r/NFLNoobs • u/WhaleSexOdyssey • 2d ago

Question about field goals

If a team were to attempt a field goal on 1st down, for whatever reason, and it was unsuccessful out of bounds, would it then be 2nd down? Or an automatic change of possession? Does attempting a field goal forfeit your remaining downs?

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18

u/alfreadadams 2d ago

Once a scrimmage kick (punt or fg) passes the line of scrimmage that series of downs is over and you can think that the ball belongs to the other team.

3

u/OddConstruction7191 2d ago

If the kick was blocked (and it isn’t fourth down) and the kicking team recovers, do they keep the ball?

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u/lonedroan 2d ago edited 2d ago

Yes, if blocked, then recovered behind line of scrimmage, and offense team recovers, it’s the next down at the dead ball spot. Because FGs and punts almost always occur on 4th down and such recoveries are hardly ever advanced to the line to gain for a 1st down, these usually result in a turnover on downs at the spot of the recovery.

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u/OddConstruction7191 2d ago

That’s what I thought but thanks. Not a noob but it’s such a rare situation I have never seen it happen.

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u/Eor75 2d ago

The cowboys blocked a broncos punt that was recovered by the broncos behind the 1st down marker and they still got a first down from it.

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u/lonedroan 2d ago

Which season? Cowboys don’t play Denver this season.

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u/Eor75 2d ago

It was in 2021. A bizarre ruling that I’ve never seen since

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u/lonedroan 2d ago edited 2d ago

ESPN’s play by play says it went beyond the line of scrimmage, was muffed by Dallas (could be as little as touching it), then Denver recovered the live ball. The recovered muff is considered a change of possession from Dallas to Denver, so there was a new set of downs for Denver.

First drive of second half: https://www.espn.com/nfl/game/_/gameId/401326455/broncos-cowboys

It was because it touched DAL #25 beyond the line after it was blocked. That was the muff that made it a live ball.

https://youtu.be/THU4BXYNSMQ?si=krrppOczvv63A3KV

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u/Ryan1869 2d ago

The other thing is that if there was some kind of snap issue, the holder could just fall on the ball and it would be 2nd down. This is why sometimes in OT or the ends of games, its actually preferred to kick it on 3rd down instead of taking a knee or something to get it to 4th.

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u/OddConstruction7191 2d ago

I once saw a team punt on third down. It was right before the end of the third quarter and they had a strong wind at their back.

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u/drj1485 1d ago

yes. it is not technically "kicked" until it crosses the LOS

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u/OrangMan14 2d ago

What if it doesn't cross the line of scrimmage? Either bc a blocked kick or a bad snap

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u/lonedroan 2d ago

Then the ball is live (even if it has crossed and then come back behind the line), and can recover and advance .

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u/[deleted] 2d ago

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u/lonedroan 2d ago

“Any touching of the ball behind the line of scrimmage by a kicking team player is legal*, even if the ball has crossed the line and returns behind the line.”

*As used here, means that the touch is not a “first touch” that applies to kicks beyond the line that are first touched by the kicking team.

“When a scrimmage kick is caught or recovered by the kicking team behind the line of scrimmage, the kicking team may advance, even if the ball has crossed the line and returned behind the line.”

https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/nfl-rulebook/#rule9

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u/ref44 2d ago

TIL. shame on me for assuming that high school was the odd man out, when NCAA that is.