An injury that stops the clock costs the injured team a timeout, and various offensive penalties require a 10-second runoff, among others.

The clock comes to a full stop as a way to clearly define the boundaries between "normal-game" rules and "last-two-minute" rules. That's especially important because a play might be happening at 2:00 left, and the actual "two-minute" warning is at something like 1:56.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be opposed to eliminating the long commercial break associated with it, treating it more as a 30-second timeout.

[kwellada]

But if the league eliminates kickoffs, I might just start. Quit screwing with the rules of the game.

I kinda felt that way for awhile, but I'm a bit more open to changes nowadays.   And I did find this video very interesting: https://youtu.be/t_SsIKgwvz4
It's a bunch of data crunching but shows some interesting conclusions regarding the relative pointlessness of a kickoff.  Even if you're skeptical, give it watch.  It's quite illuminating and well presented. 

I definitely do not want to see the the rules screwed with *too* much, but I'm also interested in seeing the NFL get rid of *unnecessary* danger in a game that's already plenty dangerous.  Players know that they signing up for knee injuries, broken bones, etc, and that's fine.  But the head injuries certainly need reduced as much as possible. 

[Stephane Dumas]

I should had posted this one more earlier, but the Calgary Stampeders are the 2018 Grey Cup champions. ^^;
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/cfl-grey-cup-stampeders-redblacks-recap-nov-25-1.4920123

[MNHighwayMan]

I kinda felt that way for awhile, but I'm a bit more open to changes nowadays.   And I did find this video very interesting: [link]
It's a bunch of data crunching but shows some interesting conclusions regarding the relative pointlessness of a kickoff.  Even if you're skeptical, give it watch.  It's quite illuminating and well presented. 

I've seen that video, and strongly disagree with its argument. Kickoffs only seem pointless because the league has screwed with the rules (and TV timeouts) to make them that way.

[kwellada]

I kinda felt that way for awhile, but I'm a bit more open to changes nowadays.   And I did find this video very interesting: [link]
It's a bunch of data crunching but shows some interesting conclusions regarding the relative pointlessness of a kickoff.  Even if you're skeptical, give it watch.  It's quite illuminating and well presented. 

I've seen that video, and strongly disagree with its argument. Kickoffs only seem pointless because the league has screwed with the rules (and TV timeouts) to make them that way.

Fair enough!  Glad you have at least given the video a viewing.  But hey, at least they no longer do the TV timeout after a score, kickoff, then another TV timeout anymore.  That was exhausting.  I find myself mostly just watching NFL redzone on weekends since they don't have any commercial breaks.

[MNHighwayMan]

But hey, at least they no longer do the TV timeout after a score, kickoff, then another TV timeout anymore.

I'm pretty sure I've seen this at least a handful of times this year.

[NWI_Irish96]

But hey, at least they no longer do the TV timeout after a score, kickoff, then another TV timeout anymore.

I'm pretty sure I've seen this at least a handful of times this year.

It's happening less because, with all the passing, you have very few of the 8+ minute scoring drives that caused the double timeout on kickoffs.  There are more possession changes than there used to be.

[kwellada]

But hey, at least they no longer do the TV timeout after a score, kickoff, then another TV timeout anymore.

I'm pretty sure I've seen this at least a handful of times this year.

It's happening less because, with all the passing, you have very few of the 8+ minute scoring drives that caused the double timeout on kickoffs.  There are more possession changes than there used to be.

Especially when Nathan Peterman was still in the league...

[Roadgeekteen]

But hey, at least they no longer do the TV timeout after a score, kickoff, then another TV timeout anymore.

I'm pretty sure I've seen this at least a handful of times this year.

It's happening less because, with all the passing, you have very few of the 8+ minute scoring drives that caused the double timeout on kickoffs.  There are more possession changes than there used to be.

Especially when Nathan Peterman was still in the league...

He's back

[Alps]

But hey, at least they no longer do the TV timeout after a score, kickoff, then another TV timeout anymore.

I'm pretty sure I've seen this at least a handful of times this year.

It's happening less because, with all the passing, you have very few of the 8+ minute scoring drives that caused the double timeout on kickoffs.  There are more possession changes than there used to be.

Especially when Nathan Peterman was still in the league...

He's back

practice squad, just like when you practice being an adult

[MNHighwayMan]

Oakland CBs about to become real ball hawks.

[Roadgeekteen]

I've been very mad about the Patriot's performance on both sides of the ball lately. Hopefully they use the divisional games to knick out issues before the playoffs.

[Henry]

The only thing I enjoy more than a Bears division title is that the Packers will not be in the playoffs this year!

[ET21]

The only thing I enjoy more than a Bears division title is that the Packers will not be in the playoffs this year!

And the fact we eliminated them completely while getting that division title 

[tchafe1978]

Hope duh Bears enjoy their one and done! 😁

[Henry]

The only thing I enjoy more than a Bears division title is that the Packers will not be in the playoffs this year!

And the fact we eliminated them completely while getting that division title 

That too!

[MNHighwayMan]

Hope duh Bears enjoy their one and done! 😁

As they get upset at home in the Wild Card Round vs the Vikings.

[Roadgeekteen]

Hope duh Bears enjoy their one and done! 😁

As they get upset at home in the Wild Card Round vs the Vikings.

Who will lose to the Pats in the Super Bowl!