In their opening-week game against the Cleveland Browns, the Dallas Cowboys jumped out to an early lead and never looked back.
It was another component of the game that might be very important in future, closer games, even though the Cowboys came out on top with a very complete performance on both sides of the ball, winning 33-17.
K Brandon Aubrey and the Dallas Cowboys took advantage of the NFL’s new kickoff regulation.
Kicker Brandon Aubrey of the Dallas Cowboys has already established himself as a very useful asset. With four field goals against the Browns, he maintained his drive to be regarded as one of the league’s greatest kickers.
The most obvious way for a kicker to benefit their team is to routinely make field goals, but the NFL’s new kickoff rule might have given them another option to influence games.
The landing zone for the new NFL kickoff, dubbed the “dynamic” kickoff, is from the 20-yard line to the end zone. Many kickers in the first week of the season chose to blast their kickoffs through the end zone, putting the returning team the ball on the 30-yard line. However, any kick in that landing zone needs to be returned.
Ezoic
Aubrey made an unconventional attempt. He was aiming to land the ball away from the returners by giving it an unusual spin, which made them rush up and collect kicks with unusual spin.
The two bungled returns that Aubrey induced were so frightening to the returns that they let the ball to roll into the end zone, resulting in a 20-yard touchback rather than a 30-yard touchback.
Ezoic Dallas
Aubrey made an unconventional attempt. He was aiming to land the ball away from the returners by giving it an unusual spin, which made them rush up and collect kicks with unusual spin.
The two bungled returns that Aubrey induced were so frightening to the returns that they let the ball to roll into the end zone, resulting in a 20-yard touchback rather than a 30-yard touchback.
The impact of Dallas Cowboys K Brandon Aubrey is difficult to measure.
Even though Aubrey’s special kickoffs probably would not have changed the outcome for the Cowboys, it is hard to say how they affected returns. The returner could have had to take an extra second to secure the ball, turning touchdowns that would have been certain to end in scoreless returns.
The Cowboys and Aubrey stand to gain a lot in the field position and/or turnover fight if they can consistently place returners in unusual places. In an Associated Press piece, special teams coordinator Brian Schneider of the San Francisco 49ers described why the new kickoff is unusual.
“It is really weird, I think, for anyone who watches it for the first time, because you see the kickoff and I am standing right here, and it feels like you are in space.” Brian Schneider, coordinator of San Francisco’s special teams, stated, “You never see that happen without everyone moving.”
“And so, it seems as though the music stopped and everything was like something out of The Twilight Zone,” and when it does, it happens extremely quickly.”
Returning customers already find it challenging to perform tasks in an entirely different manner. Should Aubrey capitalize on that unease, the Cowboys might perhaps force a another game-altering turnover or a crucial return play.
