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Change in kickoff rule could affect roster spots
content: FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)The NFL moved the kickoff spot up five yards todecrease injuries by increasing touchbacks. The change could have another effect hurting the job prospects of Cheap Ravens Jersey special teams players.Matthew Slater(notes) of the New England Patriots may be one of them.His primary contributions since they drafted him in 2008 have been coveringkicks and blocking for teammates returning them."My role on special teams is definitely going to be the same as it's alwaysbeen," Slater said Tuesday. "That's how I'm going to make football teams inthis league, and I knew that coming into this league." But the importance of players covering kickoffs diminishes with feweropportunities to do that. So with kickoffs coming from the 35-yard line insteadof the 30 that could affect roster decisions."I think you've got to think about it," coach Bill Belichick said. "Ifinstead of covering 60 kickoffs in a year, you think you're only going to becovering 30, then is that coverage player as important?"Or on the flip side NFL Football Saints Jerseys of it, a return team guy. You're going to be returning30 instead of 60."That would diminish the role of blockers and kickoff returners. Brandon Tate(notes)handled 41 of the opponents' 56 kickoffs that were returned last year, butBelichick said Tate, Julian Edelman(notes) and Taylor Price(notes)all wide receiversallcan handle kickoffs and punts."As it was explained to me, what the league and the competition committeewere trying to do is eliminate the kickoff returns, which I think they'll do,"Belichick said. "They'll eliminate a lot of them, particularly early in theseason when the weather is less of a factor."He spent much of his 16-minute news conference on Tuesday discussing thekicking game. That was his main focus when he coached special teams from 1976 to1982."When was the Official Eagles Jersey Shop Online last time we've had a press conference that's gone intokickoff returns in such depth?" the usually serious coach said with a grin."Hey, I could talk about kickoff returns all day, let me tell you that. Thatwas my life for 10 years almost."In three years at UCLA, Slater didn't catch a single pass and ran justtwice. But he returned 34 kickoffs, all in his final year, three for touchdowns.Listed by the Patriots as a wide receiver, he has no receptions and one rushin three seasons. He returned 11 kickoffs in each of his first two, but none in2010. So in training camp he's working at both wide receiver and defensive back,hoping to show versatility that could boost his usefulness."The first day I came, they gave me both (offensive and defensive) playbooks. I guess that Baltimore Ravens Jersey Outlet was the extent of the conversation. So I figured I'd bedoing both," he said, "but I knew I was going to have to. They preach the moreyou can do around here. (And) I tried to buy Authentic Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys into that as much as possiblesince I've been here."Slater plans to keep his same approach despite the change in the kickoffspot."You expect there to be more touchbacks, Official Steelers Jersey but as cover guys, we can't bethinking, `Oh, it's going to be a touchback.' We have to cover down," he said."I really don't think that rule is going to have too big of an impact,especially later in the season as it gets colder and the ball carries less."Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski(notes) doesn't expect to change his styleeither, not even to NFL Reebok Saints Jerseys increase his hang time to give teammates, already startingfive yards closer to the returner, more time to cover that player."I always try to hit it as high as I can. That's never an issue. I feellike I do a pretty good job of hang time," said Gostkowski, who kicked off fromthe 35-yard line in college. "After kicking the ball out of bounds a couple oftimes, and Bill yelling at me, I just try to kick it as high as I can."He could try to have the ball come down between the 5-yard line and the goalline hoping returners wouldn't reach the 20.But that could backfire."You can somewhat do that, but it's kind of a real rhythmical swing, like agolf swing," Gostkowski said. "When you try to adjust, you're more prone tomishit it, so I try to do the same thing every time. I (do) make slightadjustments whether it's into the wind or something like that."His basic goal is simplekick the ball as high and as far as he can.That can be tough in a place like Gillette Stadium where kickers must dealwith wind at their backs and in their faces and even crosswinds. Against certaintop returnerslike Devin Hester(notes) of the Chicago Bears and Leon Washington(notes) ofthe Seattle Seahawkstouchbacks are even more important.The Patriots practice many kickoff scenarios. Players have specificassignments in covering kicks. Returners make reads when deciding where to run.That stays the same even with the change in the kickoff spot."I've learned that that's a craft New Orleans Saints Jersey Authentic and there's a lot to it," Slater said."It's organized chaos. Even though it looks like we're just running down likewild men, it's a craft and I've tried to embrace that craft and get better atit."
17.08.2011. u 02:44 | 0 Komentara | Print | # | ^