How The Chargers Can Benefit From NFL Rule Changes

Benjamin Could Get More Kick Returns With Bolts

NBC 7’s Ben Rosehart takes a look at how current players on the Chargers roster could benefit from the NFL’s recent rule changes in this commentary. 

New Chargers wide receiver/returner Travis Benjamin is expected to help revive a recently putrid special teams unit this year.

He may get more chances to do so after the NFL announced this week that one of the new rule changes will affect kickoffs.

Starting this season, touchbacks will give the receiving team starting field position at the 25-yard line instead of at the 20.

As a result, I expect more teams to change their kicking strategy.

We’ve seen less and less kick returns and an increasing amount of touchbacks the last couple of seasons.

Many fans point to the NFL trying to find some ways to decrease the amount of collisions and decapitating hits.

I believe this rule change actually runs counter to that point and will encourage more returns.

One reason Chargers kicker Josh Lambo beat out veteran Nick Novak as a rookie was because his strong leg (and MLS background) gave him a better chance to boot the ball into the end-zone.

The Chargers tried to do that a lot last year partly because they did not exactly have the best special teams coverage unit.

They ended up having the worst starting field position in the league and fired their special teams coach before the end of their 4-12 season.

Some teams may continue to aim for touchbacks but I think more teams will strategize specifically to try and gain a few more yards in the ever-important field position game.

Here’s how – and why I would do that if I was on the sidelines.

If more teams attempt to kick the ball to a returnable spot (basically between the 1 and 10 yard line) the coverage units will have more incentive to “win the play” and stop the returner inside the 25.

The returning team will also be unable to get that automatic 25-yard line for staying in the end-zone and hearing the whistle.

A tackle anywhere from the 24 yard line on would be a “win” for the defensive team.

Basically that would be the equivalent of a coffin corner punt that pins the offense deep in its own territory and right up against its own end-zone.

Plus, if the Chargers can make stops inside that range, you should see more punts.

Which again leads to a few more chances for Benjamin to break a big play.

The flip side of this argument is that the receiving team may decide to be more conservative on kicks that are actually kicked into the end-zone.

If you’re automatically going to be awarded the ball at the 25 for taking a knee and avoiding collisions on one play, you may see more coaches instruct their guys to just play it safe.

So kickers like Josh Lambo are even more important in the 2016 season than ever before because of the strategy involved. 

The ability for kickers to aim in bounds on kickoffs at just the right spot to coerce a return could really favor the coverage unit.

Remember when we had Joshua Cribbs and Dante Hall returning kicks? Or Brian Mitchell and Dave Meggett busting game-changing touchdown runs?

As a fan, I hope we see more of those exciting home runs this coming season. Especially since this is the “trial period” where we get to see how this temporary experiment plays out for at least one season.

We know the Chargers are hoping Benjamin will be more like Devin Hester and less like the San Diego version of Jacoby Jones.

But with this new wrinkle, the chances of Benjamin exceeding expectations just got a small boost even though we still have months before preseason even gets started.

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