Fair catch before half time?

[Doomsday101]

I could be mistaken but I believe on a free kick it's like a punt except the ball has to bounce first. They don't get to line up and just kick it the normal way.

That is a drop kick. A free kick you play it the same way as a normal FG but the defense can't rush the kicker. Last time I saw Dallas do that was aginst the Houston Oilers in Pre-season in 89

 

[nathanlt]

Does anyone have a link to the actual rule?

 

[AmericasTeam31]

Does anyone have a link to the actual rule?

THis is the definition of a free kick on NFL.com:

Free Kick: A kickoff or safety kick. It may be a placekick, dropkick, or punt, except a punt may not be used on a kickoff following a touchdown, successful field goal, or to begin each half or overtime period. A tee cannot be used on a fair-catch or safety

 

[joseephuss]

11. Free Kick: A kickoff or safety kick. It may be a placekick, dropkick, or punt, except a punt may not be used on a kickoff following a touchdown, successful field goal, or to begin each half or overtime period. A tee cannot be used on a fair-catch or safety kick.

 

[AmericasTeam31]

Fair Catch
1. The member of the receiving team must raise one arm a full length above his head and wave it from side to side while kick is in flight. (Failure to give proper sign: receivers’ ball five yards behind spot of signal.) Note: It is legal for the receiver to shield his eyes from the sun by raising one hand no higher than the helmet.

2. No opponent may interfere with the fair catcher, the ball, or his path to the ball. Penalty: 15 yards from spot of foul and fair catch is awarded.

3. A player who signals for a fair catch is not required to catch the ball. However, if a player signals for a fair catch, he may not block or initiate contact with any player on the kicking team until the ball touches a player. Penalty: snap 15 yards.

4. If ball hits ground or is touched by member of kicking team in flight, fair catch signal is off and all rules for a kicked ball apply.

5. Any undue advance by a fair catch receiver is delay of game. No specific distance is specified for undue advance as ball is dead at spot of catch. If player comes to a reasonable stop, no penalty. For penalty, five yards.

6. If time expires while ball is in play and a fair catch is awarded, receiving team may choose to extend the period with one fair catch kick down. However, placekicker may not use tee.

 

[AmericasTeam31]

Ok Here's the one:
1. After a fair catch, the receiving team has the option to put the ball in play by a snap or a fair catch kick (field goal attempt), with fair catch kick lines established ten yards apart. All general rules apply as for a field goal attempt from scrimmage. The clock starts when the ball is kicked. (No tee permitted.)

 

[Meat-O-Rama]

KC had the ball at the 22 and Crayton lined up at about the Dallas 48. Why would they expect such a short kick? The ball bounced down to the Dallas 36. A fair catch would have put the ball at about the 40. It would have been a low percentage kick, but since it is a free kick, there is no risk. I would trot any kicker out there to at least attempt it. Crayton just did not play far enough back. It was only a 42 yard kick and that was after it bounced.

With Parcells, it is all about risk/reward. He has Crayton line up at the 48 because he figures that anything beyond that is too far for even a free kick to have a prayer. The risk of having your guy try to field a punt back at the 35 is the ever present danger of a fumble. If Crayton had backpedaled and muffed that kick, you'd be here right now asking why in the world BP had Crayton out there trying to field a meaningless kick...

When I saw that play happen, I thought back to the Giants MNF game where the returner (Reshard Lee?) lets the ball dribble out of bounds giving Dallas valuable field position and time on the clock. That was a well coached move then, and yesterdays move, though small in the grand scheme was equally well coached.

 

[AbeBeta]

When I saw that play happen, I thought back to the Giants MNF game where the returner (Reshard Lee?) lets the ball dribble out of bounds giving Dallas valuable field position and time on the clock. That was a well coached move then, and yesterdays move, though small in the grand scheme was equally well coached.

Zuriel Smith.

Lee would never have had the smarts to let that one go.

 

[joseephuss]

With Parcells, it is all about risk/reward. He has Crayton line up at the 48 because he figures that anything beyond that is too far for even a free kick to have a prayer. The risk of having your guy try to field a punt back at the 35 is the ever present danger of a fumble. If Crayton had backpedaled and muffed that kick, you'd be here right now asking why in the world BP had Crayton out there trying to field a meaningless kick...

When I saw that play happen, I thought back to the Giants MNF game where the returner (Reshard Lee?) lets the ball dribble out of bounds giving Dallas valuable field position and time on the clock. That was a well coached move then, and yesterdays move, though small in the grand scheme was equally well coached.

Nope, I wouldn't, but thanks for telling me what I think. Could you tell me where I left my car keys? I didn't want him back pedaling. I wanted him lined up deeper. He could always come up on the ball or run away from it if he thought the coverage was too close. Dallas won, so I am happy. I just thought there was a chance, even a remote one of putting more points on the board.