CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The first two kickoffs under the NFL’s radical new rule were both returned a yard farther than the old touchback.
Houston’s Steven Sims fielded Cairo Santos’ kickoff at the 5 and ran 21 yards before he was tackled at the 26 to open Thursday night’s preseason game between the Texans and Chicago Bears. Touchbacks used to result in the offense starting at the 25.
After the Texans scored on the opening drive, Chicago’s Tyler Scott caught Ka’imi Fairbairn’s kickoff at the 7 and returned it 19 yards to the 26.
With both teams sitting starters, all eyes were on the overhauled kickoffs during the annual Hall of Fame game at Tom Benson Stadium.
NFL owners approved a dramatic change for kickoffs in order to revive a “dead play” that saw a record-low returns last season.
For a standard kickoff, the ball is kicked from the 35-yard line with the 10 kick coverage players lined up at the opposing 40, five on each side of the field.
The return team will have at least nine blockers lined up in the “set up zone” between the 30- and 35-yard line, with at least seven of those players touching the 35. There will be up to two returners allowed inside the 20.
The Texans had two returners at the 1, seven players on the 35 and two on the 34.
Only the kicker and two returners are allowed to move until the ball hits the ground or is touched by a returner inside the 20.
Any kick that reaches the end zone in the air can be returned, or the receiving team can opt for a touchback and possession at the 30. Any kick that reaches the end zone in the air and goes out of bounds or out of the end zone also will result in a touchback at the 30.
If a ball hits a returner or the ground before the end zone and goes into the end zone, a touchback will be at the 20 or the ball could be returned.
If a kick goes out of bounds before the end zone, or hits the ground or is touched by the receiving team before reaching the landing zone, the return team gets the ball at the 40.
Owners agreed to a one-year trial of the new system that was heavily influenced by the kickoffs used in the XFL spring league.
Only 21.8% of all kickoffs were returned last season as both kicking and receiving teams too often chose to avoid the risk of a possible return.
The NFL estimates that more than half of all kickoffs will be returned this season. The goal is to increase the number of returns without making it more dangerous.
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