Kickoff Returns

[Dan R.]

As I'm sure everyone knows, there is a huge difference in kickoffs this season, with the kick happening from the 35 yard line as opposed to the 30 yard line.

If the article I'm reading is correct, only 100 total touchbacks happened last season. Through week 1 of the postseason (not counting last night's games) there were over 40. Over a full season, that would come out to 640% increase in touchbacks.

How does the sim currently handle kickoffs, and, if we want to keep things as realistic as possible, will it be able to accurately simulate the real lack of a return game in the NFL this season?

[Strategist]

I would say that we should change it as well. Although I don't really remember seeing many kicks for TDs anyways. It will definitely affect field position though.

[Dan R.]

Field position was my main concern as well. Return TDs are great when they happen, but we'll still have them with punts.

But starting at the 20 as opposed to between the 30-40 yard lines is a huge difference.

[Goodell]

Much of this should be automatically factored as we we bring in return averages. If return averages are significantly effected, so to will be our returns as we use those real averages. It's something that I'll run some tests on, though, and make some slight adjustments if needed for realistic results. If a ton of no return games and no update averages, I believe the default updates put it about touchback distance already but I'll check into that further before we sim games.

[Dan R.]

Unless I'm mistaken, touchbacks wouldn't affect average, so return average won't be affected, it will just have a smaller denominator (the number of returns counted in the average).

Is there a way we can work in number of returns, if it will be minimal per game as it seems? Say Cribbs had 2 returns on 5 kicks, he'd have a 40% chance of a return? Or is that too much work for a short time?