The Raiders showcased an apparent loophole on kickoffs last Thursday, but they might have to find another quirk to exploit.
Las Vegas lost to the Rams at SoFi Stadium in Week 14, but during the game, it tried to put Los Angeles in a disadvantageous position as best as it could. Despite being indoors, the Raiders utilized a holder on Daniel Carlson’s kickoffs. Typically, someone is needed to hold the ball on a kickoff in the event there is poor weather. But special teams coordinator Tom McMahon used a holder because it apparently provides more hang time on Carlson’s kicks.
It’s a tactic rarely seen in the NFL, but it was completely legal.
“They clarified a rule a couple weeks ago, that you’re permitted to hold the ball on the top of the tee now, so we’ve got a good kicker, you can add hang time to the kick, and I think you saw Daniel use that to our advantage,” McDaniels said last Thursday, per Pro Football Talk. “As long as you don’t kick it into the end zone, extra hang time, put it at the goal line, we’re further down there, it gives the coverage team a better opportunity to make tackles inside the 25-yard line.”
McDaniels added: “That’s the rules. They clarified it a couple weeks ago. If it helps us gain some type of advantage, we’ll try to do that.”
It appears McDaniels has taken a page out of Bill Belichick’s book in using any and every advantage at your disposal to help your team win.
However, the NFL reportedly has reversed its allowance of this loophole, according to Ben Austro of Football Zebras.
Some might wonder if there actually is a benefit, but former NFL punter and podcast host Pat McAfee noted there is, explaining the hang time is similar to that of a punt, which helps those on kickoff coverage get to the returner quicker and put the other team at a poor start, field position wise. McMahon worked as special teams coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts from 2013-17, which is how McAfee got more details on the Raiders’ strategy.
“The special teams coordinator there at the Raiders I know him a little bit,” McAfee said last Thursday, per “Pat McAfee Show” video. “That (expletive) guy will read the rule book every single day trying to find — and I had to ask him, ‘Hey, am I seeing what I think I’m seeing on our kickoffs? Am I allowed to talk about this?’ He said, ‘All legal, babe. Do what you got to do.’ That’s something I’ve never seen done before, and if it’s been legal this entire time and somebody figured out the loophole, should’ve been doing that the entire time, and it should help out the kickoff coverage a lot. Also, this is going to create a lot more returns. … It’s an innovative that I’m actually very pissed off I didn’t think of when we were doing this whole thing.”
It now appears McMahon will have to find another loophole in the rule book when the Raiders take on the Patriots this Sunday.
