Throughout final week’s media have a look at the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ organized group actions (OTAs), a serious ensuing storyline was which gamers had been getting used for the league’s new kickoff rule.
Chiefs assistant head coach and particular groups coordinator Dave Toub spoke on some great benefits of utilizing beginning security Justin Reid to kickoff, noting the possible enhance of kickers being required to make tackles with the brand new formation.
Reid addressed the chance for himself following Friday’s media have a look at apply.
The elder statesman of Kansas Metropolis’s secondary didn’t understand it was a query whether or not or not he would discover a function on this yr’s kicking sport.
“I feel it was already understood with out having to be stated out loud,” he declared. “Yearly, I attempt to kick. I simply love to do it for enjoyable. I petitioned Coach Toub the final two years to let me get some within the preseason…It was only a pure match. He knew I’d be enthusiastic about it, and we expect we will flip it right into a weapon this yr.”
After studying of the brand new rule — which sees nearly no motion permitted till a kickoff has been fielded or fallen within the touchdown zone — Reid started practising lengthy earlier than OTAs began.
“I’ve a tee and a few soccer that I had taken with me earlier than we began OTAs,” he revealed. “I labored on it in just a few grass fields ensuring there was some good contact. OTAs has been primarily right here, and I’ll take those self same footballs with me on this subsequent break and simply proceed to remain sharp with it.”
Because the group’s beginning security, Reid already regularly performs each defensive snap most weeks. He sees taking over a particular groups function as one other means to assist the group win. The defender additionally cited an important latest instance of the sport’s third section turning a sport in favor of the Chiefs: a third-quarter fumble restoration by the Kansas Metropolis punt group in Tremendous Bowl LVIII that arrange the group’s first landing.
Photograph by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos
“Particular groups performs a significant function within the sport,” he reiterated. “The sport is three phases: offense, protection, and particular groups. Within the Tremendous Bowl, particular groups was the distinction between us successful and shedding. We had that punt that we had been in a position to capitalize on and get the ball again for our offense close to their objective line and capitalize on that turnover. Particular groups makes a humongous distinction, and I’m prepared to do something to assist us win.”
As he practices for a possible second function, Reid can be turning into conscious of the brand new rule’s pitfalls, particularly that an error kicking off might lead to opposing possessions beginning on the 30 and even 40-yard traces.
“Simply have the last word confidence and luxury that the ball will probably be in play,” he stated of his method. “That it received’t be a penalty, and the opposite group will get it on the 40. So long as the ball is in play — and we’ve got an additional man working down there like a heat-seeking missile — good issues are going to occur.”
