I think the rule is similar to like an interception and you fumble it and offense recovers. It’s a change of possession and 1st down even if you don’t reach the line to gain. Same for a fumble lost and defense fumbled it back.
Thats how this rule is interpreted. Once the defense blocks the punt if it goes beyond the LOS and they touch it’s considered a change of possession.
My guess is it happens so rarely Special Teams coaches aren’t coaching it. Didn’t look like we were even aware of the rule while Denver appeared to be.
Yes, that is how the rule currently works. I'm not disputing that. But to me there should be a difference in that with the scenarios you referred to the defense actually physically establishes possession of the ball, then fumbles it. That's not the case with the rule now.
As it is the rule treats it as if merely contacting the ball establishes possession by the receiving team, even if with just a toe, and even if that contact is entirely inadvertent. As I mentioned before, currently a blocked punt could just ricochet into an unsuspecting member of the receiving team a mere 1 foot beyond the line of scrimmage and the punting team could recover for a first down. Pure luck and a flawed rule would determine the outcome rather than a 1st down being earned.
To me the ball should be treated as a fumble when the kick is blocked. The defense hasn't yet established possession, so the outcome would depend on who recovers the ball, and where. If the punting team recovers the ball beyond the first down marker, or even before the marker and advances it to the first down, they keep the ball. If not, it should turn over.