The Blocked Punt

[Ren]

Well Put......99% of the league to include the fans have never heard or seen the play before Sunday

It counts as a punt because it went past the LOS, you see it a lot on potential roughing the kicker penalties where the blockers catches a piece of the ball, but they get the punt off. That’s essentially what happened. So instead of a block it’s just a really bad punt that we muffed. It’s a freak play that I have never seen before and will probably never happen again. Not sure what options there would be to change the rules

 

[MarcusRock]

That would be hard to change
It’s the same rule as a muffed punt
If receiving team doesn’t touch the ball it’s goes to receiving team, but if it’s touched it’s a live ball
The touch beyond the LOS means the recovery is a first downs no matter where it’s recovered
The touching of the ball is the same as a fumble
That’s true on a FG or punt
Same rule that was in effect on the block FG with Leon Lett against Miami
Once he touched it past the line of scrimmage it’s a live ball
It’s not a new rule but one you rarely see because most blocked punts don’t pass the LOS

So in other words, we can't even block a punt right. Lol.

I take that back. Gifford got one against New England but he had to use his face to get it. Lol.

 

[bigdnlaca]

There is never ever going to be a rule change based on that play. You are basically saying that if there is even the slightest tip on a punt there is no scenario in which the punting team can recover the ball no matter how slight the tipped punt is or how many times the returning teams fumbles the ball.

Then they can tweak it to just if a player muffed or made contact with the ball, there is no penalty but if a player established possession and fumble, it is a live ball.

 

[JoeKing]

The non-blocked punt.

 

[Flamma]

Then they can tweak it to just if a player muffed or made contact with the ball, there is no penalty but if a player established possession and fumble, it is a live ball.

Right now what's the rule for a regular punt? If the guy muffs it and the other team recovered, it's the other team's ball. Same rule applies for any punt going over the LOS. Whether it's not blocked and goes 50 yards, tipped and goes 30 yards, or semi blocked and goes 5 yards. If you touch it, it's a live ball.

 

[Runwildboys]

You're right, whatever the rule the team needs to know it and put it in practice, so the Cowboys did make a mistake. I just think the rule doesn't make sense. The offense should still have to get the ball across the 1st down mark.

I can't help but feel if this happened at a key point in a playoff game the league would look into changing the rule

This is my feeling exactly. Get it past the first down marker, in order to get a first down. The rule, IMO, should change so that in a case like this, sure they can advance the ball, but if they fail to reach the first down marker, them they turn it over on downs wherever they advanced the ball to...unless for some odd brain fart reason, they punted on third down, in which case it would be fourth down at that spot.

 

[Runwildboys]

This is simple. Wright needs to learn the rules. The Special Teams staff needs to teach them.

I'm sure they know now, but some of us still think it should be changed. That said, every player should learn every rule...especially the Cowboys players, because they always seem to catch the s*** end of the stick on all these obscure rules that you almost never see come into play.

 

[cguy610]

Rule needs to change. The player that touched the ball was within 3 yards of the line of scrimmage. The rule doesn't need a major change, just that for the kicking team to recover, the ball has to go more than 5 yards beyond the line of scrimmage so that a kicker can't intentionally kick the ball into the linemen.

I'm sure there are field goals that get blocked under 1-2 yards beyond the line of scrimmage in which the refs rule that the kicking team can't recover it.

 

[Sheepherder]

Well Put......99% of the league to include the fans have never heard or seen the play before Sunday

This is my feeling exactly. Get it past the first down marker, in order to get a first down. The rule, IMO, should change so that in a case like this, sure they can advance the ball, but if they fail to reach the first down marker, them they turn it over on downs wherever they advanced the ball to...unless for some odd brain fart reason, they punted on third down, in which case it would be fourth down at that spot.

You are so right,Denver didn't advance it to the first down marker, therefore it should be Dallas ball.

 

[5Stars]

I heard a lot of confusion (and crying) about the blocked punt that somehow turned into a first down for the Broncos.

The refs made the right call.

Think of the blocked punt no different than a muffed kick. In fact, if it makes it easier to understand imagine if the Cowboys player only got a piece of the ball and the punt still traveled 25-30 yards down the field and then Cedric Wilson or Lamb tried to return it but bobbled the ball and the Broncos recovered. That's first down Denver.

There's no conspiracy.

The fact the Broncos recovered it behind the 1st down marker has ZERO relevance to the play.

This was two blocked punts so far this season....nice.

 

[G2]

I'm sure they know now, but some of us still think it should be changed. That said, every player should learn every rule...especially the Cowboys players, because they always seem to catch the s*** end of the stick on all these obscure rules that you almost never see come into play.

The way the rule is needs to be changed?

 

[conner01]

So in other words, we can't even block a punt right. Lol.

I take that back. Gifford got one against New England but he had to use his face to get it. Lol.

The vast majority of blocked punts don’t cross the LOS so it doesn’t matter
If it passes the LOS it’s just like the Leon Lett play
You just don’t touch it if people are around you
It’s the touching past the LOS that creates the potential for a turnover
This is not a new rule
That’s been the rule for as long as I can remember but it happens so rarely I don’t think even the announcers of the game realized the rule

 

[conner01]

The way the rule is needs to be changed?

How do you change it?
What if it’s blocked but still goes 25 yards ?
You still want it to be ok to miss handle it and still not be a fumble?

 

[Runwildboys]

You are so right,Denver didn't advance it to the first down marker, therefore it should be Dallas ball.

At least that's the way I think the rule should be.

 

[Bob-Lillys-War]

NFL officials made the wrong call .

Funny how the cowboys get this terrible officiating calls that destroy our momentum .

 

[Runwildboys]

The way the rule is needs to be changed?

I think so. Since the object is to gain a first down within 4 attempts, I think they should have to get the ball past the first down marker. It's a moot point, since the rule so rarely comes into play, but it would make more sense to me to have them earn the first down, rather than just be lucky.

 

[Runwildboys]

NFL officials made the wrong call .

Funny how the cowboys get this terrible officiating calls that destroy our momentum .

No, according to the rules it was the right call, it just doesn't make sense.

 

[Runwildboys]

How do you change it?
What if it’s blocked but still goes 25 yards ?
You still want it to be ok to miss handle it and still not be a fumble?

They touched it once and that's fine, but touch it twice and that changes everything. That rule should only take effect past the first down marker, IMO.

 

[Whirlwin]

It's a stupid rule, but it was the right call.

I don’t think it’s stupid at all. It’s a live ball

 

[Whirlwin]

No, according to the rules it was the right call, it just doesn't make sense.

It’s a live ball. But it’s different than a punt . If the defendant touches the ball first you can pick it up and if you fumble still yours .