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The NFL finally got its first kickoff return for a touchdown in 2016, the latest point in a season it has happened in 37 years. That distinction coincides with a new NFL rule that has encouraged teams to use high, short kickoffs that can be covered more effectively.According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time the first touchdown off a kickoff return happened in Week 6 or later was in 1979. Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles Wendell Smallwood broke the ice by taking back a Washington Redskins kickoff 86 yards at FedEx Field.Smallwoods return was the shortest kickoff return for a touchdown since 2013, according to Elias.Smallwood caught Sundays kickoff at the 14-yard line, in part because the Redskins had been assessed a 15-yard penalty after tight end Vernon Davis took a jump shot with the ball after scoring a touchdown. After the penalty, the Redskins kicked from the 20-yard line instead of the 35.?Washingtons first three kickoffs all were touchbacks.Davis, who was celebrating his first touchdown catch of the season, took a jump shot with the ball, shooting it over the goal post to draw the penalty. Officials penalized Davis for excessive celebration, using the ball as a prop.The Redskins won Sundays game, 27-20.NFL strategy has been upended this season by a one-year experiment that the NFL hoped would reduce the total number of kickoff returns and improve player safety. The rule calls for touchbacks this season to be marked at the 25-yard line instead of the 20. But instead of incentivizing returners to take a touchback more frequently, it has instead led to a swell of shorter kicks that teams hope will force returns and ultimately pin returners well inside the 25-yard line.Through Week 5, NFL teams were kicking into the end zone 79 percent of the time, down from nearly 92 percent last season. Returns were up about seven percent over last year as well, confirming the experiment has produced the opposite of the desired effect.ESPNs John Keim contributed to this report. Air Force 1 Clearance Sale .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. Air Force 1 Clearance . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. http://www.discountairforce1.com/ . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. Discount Air Force 1 .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place. Air Force 1 Cheap Wholesale .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. Cronulla star Ben Barba admits he took it upon himself to step up in the absence of the clubs State of Origin stars in Sundays NRL win over Penrith.NSW Origin quintet James Maloney, Jack Bird, Wade Graham, Andrew Fifita and skipper Paul Gallen are all in camp ahead of Wednesdays game three, but that didnt stop the Sharks securing their 13th win in a row.And Barba played a major role in the win, scoring two tries to take his season tally to 11 - the most since his Dally M medal-winning season in 2012.The 27-year-old said he had a major shift in mindset before the clash against the Panthers.I didnt say too much during the week but I thought with some of the older boys out this week there was a chance there for me to rev the boys up there a little bit, Barba said.I really tried to take a leadership role there with some of the guys out. It was a really special win. Im glad I took the chances when I did.Twice the former Canterbury dynamo showed his trademark acceleration to bllast the Panthers for back-to-back tries in the first half that helped set up the victory.ddddddddddddHowever Barba said he hadnt returned to his top speed, revealing both Valentine Holmes and Sosaia Feki had covered him for pace at the club.He conceded he might never reach the same speed that catapulted him into stardom all those years ago.All that stuff was four or five seasons ago so Im never going to be quick as I was, he said.But I guess Im a little bit smarter now. I try to use that to the best of my ability in terms of picking my times when to run.Im using the other guys at the back (Sosaia Feki and Valentine Holmes) better too.The more I can use them to cart the ball back into the line, Im thankful for them because they allow me to do my stuff in attack.Thats been the big difference for me this year - Im a lot smarter and a lot wiser. ' ' '