by Jim Reese

In the interest of increasing player safety while adding a new scoring opportunity to the offense, I suggest the NFL Rules Committee think outside the box and adopt the following:

A team kicking off shall notify the referee that it intends to Power Kick the ball between the uprights. The referee will notify the opposing team and coach. If there is no notice to the referee, no Power Kick shall ensue.

The ball is placed on a tee at the kicking team’s forty-yard line, rather than the thirty-five.

If the kick is good, i.e., goes through the uprights, seventy-yards away, the kicking team is awarded one point and the receiving team takes possession on its thirty-yard line, first-and-ten.

If the kick fails to go through the uprights, the receiving team has the option of returning the kick or downing the ball in the end zone and taking possession on its forty-yard line, first-and-ten.

There can be no recovery of a Power Kick until the receiving team has touched the ball. Therefore, an unsuccessful Power Kick, untouched in the field of play, will come out to the forty yard-line.

The Power Kick may be used at any time during the game, but not on the opening kickoff of overtime.

You now have the possibility of a nine-point play—-a touchdown, two-point conversion, and a Power Kick.

The new rule helps the offense and presents the late game opportunity of a nine-point score to tie or win a game.

The risk-reward ratio is not only positive for the kicking team when an onside kick is the only alternative in a late tied or one-point game, but even earlier in a game when a four-point deficit may be reduced to three with a successful Power Kick.

An attempt and failure is fraught with danger in that it provides the receiving team with excellent field position.

The risk-reward ratio is not only positive for the kicking team when an onside kick is the only alternative in a late tied or one-point game, but even earlier in a game when a four-point lead may be reduced to three with a successful Power Kick.

If the Power Kick were in use in the playoff game between the Ravens and the Broncos, the following scenario would’ve played out. An extra point by Baltimore tied the score at 35-35 with 31 seconds to play. Do you attempt the Power Kick to put you up by a point and let Manning start from his thirty if you make it? Or if you miss, from his forty? Or do you kick deep and hopefully make him start at his twenty and play for overtime?

I think the use of the Power Kick in the NFL will probably rival that of the two-point conversion, i.e., about twice per team per year.

For purists who resist change, think of not only the two-point conversion in football, but the three-point play in basketball and the designated hitter rule in baseball. All changes enhanced their sports through increased offensive production.

The Power Kick could also be used in college and high school as well. Colleges could use the forty-five yard line while high schools could kick-off from mid-field.

Fans will love it. Coaches will hate it. But that is exactly what makes change so exciting.

What do you think? Let me know(jreese171@verizon.net)

Jim Reese
(jreese171@verizon.net)

Editor’s Note: What do you think about Jim’s Power Kick idea? Submit your comments below.  Visit Jims Blog  or  email him at jreese171@verizon.net

Jim Reese has been writing for both CompuSports and Florida newspapers for over ten years. His past articles can be found under the Inside the Hash Marks category, and his ebook How to Win at Flag Football is available here.

Jim’s book Sports Stories-Old School is available now in eBook and paperback format