Following Thursday’s preseason game, I told you that I thought the NFL’s new kickoff rule was lame. John Harbaugh agrees.
Following Sunday’s practice, Harbaugh told the media that he wasn’t impressed with the new rules. “We’re not going to go through the whole season kicking touchbacks,” Harbaugh said according to Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com. “That would be foolish.”
Brendon Ayanbadejo on kickoffs ‘It’s my favorite play.The kickoff is where I make my living. Hopefully, this rule will only last a year.’less than a minute ago via web 
Favorite 
Retweet 
Reply
Aaron Wilson
RavensInsider
Pro Bowl special teams player Brendon Ayanbadejo was also disappointed in the new rule as the touchbacks make his job particularly boring. “It’s my favorite play in football,” he said. “The kickoff is where I make my living, my bread and butter. So, I’m kind of sad to see the ball moved up to the 35-yard line.” Ayanbadejo added that he hopes that the rule will be thrown out at the end of the year.
If the point of the rule was to just reduce the number of returns and thereby reduce the risk of injury, then it is unnecessary. However, if the intent is to eventually elimiinate returns, this is pretty good way to do it. Just look at the trends of touchbacks as a percentage of kickoffs; it increases just about every year because players (kickers included) get stronger over time. They increased every year until 1994 when the kickoff was pushed back to the 30, and after the 1994 dropoff, they continued an upward trend. No matter what Josh Cribbs or Devin Hester says; there will be more touchbacks. They may might be given the discretion to run out kicks from deep in the endzone, less capable returners will not. It maybe makes the best guys even more valuable.
http://theresastatforthat.blogspot.com/2011/08/nfls-new-kickoff-rules-are-they-really.html