BB on kickoff at the end of ravens game

[SVN]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/12/kickoff_situati.html

 

[Amazon4]

Looking for clarification....

I've never seen a team kicking off at the opponents 35 yard line before. I was asked by someone why the Pats couldn't then kick a field goal. I wasn't sure at first - but then I reasoned that the Pats didn't technically have posession, or a down. Is that correct?

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

This is from Reis' mailbag :

"This is a very interesting question and one the league was looking over after the unusual situation from Monday night. I don't believe the league has ever been faced with a similar situation under the current rules."

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extras/askreiss/12_04_07/?page=4

It sounds like no-one really knew and the league had to get a ruling together and the one Belichick gave in the first link is the answer - but I'm not sure what the refs would have done Monday Night.

 

[godef]

Looking for clarification....

I've never seen a team kicking off at the opponents 35 yard line before. I was asked by someone why the Pats couldn't then kick a field goal. I wasn't sure at first - but then I reasoned that the Pats didn't technically have posession, or a down. Is that correct?

In that case then, why don't they just run a few plays? In fact, why not do this every time they kick off?

Does that answer your question?

 

[godef]

This is from Reis' mailbag :

"This is a very interesting question and one the league was looking over after the unusual situation from Monday night. I don't believe the league has ever been faced with a similar situation under the current rules."

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extras/askreiss/12_04_07/?page=4

It sounds like no-one really knew and the league had to get a ruling together and the one Belichick gave in the first link is the answer - but I'm not sure what the refs would have done Monday Night.

Imagine if the Pats had still been down a score?

 

[Amazon4]

In that case then, why don't they just run a few plays? In fact, why not do this every time they kick off?

Does that answer your question?

A yes or no would have answered it, too.

 

[pheenix11]

They should make a new rule, if you can kick it through the uprights on a kickoff you get a point.

 

[Pujo]

Looking for clarification....

I've never seen a team kicking off at the opponents 35 yard line before. I was asked by someone why the Pats couldn't then kick a field goal. I wasn't sure at first - but then I reasoned that the Pats didn't technically have posession, or a down. Is that correct?

It's an explicit rule. "A kickoff may not score a field goal."
http://www.nflteamhistory.com/nfl_rules/kickoff.html

 

[SVN]

if BB is right which i think he usually is ..it shows the clear distinction between a coach who knows what he is doing vs the opposing coach that day who didnt know what his d coord was doing with the timeout... a bottomline example of why the ravens lost.

 

[makewayhomer]

Dale Arnold just got a note from the NFl about this. the NFl spokesman said that the Ravens could have taken the ball at their 5, or where the ball went out of bounds.

so, BB was wrong.

 

[SVN]

Dale Arnold just got a note from the NFl about this. the NFl spokesman said that the Ravens could have taken the ball at their 5, or where the ball went out of bounds.

so, BB was wrong.

i guess he was then but iam also sure if BB had kicked it out bounds then it wouldve been spun around by the media as some sort of classless move to manipulate the rules.. like all those timeouts before the FG's were made out to be.

 

[aluminum seats]

Did Belichick Make A Mistake?

Having Ghost blast the kickoff from the Ravens' 35 into the stands? After all, as we all know, every edge counts, and the Pats came within a couple yards of losing the game on the Hail Mary. In that scenario, wouldn't an onside kick have been the better option? The Pats might recover it, and the Ravens at best get the ball at the 25.

 

[patsox23]

Wow. Good to know for next time.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: Did Belichick Make A Mistake?

There's also a slim chance in the chaos that the other team receovers the kick and returns it for yardage or a TD. A slim chance. There is zero chance of chaos kicking it outa the EZ for a touchback.

 

[Pujo]

Re: Did Belichick Make A Mistake?

Having Ghost blast the kickoff from the Ravens' 35 into the stands? After all, as we all know, every edge counts, and the Pats came within a couple yards of losing the game on the Hail Mary. In that scenario, wouldn't an onside kick have been the better option? The Pats might recover it, and the Ravens at best get the ball at the 25.

It's not a mistake, it was a decision. I'm sure he considered both options and felt like the risk of a big return wasn't worth the reward of recovering the onside kick. Considering it worked, I'd hardly call it a mistake.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

Re: Did Belichick Make A Mistake?

There was no right or wrong, it was a percentage play. 45 seconds, 1 timeout, against the wind, I wanted them to do what we did. Had Baltimore had 2 minutes and 3 timeouts I would have taken a little more risk.

 

[xmarkd400x]

Dale Arnold just got a note from the NFl about this. the NFl spokesman said that the Ravens could have taken the ball at their 5, or where the ball went out of bounds.

so, BB was wrong.

Thats a good point. Would you rather take the 99% chance the pats kick the ball out of the end zone, or an unknown probability that Gostkowski kicks the ball out behind the 20? (Note, this is a play they had not practiced, and BB will not call a play they haven't practiced)

 

[Sivy]

Re: Did Belichick Make A Mistake?

yea, even if he did catch that hail marry, there would have been a flag for the molesting of sammuel....at least there should have been.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: Did Belichick Make A Mistake?

There was no right or wrong, it was a percentage play. 45 seconds, 1 timeout, against the wind, I wanted them to do what we did. Had Baltimore had 2 minutes and 3 timeouts I would have taken a little more risk.

I'll admit, the thought of an onside kick did cross my mind, but I had the same realization as other posters (i.e., zero chance of a TD on a touchback).

That said--what about a squib kick straight toward the end zone?

 

[hwc]

Dale Arnold just got a note from the NFl about this. the NFl spokesman said that the Ravens could have taken the ball at their 5, or where the ball went out of bounds.

so, BB was wrong.

Or, made the Pats back up five yards and kick it again. That's always an option, but teams don't make them rekick when they can get the ball on the 40.

Kicking the ball out of bounds is a penalty on the kicking team.