For the first time since the Los Angeles Rams opted not to retain special teams aficionado John ‘Bones’ Fassel, the special teams unit was not a liability in 2024. That hit a breaking point in 2023 when the Rams had the NFL’s worst special teams unit via DVOA by over seven percent.
While the Rams special teams unit wasn’t among the league’s best, it showed significant improvement. Instead of losing games because of special teams, the Rams were winning games. The Rams ranked 19th in special teams DVOA in 2024 and has several memorable moments. Xavier Smith’s 38-yard punt return in Week 3 set up a game-winning field goal from Joshua Karty against the San Francisco 49ers. Evans hit a coffin-corner punt in the playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings with the Rams leading 27-9. The punt unit even blocked a punt that flipped the momentum in the team’s win over the Buffalo Bills.
Where the Rams didn’t make much of an impact was on their kickoff units. They ranked 18th in average kick return yards and were tied for 15th in total returns. The Rams had the fourth-highest touchback rate on kickoffs at 82.6 percent and were tied for the second-fewest kickoff returns allowed. This was despite the new kickoff rules in 2024.
However, the kickoff rules are changing once again in 2025. Last year, the NFL moved the touchback starting point from the 25 to the 30. Now, to incentivize more returns, the NFL has moved kickoffs to the 35-yard line. To put that in perspective, for an offense to get into field goal range, they essentially only have to move the ball 25 yards to set up for a long 57-yard field goal attempt.
The question now becomes how much teams will adjust their strategy to account for the new rule change. If the preseason game is any indication, the Rams might slightly change their approach. Against the Cowboys, the Rams kicked off six times. Only two of those kicks resulted in touchbacks. Additionally, while Evans handled the kickoff duties last season, he split with Karty in Week 1 of the preseason.
All three of Karty’s kicks were returned and had an average starting field position of the 26-yard line. It’s worth noting that one Cowboys return was called back 10 yards for holding, placing them at the 20 instead of the 30. Had the play counted, the average field position would have been the 29.3-yard line. At that point, it’s worth asking whether or not the threat of a big return is worth five yards. For comparison, the average starting field position for Evans was the 32.3-yard line with two touchbacks. Evans’ lone kickoff that was returned went to the 27.
In the modern NFL, defenses are much more focused on limiting the big play and are content with offenses winning by ‘death of 1000 paper cuts’. Essentially, defenses are comfortable playing a ‘bend but don’t break’ philosophy as long as it means stopping the opposing offense in the red zone.
Last season, the Rams defense gave up the fifth-most yards per drive and sixth-most plays per drive. However, the Rams had the fourth-best red zone defense, allowing a touchdown on just 47.5 percent of red zone trips. The Rams gave up a lot of yards between the 30s, but locked down in the red zone.
That begs the question of what the actual value is of the extra five yards that the NFL is awarding on touchbacks. While it means offenses only need 2.5 first downs to get into field goal range, defenses are more ok giving up that three points. At the end of the day, a special teams touchdown significantly increases a team’s chances of winning.
It’s very possible that the Rams were simply resting Evans’ leg for the regular season which is why they alternated Karty on the kickoff unit. When Evans took the kickoff, two of his three resulted in a touchback. That could mean that the Rams are ok conceding that extra five yards.
The Rams’ approach on kickoffs last year with the new rules was to limit as many returns as possible. For the most part, they were successful in that approach. With the NFL adjusting the rules to encourage returns, it will be interesting to see if they stick with that same strategy.
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