Steven Ruiz

For The Win

The NFL introduced new provisions to help make football's most dangerous play, the kickoff, a little safer. Players on the kickoff team are no longer able to get a running start before the kick and players must be distributed evenly on either side of the kicker, five to his right and five to his left.

The idea behind the changes was to make kickoffs more like punts and limit the number of high speed collisions. That seems to be working, but we discovered one unintended consequence at the end of the Titans-Dolphins game: Onside kicks are basically impossible now.

Take a look at Tennessee's effort late in its 27-20 loss in Miami…

</div> <p>The Titans didn't even follow the rules completely - three players were running before the kicker struck the ball - and still weren't even close to getting to the ball. The kicker was the only player with a real shot at it.</p> <p>In drafting these new rules, the NFL had to realize this would be the result, right? It was assumed that one of the reasons the league hadn't just gotten rid of the kickoff altogether was the onside kick, but if they are going to be this difficult to pull off, is there even a point?</p> <p>One solution could be to change the required distance for the ball to travel from 10 yards to, say, five. That would allow the kickoff team to get closer to the ball without getting a running start, and they'd have less ground to build up speed, so you'd still get fewer high-speed collisions. In the mean time, dramatic comebacks will be much harder to pull off.</p> <p><strong>MORE:</strong></p> <p><a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/09/carrie-underwood-sunday-night-football-snf-theme-song-new-2018-reaction-packers-bears-nfl/?utm_source=USATAPP&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=inline-related">NFL fans hated Carrie Underwood's new 'Sunday Night Football' theme song</a></p> <p><a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/09/nfl-chiefs-offense-rpo-andy-reid-chargers-tyreek-hill/?utm_source=USATAPP&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=inline-related">The Chiefs gave us a peek at the future of NFL offenses</a></p> <p><a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/09/serena-williams-sore-loser-grand-slam-us-open-roberta-vinci/?utm_source=USATAPP&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=inline-related">Serena Williams is the sorest loser</a></p> <p><a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/09/serena-williams-has-another-u-s-open-meltdown-clashes-with-chair-umpire/?utm_source=USATAPP&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=inline-related">Serena Williams has another U.S. Open meltdown, clashing with umpire in shock loss</a></p> <p><a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2018/09/dolphins-fan-field-video-running-kid-security-stadium-nfl-titans-miami/?utm_source=USATAPP&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=inline-related">Young Dolphins fan gives stadium security trouble while running on the field</a></p></body></html>