Back to the Texas State Bobcats Newsfeed

New NFL kickoff rules: What have we learned after 4 weeks?

The Houston Texans had pulled to within two scores of the Minnesota Vikings in their Week 3 matchup, and coach DeMeco Ryans decided to take a risk.

He chose to leverage the NFL's new kickoff rules in an effort to accelerate the Texans' comeback. Place-kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn attempted a knuckle ball on the ensuing kickoff, a low kick designed to land near the goal line and force the Vikings into a frantic return that would pin them well short of the 30-yard line, where touchbacks are spotted.

The ball indeed landed at the Vikings' 7-yard line, but it bounced out of bounds at the 5 for a penalty.