The Blocked Punt

[CalPolyTechnique]

Just to set me straight,if Wright doesn't touch the ball and the kicking team recovers, the receiving team gets the ball, correct?

Yep, Dallas ball.

 

[kskboys]

A possession change should count with a successful punt. This was an unsuccessful one, and should therefore be treated like a fake punt. You can keep the ball if you advance past the first down marker. If you don't, you can't. I don't think they should view a successful punt and a blocked punt the same way.

In the end, it won't be for us fans to decide. Since Jerry is now interested in this, the league will probably debate it in the offseason. Of course, that doesn't guarantee a rule change. They may or may not change it. If they do change it, they may or may not consider the first down marker -- or they may just whistle the play dead if the kicking team touches the blocked punt. I don't see that much point in arguing it further here. It's the league that will decide what to do, if anything.

You keep missing the fact that we fumbled it.

 

[kskboys]

This is my stance on the issue. If a FG team partially blocks a kick but it goes through and rolls on the ground, almost the entire team is telling their teammates to stay away from the ball. They know that rule. Why can't punt teams know the rules to that degree? That's partly on coaching and players to study the rules.

It's been amusing watching people claim this is a new thing.

 

[kskboys]

I'm saying the league should debate this in the offseason. A barely tipped punt is not what we had in this game. It was a fully blocked punt that did not even advance past the first down marker. That's very different from a punt that just barely got touched and goes all the way down the field. That's still a successful punt. The Broncos' punt in this game that we're talking about was an unsuccessful one. The Cowboys made a great play that they didn't benefit from, and the Broncos made a major screwup, but benefited by keeping the ball. When something like that happens, the league absolutely should consider if a rules change might be a good idea. They did the same thing when the Raiders won a game by deliberately fumbling. They also considered a rules change back when a receiver was not allowed to catch any pass that the defense tipped.

It's not different. It's the same. Exact same.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I'm saying the league should debate this in the offseason. A barely tipped punt is not what we had in this game. It was a fully blocked punt that did not even advance past the first down marker. That's very different from a punt that just barely got touched and goes all the way down the field. That's still a successful punt. The Broncos' punt in this game that we're talking about was an unsuccessful one. The Cowboys made a great play that they didn't benefit from, and the Broncos made a major screwup, but benefited by keeping the ball. When something like that happens, the league absolutely should consider if a rules change might be a good idea. They did the same thing when the Raiders won a game by deliberately fumbling. They also considered a rules change back when a receiver was not allowed to catch any pass that the defense tipped.

A “fully blocked” punt wouldn’t travel 10-15 yards forward and past the LOS.

 

[G2]

This is my stance on the issue. If a FG team partially blocks a kick but it goes through and rolls on the ground, almost the entire team is telling their teammates to stay away from the ball. They know that rule. Why can't punt teams know the rules to that degree? That's partly on coaching and players to study the rules.

Fair point

 

[Captain-Crash]

but, but , we didn't get the ball. who cares about the rules! *wipes tears from face*

 

[eromeopolk]

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.

Thank you for sanity and if anyone of was a Cowboys fan they would remember this...

 

[Captain-Crash]

let's do away with punts since people don't know the rules. just let the offense throw a dart at a board with a number on it to determine where the defense gets the ball. crap just flip a coin at the beginning of the game to determine the winner, that would save you 3 hours of watching the WWE.