Offside Number 76 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 FYI, the free kick is also what happens after a safety. The kicking team is allowed to kick it however they want (without a tee), which is why it's called a "free" kick. After a safety, teams always opt to punt on the free kick, but they can kick it off with a holder if they want, or drop-kick it. I've always wondered why teams didn't opt for the holder option after a safety, but Rackers' shank today is probably a hint as to why teams go for the punt option. I think that after a safety, teams punt, rather than place-kick with no tee, to get more air under the ball, thereby diminishing the possibility of a big return. I'm not sure, but it makes some sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Formerly_of_Roch Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 After a safety the team kicking off has the option of a punt OR a traditional kickoff. 9 of 10 times they punt as it has more hang time. That is why they cal lit a free kick as the kciking team has a choice. There is a bit of confusion here between the terminology. After a safety, the team that was scored upon must kick off the ball with a punt, instead of off the tee. This is called a free kick. Actually it only works IF there is time left on the clock. If you punt and time expires, the half or game is over. In 40 something years of watching football, I've seen it happen about three times, but missed it today. I've only seen it happen at the half, and don't think I've ever seen anyone actually make the kick. As was described, the team who makes the fair catch can try a field goal without a rush from the spot of air catch. With no rush, maybe the guy can kick it 60 possibly 70 yards or so. Realistically the team will only attempt it if there are only a few seconds left in half, as if there's more time left, they'd attempt to run a play or two. Usually the team has no time outs left, again else they may try and run a play. It also usually would only work out if the team who punted, punted from deep in their own territory. Say they punted from the 5, he makes a 50 yard punt, so you fair catch at your own 45, that leaves you with a 65 yard attempt. If the punt was from out much further, say the 20, even a 40 yard punt would leave you with a 70 yard attempt, so unlikely to attempt. At that point, you'd figure odds are better for a Hail Mary, and/or defenseive penalty. You really need to end up in a situation where there's not enough time to likely get into better field goal range without running out of time. Again say a fair catch from your own 45 with five seconds to go. Thats a good spot to try as to get into better conventional field goal range, you probably would need to gain 20 yards. With only five seconds to go, it's unlikey there'd be enough time to gain the 20, plus have time for the kick. Actually there was some game just last week, where I thought it was going to happen. The player took a fair catch and the announcers were all over for fair catching, when he probably had a good 15 yards of running room. My guess is he was instructed to take a fair catch so they could try the free kick. Forget what happened next, but the free kick was never tried. I almosthought it was Parrish in the Cleveland game?? Know it was some game I watched last week. At the end of a half, if the offensive team punts the ball as time expires, the returning team can fair catch the ball. At the conclusion of that play, they have a free play to attempt a FG (or quite possibly a Hail Mary, but do not quote me on anything inside the parenthesis here). A free play also can occur with a defensive penalty as time expires. On a free play, it is an untimed down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Actually it only works IF there is time left on the clock... Not true. Think about this for a second: If the returner fair catches the ball with time left on the clock, this a moot point, because the opportunity to have another play is there. Now, by fair catching as time expires, it gives the returning team a chance to score by having a play from scrimmage. From the NFL Digest of Rules 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cash Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Because with a free kick there is no rush and the kicker can get a head of steam to kick the ball (as opposed to three steps). It basically looks like a kickoff without a tee. Also, a free kick occurs from the spot of the ball (or the 20, after a safety), so it's 7 yards closer than if you tried a conventional FG from scrimmage. Plus, as mentioned above, it's possible to attempt a free kick with no time on the clock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 Also, a free kick occurs from the spot of the ball (or the 20, after a safety), so it's 7 yards closer than if you tried a conventional FG from scrimmage. Plus, as mentioned above, it's possible to attempt a free kick with no time on the clock. wow, where are you getting this? By definition, a free kick is either a safety kick or a regular kickoff. 2. On a safety kick, the team scored upon puts ball in play by a punt, dropkick, or placekick without tee. No score can be made on a free kick following a safety, even if a series of penalties places team in position. (A field goal can be scored only on a play from scrimmage or a free kick after a fair catch.) Once again, if the punt returner fair catches a ball with no time left, the return team can elect to try a fair catch kick down. The placekicker may not use a tee, and the Defense can not rush the kick. So, in other words the kicker attempts a FG with the defense lined up 10 yards away. This means that you would have a kick return team and a kickoff team on coverage for this in case the fair catch kick down falls short. If you don't believe my explanation, click this link from the NY Times about it. EDIT: the article I cited by the NYT uses the free kick term interchangeably with fair catch kick down. Thus the reason for confusion. If the media can't get their crap straight, how will the fans that rely upon it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offside Number 76 Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 wow, where are you getting this? By definition, a free kick is either a safety kick or a regular kickoff. No. Several posters went through this above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 could someone explain this rule to me. I don't really know what's going on. After a team Fair Catches the ball, they are allowed to take a free kick on the next play. If the kick goes thru the uprights it is known as a free kick field goal and is worth 3 points, the same way a normal FG is. The play is normally only used during the end of halves, since the other team would get pretty good field position if they missed, but can actually be used on any play following a fair catch, even if time has expired. Other rules include: -Defense must be lined up 10 yards off the ball -There is no snap -Kicker cannot use a tee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 After a team Fair Catches the ball, they are allowed to take a free kick on the next play. If the kick goes thru the uprights it is known as a free kick field goal and is worth 3 points, the same way a normal FG is. The play is normally only used during the end of halves, since the other team would get pretty good field position if they missed, but can actually be used on any play following a fair catch, even if time has expired. Other rules include: -Defense must be lined up 10 yards off the ball -There is no snap -Kicker cannot use a tee What happens if it falls short of the uprights IN PLAY... Can the defense park a man down there and return it? Like on a long FG attempt? ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Turk Posted November 25, 2008 Share Posted November 25, 2008 What happens if it falls short of the uprights IN PLAY... Can the defense park a man down there and return it? Like on a long FG attempt? ?? yes they can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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