The rules of football allow for a fielded punt to be punted back
just like they do in Canada for points. The difference is in the USA
this is only done out of the goodness of a punt returner's heart. Why
would anyone want to do this? Has anyone ever done this?
We all saw the drop-kick successfully accomplished in that big-screen
classic "The Longest Yard". I understand in the past the drop-kick was
an important weapon in a team's scoring arsenal. Nowadays the only way
I could imagine a team accomplishing a drop-kick is for a punter to
fumble the snap, let it bounce, and boot it into the jet stream so that
it carries 75 yards through the uprights. This may be possible in
Buffalo, but never in a domed stadium. If there are any real football
stat fanatics out there, I would like to know when the last drop-kick
was successfully accomplished and who did it.
Also, who knows the last time someone returned a field goal attempt
for a touchdown. I don't mean a blocked kick, I mean catching the ball
and running it back as the kicking teams wander over to the sidelines.
If I were a coach I would put a guy back there to return those long,
desperate attempts made at the end of a half.
Come to think of it, if a punt hits the ground before it is kicked
the receiving team would be better off not to return it. They would
get the ball on the line of scrimmage rather then where they return
it to.
Any comments?
--
Robert Clemons
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Back in the late 60's or early 70's, the Bears and the Packers used one of
these (I don't remember which) in the two games they played against each
other, in each case winning the game on the play. I don't know the year,
and I don't know if this was the last time the play was used successfully.
Frank Adams ihpn4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka
Multimate International 52 Oakland Ave North E. Hartford, CT 06108
Also, another interesting quirk in football rules.
My dad says he remembers from his college days in the 30's, that after a
safety, a team gets a choice of making a free kick OR running a single play
from scrimmage, from their own 20 yard line!? If their are any historians/
rule buffs who could verify this, is it still in force or was it ever used,
it would be most appreciated (it has been a debate in the family for years).
Guy Tonti