FLOWERY BRANCH — As NFL teams struggle to adapt to the league’s new kickoff rule, the Falcons remain committed to their strategy.
While the game plan can limit returner Eric Weems, Falcons coaches would rather play the odds in the battle for field position.
The league moved kickoffs up five yards to the 35-yard line this season. The result has been a significant increase in touchbacks, the desired effect in a focus on player safety. Through eight weeks, there have been 1,174 kickoffs this season, with 559 resulting in touchbacks (47.6 percent) and a drive start at the 20-yard line.
Last season, there were 2,459 kickoffs with 409 touchbacks (16.6 percent). Baltimore’s Billy Cundiff led all kickers with 40 touchbacks last season. New Orleans’ Thomas Morstead already has 33 touchbacks in eight games.
Several kickers consistently kick the ball out of the end zone. The Falcons have a mark five yards deep in the end zone and prefer that Weems not bring the ball out if he catches a kick any deeper.
“Across the league, people have different philosophies,” coach Mike Smith said. “Our philosophy is we have a mark in the end zone that we don’t want to come out unless it’s a short hang time. We will take the ball on the 20 instead of trying to bring it out when the ball is deep.
“I think across the league, more people are bringing it out, but I think as the season goes on, the teams that are able to kick the ball into the end zone, unless you have one of those elite returners, you’re going to see more and more people not taking the ball out.”
The Falcons have received 39 kickoffs this season, with 36 reaching the end zone, and have taken 25 touchbacks. In his 14 returns, Weems is averaging 22.9 yards. He averaged 27.5 yards last season when he made the Pro Bowl as a specialist.
“If I get an opportunity, I get it. If I don’t, I don’t,” Weems said. “When I do get an opportunity, I just have to make the most of it.”
Weems did have a 104-yard return for a touchdown nullified because of an illegal block in the Falcons’ last game, against Detroit on Oct. 23.
For teams with elite returners the new rule has not been an easy adjustment. According to Falcons special-teams coordinator Keith Armstrong, the risk of taking a deep ball out of the end zone might be worth it for some teams.
“Why take a touchback and take it on the 20[-yard line] when you’re chances of scoring are below 15 percent,” Armstrong said. “Why not just take it out anyway? If I get it on the 17[-yard line], what’s the difference between [scoring on] 15 percent and 12 percent [of the drives]?”
The Falcons have started 17 drives inside their 20-yard line this season. They have scored four times (two field goals, two touchdowns) for a 23.5 percent success rate.
They have started 39 drives between the 20-29 yard lines, scoring 10 times (four field goals, six touchdowns) for a 25.6 percent success rate. Of the 29 drives that started on the 20-yard line, they have scored eight times (four field goals, four touchdowns) for a 27.6 percent success rate.
In the first week of the season, there were three kickoffs returned for touchdowns. Armstrong said that was a function of kickers trying too hard to get the ball out of the end zone.
“Guys were line-driving the ball to get in the back of the end zone so there was no hang time on the ball,” Armstrong said. “They really weren’t kicking them deep because those balls were getting to the returner fairly quick. That’s why returners were taking them eight and nine yards deep and taking them out.”
The league will re-evaluate the new kickoff rule following the season. Commissioner Roger Goodell told the Chicago Tribune last month there could be a modification, but not at the expense of player safety.
While the Falcons have had limited attempts to return kickoffs, their rookie kicker has struggled to get the ball deep in the end zone. Matt Bosher, drafted to replace Michael Koenen, has 10 touchbacks on 36 kickoffs (27.8 percent). He is 29th in the league for players with more than 20 kickoffs. Denver’s Matt Prater leads the league in touchback percentage with 26 on 30 kickoffs (86.7 percent). Koenen, now in Tampa Bay, has 15 touchbacks on 31 kickoffs (48.4 percent).
“Kickoff wise, we still need to work on some,” Armstrong said. “I think, all in all, he’s making progress. That’s the biggest thing. Is he where he really wants to be, I would say, not right now. But he is making progress. He is becoming more and more consistent.”
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