CheerforTom

To be fair that isn't conclusive since you can't see where he is on the field (and therefore how far the ball had gone), but with everything in mind it was the right call to make.

unoriginal

Yep. Though one benefit about making the lines even on each side of the kicker is that, on the middle onside kicks you'd have to use, the kicker has much less room to make the ball skip up, and can't kick the ball parallel to the scrimmage line.

Consequently it is a little easier for the receiving team to defend themselves from the onside wedge. The players in that front line won't have to leap and expose their bodies to collisions, and balls that aren't perfectly timed and kicked between 10-15 yards will be easier to recover, either long or short.

Whereas under the old onside system, with the 30 yard acute kicking angle and player overload, you were virtually guaranteed a demolition derby unless the kicker just whiffed or pulled it.

SaCaCh

Huh? the recovery was within the ten yards, so it didn't matter how far the ball had gone. All the refs discussed was whether a Bill had touched it first...which it is shown here that they did.

ctpatsfan77

If by "recovery" you mean "touched by the Bills," then you are correct. But if a player on the kicking team gets the first touch on the ball within 10 yards, it makes no difference how far it goes--they lose the ability to recover the ball (because, even if the receiving team recovers and fumbles, there's a prior penalty).

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Pats726

Thanks...that super slow replay says it all...but one has to admit that it was NOT that clear...a really good strategy..as I said..I saw the Colts do something quite interesting..NOT using a tee and bounding the ball AT an opposing player..if it hits them and bounds back NOT gone 10 yards, it's a free ball..Still not sure why it wasn't offside with players ahead of the ball..CLEARLY offsides...Thanks though...it was an interesting play and at the time..quite confusing.

SpiderFox53

To be offsides, they have to be in front of the ball WHEN IT IS KICKED, which they weren't. As far as the call went, the refs did get it right but I don't know how. Which ref was the one that saw it, as it was only visible from the Pats endzone cam on TV?

They only showed the replay that shows it hitting the Bills player once on the TV and the announcers missed it.

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T-ShirtDynasty

Nice job Mix.

Huh? I thought you HAD to use the regulation kicking tee on kick-offs?

Pats726

in those days one didn't...and maybe the rule has changed so that you HAVE TO use a tee..I remember that theyput it flat on the ground and it had a lot of spin and such. Interesting that a play from 45 plus years ago I remember quite in detail.

T-ShirtDynasty

Oh, 45 years ago... sorry, wasn't paying attention.

Sivy

number 38, whoever that is.

Edit: Guess I should read other post before I respond.

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