merlin Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 A friend and I were discussing the new playoff overtime rules the NFL has implemented, and a question about the strategy of "on-side kicking" to start the OT came up. If the team kicking off in the OT tries an on-side kick and successfully recovers it, and then scores a FG, is the game over, or does the other team still have to "have a possession"? My friend argued that, by not fielding the kickoff, they should lose their right to at least one offensive possession after the FG, (should be treated as an "offensive fumble"), and I agree ... but I just don't know if there's anything about that scenario in the rules. Anyone? Bueller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 That'd end the game. Here's the relevant rule: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81d817d7/article/postseason-overtime-rules Each team must possess or have the opportunity to possess the ball unless the team that has the ball first scores a touchdown on its initial possession. » Opportunity to possess: The opportunity to possess occurs only during kicking plays. A kickoff is an opportunity to possess for the receiving team. If the kicking team legally recovers the kick, the receiving team is considered to have had its opportunity. A punt or a field goal that crosses the line of scrimmage and is muffed by the receiving team is considered to be an opportunity to possess for the receivers. Normal touching rules by the kicking team apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoSaint Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Game over. Same as a kick and fumble. Once it leaves the foot the return team is offense and has the first opportunity to possess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 silvermike hit it out of the park! You know your football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvermike Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 silvermike hit it out of the park! You know your football. Thanks. What I don't know, though is if there's any way that a 15-yard penalty could be assessed against the receiving team, thus leading to a game-starting kickoff from midfield. That might make the percentages favor an onside kick, since you'd be betting a near-certain win against 20 yards of field position with a second shot at tying/winning. Most of those penalties come from late hits and the like after the touchdown, which wouldn't apply here. I don't know if a fight after the whistle would carry over into OT (my guess is that it wouldn't) A cheap shot during the return would be applied to the return, not the kick. Short of suckerpunching the ref while the coin is in the air, I'm not sure the situation would arise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 That'd end the game. Here's the relevant rule: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81d817d7/article/postseason-overtime-rules Each team must possess or have the opportunity to possess the ball unless the team that has the ball first scores a touchdown on its initial possession. » Opportunity to possess: The opportunity to possess occurs only during kicking plays. A kickoff is an opportunity to possess for the receiving team. If the kicking team legally recovers the kick, the receiving team is considered to have had its opportunity. A punt or a field goal that crosses the line of scrimmage and is muffed by the receiving team is considered to be an opportunity to possess for the receivers. Normal touching rules by the kicking team apply. Thanks! Wonder if any team would have the nerve to try that? Sort of like the Saints on-side kicking after half-time to the Colts in their Super Bowl win ... except that they knew that if they didn't recover it, they would still have another half of football to try and "make up for it". Could be an interesting strategy against an "offensive juggernaut" ... like GB, NO, and the Cheatriots .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGB Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 Thanks. What I don't know, though is if there's any way that a 15-yard penalty could be assessed against the receiving team, thus leading to a game-starting kickoff from midfield. That might make the percentages favor an onside kick, since you'd be betting a near-certain win against 20 yards of field position with a second shot at tying/winning. Most of those penalties come from late hits and the like after the touchdown, which wouldn't apply here. I don't know if a fight after the whistle would carry over into OT (my guess is that it wouldn't) A cheap shot during the return would be applied to the return, not the kick. Short of suckerpunching the ref while the coin is in the air, I'm not sure the situation would arise. Seems like OT is a whole new game, but if you did suckerpunch the ref, you would be kicked out of the game and the other team might be allowed to move closer to the kicking team - after they were backed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cash Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thanks. What I don't know, though is if there's any way that a 15-yard penalty could be assessed against the receiving team, thus leading to a game-starting kickoff from midfield. That might make the percentages favor an onside kick, since you'd be betting a near-certain win against 20 yards of field position with a second shot at tying/winning. Most of those penalties come from late hits and the like after the touchdown, which wouldn't apply here. I don't know if a fight after the whistle would carry over into OT (my guess is that it wouldn't) A cheap shot during the return would be applied to the return, not the kick. Short of suckerpunching the ref while the coin is in the air, I'm not sure the situation would arise. Well, unsportsmanlike conduct is possible at any time (what if, God forbid, a player had something WRITTEN ON HIS SHIRT?! SHOCKING!), but as you say, it's pretty unlikely that one would be called between the coin toss and kickoff. Maybe if some nutjob captain decided to trash talk the opposing captains at the coin toss and either started a fight or got flagged for taunting. Again, hard to realistically imagine that ever happening. However, there could be a scenario where the first team to get the ball kicks a FG, but is assessed a 15-yard penalty after the play. Either a personal foul for a late hit or the like, or the rare FG celebration penalty -- maybe one of the Grammaticas comes out of retirement or something. Then a successful onsides kick outright wins the game, whereas a kick deep still leaves you likely to tie or lose. I still couldn't imagine any actual NFL coach taking that kind of bold risk and exposing himself to insane levels of criticism, but if you had a terrible D going against a juggernaut O, it might not be that bad of a tactical move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miyagi-Do Karate Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 A friend and I were discussing the new playoff overtime rules the NFL has implemented, and a question about the strategy of "on-side kicking" to start the OT came up. If the team kicking off in the OT tries an on-side kick and successfully recovers it, and then scores a FG, is the game over, or does the other team still have to "have a possession"? My friend argued that, by not fielding the kickoff, they should lose their right to at least one offensive possession after the FG, (should be treated as an "offensive fumble"), and I agree ... but I just don't know if there's anything about that scenario in the rules. Anyone? Bueller? Really interesting thought. But isn't that too high of a risk? If you don't recover, you give the opposing team great field position to score the TD they need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTW2012 Posted January 11, 2012 Share Posted January 11, 2012 Thanks. What I don't know, though is if there's any way that a 15-yard penalty could be assessed against the receiving team, thus leading to a game-starting kickoff from midfield. That might make the percentages favor an onside kick, since you'd be betting a near-certain win against 20 yards of field position with a second shot at tying/winning. Most of those penalties come from late hits and the like after the touchdown, which wouldn't apply here. I don't know if a fight after the whistle would carry over into OT (my guess is that it wouldn't) A cheap shot during the return would be applied to the return, not the kick. Short of suckerpunching the ref while the coin is in the air, I'm not sure the situation would arise. I don't think any penalty at the end of the 4th would carry over to OT. If the defense committed a penalty, the offense would get one more untimed play at the end of the 4th quarter. If the offense committed the penalty, quarter over and on to OT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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