NFL HALFWAY: Rule change boosts strategy on kickoffs returns (The Associated Press)

FILE - In this Oct. 9, 2016, file photo, Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Adam Jones kneels after securing a kick off from the Dallas Cowboys during an NFL football game in Arlington. The NFL is halfway through its one-season experiment with a rule placing the ball at the 25-yard line instead of the 20 on touchbacks. The league wants to see how that impacts kickoff returns while hoping to keep players safer by reducing returns. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth, File) MoreNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Each time Marc Mariani heads out to catch a kickoff, he huddles first with the Tennessee special teams coach for a quick strategy session. Once he reaches the end zone and the ball's in the air, the mental calculations begin.

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