The Blocked Punt

[Established1971]

Why is it stupid?

If the receiving team touches the ball past the line of scrimmage it's a live ball. There's literally ZERO difference whether it's 10 yards past the LOS or 50 yards.

as another poster said it rewards a team that failed to get a first down, got their punt blocked and it allows them to keep the ball based on lucky bounces.

 

[Aviano90]

Have no issue with the rule or the call.

 

[Irvin88_4life]

as another poster said it rewards a team that failed to get a first down, got their punt blocked and it allows them to keep the ball based on lucky bounces.

Teams should just kick the ball at the DL since you don't need a first down

 

[America's Cowboy]

Why is it stupid?

If the receiving team touches the ball past the line of scrimmage it's a live ball. There's literally ZERO difference whether it's 10 yards past the LOS or 50 yards.

BS. There is a big difference.

This is not a kickoff where the ball is live at all times. The ball should not have been granted to Denver as a new set of downs unless they recovered it past the 1st down marker.

 

[cityochamps]

as another poster said it rewards a team that failed to get a first down, got their punt blocked and it allows them to keep the ball based on lucky bounces.

If you muff the punt and the other team gets it yes they are rewarded by your stupidity to muff it, touch it, be in the way of it and get touched by it..It is a rare incident for sure, normally a block goes the other way or sails down the field like a wounded duck, in any case nothing stupid about it its just the rule same as it has always been, the first down marker has absolutely nothing to do with it. When a ball is tipped whether a pass or kick things change in the rule book.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

BS. There is a big difference.

This is not a kickoff where the ball is live at all times. The ball should not have been granted to Denver as a new set of downs unless they recovered it past the 1st down marker.

The only BS is you making up rules like they actually exist.

Stay confused, lol.

Seriously, some of you need to have the game explained to you; you’re tortured by your own ignorance.

 

[Beastsfromthenfceast]

Theoretically it was the right call but I have seen punts blocked and someone on the receiving team tries picking it up but fumbles and the kicking team falls on it but it always went to the team that blocked it.

 

[KJJ]

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

Another stupid rule that came back to bite us. That was our opportunity to get back in the game.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Theoretically it was the right call but I have seen punts blocked and someone on the receiving team tries picking it up but fumbles and the kicking team falls on it but it always went to the team that blocked it.

No you haven’t.

 

[Jake]

Once the ball crosses the line of scrimmage it's like any other punt. This isn't complicated.

 

[jaythecowboy]

I think the rule should be changed so the team should have to recover and advance to the 1st down marker personally.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

Once the ball crosses the line of scrimmage it's like any other punt. This isn't complicated.

It’s really not hard to understand but I’ve learned a long time ago there’s literally nothing you can do to make someone understand a truth they don’t want to believe.

 

[lqmac1]

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.

Is it the same with field goals?

 

[Playmaker3128]

The rule makes sense. Its just probably really rare for something like that to happen. Just shows you it wasn't our day.

 

[Runwildboys]

It was the right call, but an idiotic rule that needs to be changed. They should at least have to get beyond the 1st down marker.

Exactly. It's not like we ever had possession of the ball, so how could we lose it?

 

[Runwildboys]

If they blocked the punt and it didn't make it past the line of scrimmage then they would have had to make a first down. If we tipped the punt and it still went 50 yards, and our player muffed it and Denver got it no one would be complaining.

So what do you think the rule should be if not the line of scrimmage that the punt has to get past for it to be considered a punt? It's the most sensible rule, we were just unfortunate the ball only went a few yards past the line of scrimmage and our guy thought he could grab it. If you want to be mad, be mad at the player who lept in the air to try to field the punt. He should have left it alone and it would have been our ball.

I think they should have to get it past the 1st down marker to get a first down, if we never possessed the ball. I understand the rule, but I think it should be changed.

 

[Plankton]

Theoretically it was the right call but I have seen punts blocked and someone on the receiving team tries picking it up but fumbles and the kicking team falls on it but it always went to the team that blocked it.

sure you did - when the ball didn’t cross the original line of scrimmage after the block.

that’s not what happened here.

 

[Plankton]

Is it the same with field goals?

Yes - see Leon Lett, Thanksgiving, 1993

 

[pansophy]

I think they should have to get it past the 1st down marker to get a first down, if we never possessed the ball. I understand the rule, but I think it should be changed.

. That just seems like a rule to make it so that this one play goes in our favor. Special teams guys do nothing other than understanding these scenarios. Don't touch the ball and it's ours.

I guess you can argue the special teams are getting better. Instead of just making terrible mistakes every week now they are making big plays that they seem to screw up by also making a big mistake along the way.

 

[Runwildboys]

. That just seems like a rule to make it so that this one play goes in our favor. Special teams guys do nothing other than understanding these scenarios. Don't touch the ball and it's ours.

I guess you can argue the special teams are getting better. Instead of just making terrible mistakes every week now they are making big plays that they seem to screw up by also making a big mistake along the way.

I'm not saying it just for this one play. It makes more sense to me that the kicking team should have to get past the first down marker to get a first down, unless the receiving team takes possession, then loses possession.