JJP
Nosce Te Ipsum
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2007
- Messages
- 65
- Reaction score
- 81
The rule establishes the blocked kick, behind the LOS, as a live ball. It doesn't matter what procedure is being employed by the offensive team on fourth down, it matters whether the ball is alive or dead, and the position of the ball at the end of the play. Say the Jets tried a fake punt and the punter ran the ball, but was cut short of the first down, the result would be the same: over on downs. In the case in point the punt was blocked by Washington and as it was behind the LOS it was a live ball. If the Jets scooped up the ball after Washington blocked it, and the recovering Jet, instead of falling on the football ran forward and gained enough yards for a first down, then it would have been first and ten, Jets. What happened is that the recovering Jet fell on the ball and was down by contact at the Jets' 3-yard line. The reason that ball turned over on downs was then when the ball went from live to dead it didn't even make it back to the LOS, never mind gaining enough ground for first yardage. That is the critical issue: where was the rock when the play was called dead. Answer: deep behind the original LOS. Net result: over on downs to Patriots.
As another example, say the Jets went for it on fourth down and handed the ball off. At the LOS the running back fumbles the ball laterally and it is recovered by a Jet guard who falls on the ball, followed by contact by the Patriots, resulting in the play being whistled dead. So the Jets recovered their own fumble on fouth down, but the recovery didn't make first down yardage. Net result: the same as what happened with the blocked punt, except in the case with the blocked punt the Patriots got much better field position on the turnover on downs.