Cool Link OT: Bring back old (old) school punt rules :)

[QuantumMechanic]

TIL that punts used to follow onsides kick rules re: being able to be recovered by the punting team.

Bringing that back would make all those 4th downs be a LOT more interesting than they are now!

Today’s Tidbit... Advances in Fumbles and Muffs

Football encouraged risktaking by distinguishing fumbles and muffs, and not allowing defenses from advancing fumbles.

www.footballarchaeology.com

 

[BTTA]

Wondering lately when the mindset of hang time gets set aside for accuracy on out of bounds punts. With the leg strength and talent these guys have now, I'd bet someone can consistently kick a ball 80 yards and have it go of bounds on the fly inside a 10 yard range. Why give a receiving team an opportunity if you can reliably change the field position by 50+ yards?

 

[XLIX]

The old XFL had a similar rule. If a punt went 25 yards and wasn’t caught, it was a free ball. Teams would occasionally surprise punt hoping for a big gainer.

It was fun but ultimately just a gimmick the NFL doesn’t need.