How Will the New Rules Benefit An Already Explosive Eagles Offense?
In January 2016, Doug Pederson began the arduous process of evaluating and turning over Chip Kelly’s roster. Kelly went through the same process in 2013 when Head Coach Andy Reid left Philadelphia after fourteen seasons.
One of the more intriguing prospects on the roster was former Oregon talent and wide receiver Josh Huff. Under Chip Kelly at Oregon, Huff was nearly unstoppable on the field. In Kelly’s fast-paced offense, he caught 144 passes for almost 2,400 yards and 24 touchdowns in his career in the Ducks’ offense. As a senior, he earned All-Pac 12 Conference honors and broke a 43-year record with 1,140 yards receiving.
As a professional, Huff was a roller coaster. At times, he showcased his incredible athleticism and speed, while at other times, he faded away into the void of unproductivity combined with off-field issues.
Against the Tennessee Titans in 2014, Huff set an Eagles record on the professional level with a 107-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff of the game. In 2016, against the Minnesota Vikings, Huff returned a second-quarter kickoff 98 yards to the house. During that same season, Wendell Smallwood returned a second-quarter kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown against the Washington Football Team after a penalty forced Washington to kick off from the 35 instead of the 20-yard line.
This season in the NFL, the excitement of the kickoff return is back. The new 2024 rule states that all kickoffs are from the 35-yard line, with 10 players on the 40-yard line. This energizes an Eagles offense that ranked eighth in the league last year. The Eagles have the best-receiving duos in the league and one of their best running backs. Flipping the field position is a gift for an offense like the Eagles, who have the potential for chunks of yardage on any given play.
In November 2016, after Huff was arrested when drugs were found in his vehicle, the Eagles released the dynamic special teams player and wide receiver. After stints with the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Josh Huff was rereleased in August 2018. He would then play in both the CFL and AFF until his contract was not renewed in 2022.
Could the speed of Britain Covey and Cooper DeJean not only set up the Eagles’ offense with a short field but also put up some points of their own?
When asked about the new NFL kickoff rule in the spring, Eagles Special Teams Coordinator Michael Clay said, “We have to use it as a weapon.”
Yup. Dangerous.
PHOTO: Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports
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