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Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By slowtospeak
6/23/2019 3:06 pm
NFL rules regarding kickoffs:

ARTICLE 2. RESTRAINING LINES
The restraining lines for a free kick shall be as follows, unless they are adjusted because of a distance penalty:

The restraining line for the kicking team shall be its 35-yard line for a kickoff and its 20-yard line for a safety kick.
The restraining line for the receiving team shall be the yard line 10 yards in advance of the kicking team’s restraining line.
[/quote]

Which is why onside kickoff teams line up as they do. The receiving team has to be 10 yards off the ball. Also:

[quote]ARTICLE 4. FREE KICK ILLEGALLY TOUCHED
Item 1. Ball Reaches Restraining Line. A player of the kicking team may not touch, catch, or recover the ball before it has reached the receiving team’s restraining line, unless it has first been touched by a receiving team player.

Penalty: For illegal touching of a free kick by the kicking team: Loss of five yards, or the receiving team takes possession of the ball at the spot of the illegal touch.


That's why an onside kick has to travel 10 yards downfield. We can't stop onside kicks from invariably going straight up in the air, but at least we can make them a *little* harder.
Last edited at 6/23/2019 3:07 pm

Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By Kababmaster
6/23/2019 4:03 pm
Pretty sure a free kick that goes straight up in the air is open to be fair caught, that's why 99.99999% of the time you see the ball hit the ground first (Kickers action) and then pop up in the air.

Have you seen a flag on a onsides kick that is not in line with this NFL Rule ?

Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By CrazyRazor
6/23/2019 6:59 pm
A free kick is different than a punt. A free kick follows a safety and follows the same rules that kickoffs follow. The only difference is that the kicking team has the option to "punt" the ball rather than kick it from the "Tee".

Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By Kababmaster
6/23/2019 7:03 pm
CrazyRazor wrote:
A free kick is different than a punt. A free kick follows a safety and follows the same rules that kickoffs follow. The only difference is that the kicking team has the option to "punt" the ball rather than kick it from the "Tee".


Cra Cra...not so buddy
Last edited at 6/23/2019 7:03 pm

Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By CrazyRazor
6/23/2019 7:03 pm
Show me otherwise

Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By Kababmaster
6/23/2019 7:04 pm
CrazyRazor wrote:
Show me otherwise


"A free kick is a down which does not occur from scrimmage. The kicking team begins behind the ball, while the receiving team must remain at least 10 yards downfield before the ball is kicked."

Do not get Free Kicks and scrimmage kicks (normally punts) mixed up :)
Last edited at 6/23/2019 7:05 pm

Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By Kababmaster
6/23/2019 7:09 pm
CrazyRazor wrote:
Show me otherwise


The opening kickoff of each game is known as a "free kick" formation....in all walks of Football from Fed to NCAA to Pro.
Last edited at 6/23/2019 7:10 pm

Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By CrazyRazor
6/23/2019 7:14 pm
CrazyRazor wrote:
A free kick is different than a punt. A free kick follows a safety and follows the same rules that kickoffs follow. The only difference is that the kicking team has the option to "punt" the ball rather than kick it from the "Tee".


Read this carefully for a second time, please. I clearly pointed out they are NOT punts. They follow the same rules as kickoffs.

Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By CrazyRazor
6/23/2019 7:15 pm
Safety kicks cannot use tees. That's the only difference from kickoffs.

Re: Allow receiving teams to take possession of illegal onside kicks

By Kababmaster
6/23/2019 7:20 pm
CrazyRazor wrote:
Safety kicks cannot use tees. That's the only difference from kickoffs.


Depends on the federation / level of Football....but all kickoffs are known as "Free Kicks" and Punts are that of scrimmage kicks.

I think tees died out in the late '90s for NCAA as an option for punt/kick after a safety. It's perhaps the only situation whereby a "Punt" in it's true sense, is known as a Free Kick.

The NFL also has a weird rule on a Fair Catch where by they can get 3 points from an immediate FC and opt for a FG type scenario. Last person to do this I think was Doug Flutie @ Buffalo......it's on youtube somewhere.
Last edited at 6/23/2019 7:21 pm