Brad Robbins, new kick-off specialist

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

I was thinking, with the new kick off rules, does that give Robbins a new lease on life with the team?

With touch potentially being more valuable kicking off, I think he has a shot at taking over the kick off duties.

What will Simmons strategy be?

[Nepa]

(04-11-2024, 04:40 PM)FormerlyBengalRugby Wrote: I was thinking, with the new kick off rules, does that give Robbins a new lease on life with the team?

With touch potentially being more valuable kicking off, I think he has a shot at taking over the kick off duties.

What will Simmons strategy be?

Well, hang time means zero given the new rules. The defense cannot move until the ball hits a player or the ground. 

Placement is critical, since you need the ball to go into the landing zone (between end zone and 20-yard line). If it is short, the ball is placed at the 40-yard line. If long (into the end zone), then to the 30-yard line.

It would seem that the ideal would be a line drive kick that hits in the landing zone, ideally inside the 10, but is moving into the end zone.  Either a player returns it or it goes into the end zone. If it goes into the end zone and a player doesn't return it, it goes to the 20-yard line.

Since hangtime means zero, and a line drive kick is probably best, it would seem to me that McMoney is still the key, not Robbins. That's my best guess. 

[sandwedge]

(04-11-2024, 05:54 PM)Nepa Wrote: Well, hang time means zero given the new rules. The defense cannot move until the ball hits a player or the ground. 

Placement is critical, since you need the ball to go into the landing zone (between end zone and 20-yard line). If it is short, the ball is placed at the 40-yard line. If long (into the end zone), then to the 30-yard line.

It would seem that the ideal would be a line drive kick that hits in the landing zone, ideally inside the 10, but is moving into the end zone.  Either a player returns it or it goes into the end zone. If it goes into the end zone and a player doesn't return it, it goes to the 20-yard line.

Since hangtime means zero, and a line drive kick is probably best, it would seem to me that McMoney is still the key, not Robbins. That's my best guess. 

I wouldn't be surprised if you see a non kicker, doing the kicking. It takes your kicker off the field and not have to tackle, plus the ball only has to go 40 yds..

[Truck_1_0_1_]

No, Evan can kick much farther than Robbins

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(04-11-2024, 05:54 PM)Nepa Wrote: Well, hang time means zero given the new rules. The defense cannot move until the ball hits a player or the ground. 

Hang time might actually be worse for kickoffs in the new rules. If you loft it up high, you're giving the blockers time where nobody can move to figure out which direction the ball is heading and mentally prepare to set up the needed blocks for where the ball is going to land once it's touched. If you have the least hangtime needed to get the ball directly to the zone, you're able to give the blockers very little time to do anything other than to instinctively react.

[Sled21]

(04-12-2024, 12:34 AM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: No, Evan can kick much farther than Robbins

Robbins is a punter, so I don't think that's the answer. I don't really like using Mac either, as he has said when kicking field goals he kicks the exact same, with the same amount of force, if he's kicking 30 yds. as he does when he's kicking 55 yds.  I don't like making him have to develop "touch" because it might mess up his field goals. 

[Nepa]

(04-12-2024, 06:05 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Hang time might actually be worse for kickoffs in the new rules. If you loft it up high, you're giving the blockers time where nobody can move to figure out which direction the ball is heading and mentally prepare to set up the needed blocks for where the ball is going to land once it's touched. If you have the least hangtime needed to get the ball directly to the zone, you're able to give the blockers very little time to do anything other than to instinctively react.

Agreed. While the kicking team players cannot move, the receiving teams has two players who can move before the ball is touched or hits the ground. Good hang time allows them to get into position (one catching the ball and one blocking) and the rest of the receiving team to prepare for a return. I suspect the strategy will be line drives that end in the landing zone and ideally can get by the two receivers and into the end zone or just short of it.

There were times (before last year's rule about fair catching kickoffs) that Simmons had McMoney hit kickoffs deep, but not into the end zone, with the goal of stopping the returning team inside the 20. I think McMoney will be able to adjust to whatever Simmons asks of him with these new rules. Some other teams (like KC with Punt God) may find the punter better adapted to learning to hit line drives with the correct placement; I just don't see it with Robbins.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(04-12-2024, 09:33 AM)Nepa Wrote: Agreed. While the kicking team players cannot move, the receiving teams has two players who can move before the ball is touched or hits the ground. Good hang time allows them to get into position (one catching the ball and one blocking) and the rest of the receiving team to prepare for a return. I suspect the strategy will be line drives that end in the landing zone and ideally can get by the two receivers and into the end zone or just short of it.

There were times (before last year's rule about fair catching kickoffs) that Simmons had McMoney hit kickoffs deep, but not into the end zone, with the goal of stopping the returning team inside the 20. I think McMoney will be able to adjust to whatever Simmons asks of him with these new rules. Some other teams (like KC with Punt God) may find the punter better adapted to learning to hit line drives with the correct placement; I just don't see it with Robbins.

Or alternatively you just boot that shit out of the back of the end zone every single time because you allow 0 TDs and suffer 0 injuries if you allow 0 returns. Then they just start drives on the 30.

The Browns added Nyheim Hines who had 2 kick return TDs last year and the Steelers added Cordarrelle Patterson a multi-time All-Pro returner who has 9 career KO return TDs. Even the Ravens added Deonte Harty who was an All-Pro punt returner that I suspect they will make their kick returner. Might be the best way to win is to not play.

[TecmoBengals]

I got click baited, bros. I thought this was official news.

I'll offer he won't take on this role because Duke mentioned the punter position during offseason interviews as needing improvement. Robbins might not even be on the Bengals come training camp if they draft a replacement.

[*ochocincos*]

People need to be prepared to see another punter drafted.
Robbins was horrific last year.

[TKUHL]

(04-12-2024, 01:07 PM)ochocincos Wrote: People need to be prepared to see another punter drafted.
Robbins was horrific last year.

I’ve been mocking Tory Taylor P out of Iowa to us.

[TKUHL]

Will some Punters come out of retirement due to the new rule. Hang time means nothing, a huge foot dosnt nessisarly mean success. Older very accurate punters have got to be considering a come back.

[*ochocincos*]

(04-12-2024, 02:12 PM)TKUHL Wrote: I’ve been mocking Tory Taylor P out of Iowa to us.

I'm a fan of Austin McNamara personally.

McNamara has about the same career YPP as Taylor (45.9 vs 46.3).
But he has a much higher percentage of unreturnable punts and fair catches forced compared to Taylor.
Taylor's best YPP season was 48.2 compared to McNamara's 48.1. So they both have big legs.

This gives a good breakdown of McNamara for those who haven't heard the name - https://bnbfootball.com/2024-nfl-draft/punter-rankings/

Quote:[color=var( --e-global-color-text )]Austin McNamara has a powerful leg with a vicious punting motion. He kicks the ball with aggression, but has still shown excellent placement on his kicks. He’s improved his mechanics over his 5 year career as a starter, and has done a nice job of converting his distance into hangtime. McNamara has good size at 6’4″, and it doesn’t slow him down in his punting motion.
McNamara has shown in the past that he can average an impressive yard per punt number (48.2 in 2021), but has instead transitioned his power into elite hangtime. McNamara only allowed returns on 18% of his punts this past season, by far the best percentage for any punter averaging over 45 yards per punt.[/color]

[color=var( --e-global-color-text )]Austin McNamara 2023 Stats
46.3 yards per punt, 24 inside 20 yard line, 7 touchbacks, 49.1% fair catches forced, 59 long, 81.8% unreturnable punts[/color]

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

Not even expecting Robbins to be on the team come the regular season. We should draft a Punter like Tory Taylor or McNamara and
just boot it out of the back of the end zone all the time in our Division so no returns happen with the Returners in our Division. I also
hope we draft a player like Ainias Smith or my favorite Malachi Corley to punish teams who don't boot it out of the back of the endzone.

Having hang time is meaningless now, just helps the blockers set up if you have too much hangtime now.

[Housh]

Man I’m surprised yall think he’s makin the team at all

Dude wasnt good

[Destro]

He is a bum.

[007BengalsFan]

I was not a fan of the pick when it happened and I was certainly not a fan of his performance for the season. He was near the bottom of all the stats that matter. I never bought into the idea it was better to have a weak legged punter because he wouldnt have many returns. He doesnt have a great leg so he wont outkick the coverage? Give me a punter that can flip the field when the offense is backed up.

[FormerlyBengalRugby]

(04-12-2024, 10:26 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: I was not a fan of the pick when it happened and I was certainly not a fan of his performance for the season.  He was near the bottom of all the stats that matter.   I never bought into the idea it was better to have a weak legged punter because he wouldnt have many returns.  He doesnt have a great leg so he wont outkick the coverage?  Give me a punter that can flip the field when the offense is backed up.

I agree 100%.

The idea being his career might have new life with the kickoff rules changing, as Money Mac is an accurate banger kicking, and Robbins touch may make him an ideal option for kickoffs.

The idea had nothing to do with hangtime, not that you implied that it did. Just trying to clarify the idea.

[Nepa]

(04-12-2024, 02:43 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: Not even expecting Robbins to be on the team come the regular season. We should draft a Punter like Tory Taylor or McNamara and
just boot it out of the back of the end zone all the time in our Division so no returns happen with the Returners in our Division. I also
hope we draft a player like Ainias Smith or my favorite Malachi Corley to punish teams who don't boot it out of the back of the endzone.

Having hang time is meaningless now, just helps the blockers set up if you have too much hangtime now.

Well, that's just kickoffs, Nate, where hang time is meaningless. Still of major importance for the punting game.

[007BengalsFan]

I dont think Robbins had great hang time. From what I remember reading earlier in the season, he was fairly mediocre in hang time. I think PFF keeps hang time stats for punters but I dont have PFF so I couldnt tell you for sure.