[Sylvanfan]

I do think that within my lifetime we will see the day where unless you have 4th and 10 from your own 20 or 4th and 20 or more from your own 40, teams won't punt. Even if they changed kickoffs to be 15 yards from your own 35...I think a lot more teams would be willing to try that and keep the ball than put the other team at the 25.

With scoring and offence being what it is, receivers are just so damn good now, and it's so hard to defend, teams won't hate the idea of defending a short field with the objective of holding the other team to a Field goal attempt or getting a turn over. Really you often end up with your defense starting at the 25, having a team go 6 plays in 3 minutes and get 50 yards where you now have to defend that 25 yards with a tired defense. Or you put a fresh defense on the field at their own 30, and their goal is allow less than 3 first downs. The fresher sharper defense that needs to defend less territory may be more effective, and take less penalty's themselves, while inflicting more on the offence.

Another thing I see is teams kicking for a touch back with 30 seconds left. With how few returns can get to the 25, than consider the high chance of a penalty why wouldn't you purposefully kick to the 5 and force the other team to burn 5-6 seconds off the clock to get to the 25. Even if they get to the 30, that's one fewer play for the offence you traded for 5 yards. I take that trade any day. 95% of the time you'll be even or better, 3% of the time you might give up a larger return to the 35 or 40, and on that rare occasion, you could get burned.