The Kickoff OB, Ball to the 40 penalty in the NFL

[MarvinisaLunatic]

So, after John Kasay kicked the ball Out of Bounds (OB) last night with 1:08 to go in the game, essentially giving the Patriots the Super Bowl, a lot of people are complaining about this rule. The point was brought up that the rule used to be a 5 yard penalty on the kicking team and a rekick but was changed some time ago to this ball to the 40 automatically.

 

Some people think its unfair that if the ball goes out of bounds at say the 1 yard line (if you remember the Dallas/Giants game earlier in the season) that the ball to the 40 is essentially a 39 yard penalty that is more than any other regular penalty (not including pass intereference calls). You could put a late hit on the quarterback and its only a 15 yard penalty and yet the kickoff going out of bounds could be as much as a 39 yard penalty. Also, the return team can sometimes just let the ball roll out of bounds, and what would have been a perfectly returnable ball becomes a penalty.

 

Other people think that if the kicker shanks a kick so bad that it goes out of bounds, the team deserves the penalty since the other team had little or no chance to return the ball.

 

It was also suggested that they should keep the rule, but just move the spot of the ball back to the 25 or 30 yard line, since re-kicking would take a lot of time (the NFL has done away with the re-kick on onside kicks not going 10 yards as well, probably just to speed up the game).

 

I listen to Sports Talk too much. This obviously wouldn't have been as big of a deal if it hadn't been such a huge factor in the outcome of the Super Bowl, but I do think the rule needs to be either changed back or altered. I'd probably choose the old 5 yard penalty on the kicking team and a rekick, although I doubt the NFL will go back to rekicking.

[Guest El Satanico]

I never did care for the penalty being so severe for something involving a kicker. The penalty should have two different levels.

 

Anything outside of the 20 should be 5 yards and option for a rekick. Anything inside the twenty move the ball to the 20 or move it 15 yards, whichever is longer.

[kkktookmybabyaway]

It's fine the way it is.

 

Just don't kick the ball out of bounds.

 

And I do feel bad for Kasey because if he didn't make that 50-yarder at the end of the second quarter that last kickoff wouldn't have mattered...

[Guest Krazy Karter]

Whoever told Kasay to squib it with 1:08 left is to blame.

 

Kickers are talented enough to keep the ball inbounds.

 

Especially when they're playing in a dome...

[the pinjockey]

I look at it this way. A normal return will put the ball between the 25-30 yard line. So your punishment for punting it out of bounds is really a 10-15 yard penalty. I think that is fair.

 

Edit: This is why I like the rule as is, because it assumes a normal return plus 10-15 yard penalty.

[OldSchoolWrestling]

But then they'll use it to their advantage against guys like Dante Hall, who can break a huge run everytime he touches the ball. I hate when teams pussy out like that.

[Red Baron]

I think 30 Yard Line would be the best, because thats probably where the average KR gets tackled.

[MrRant]

I'd go back to the 5 yard penalty and rekick.

[Cartman]

...the next thing you know someone is gonna bring up the Tuck Rule again.

 

Why is it anytime a Patriots team wins a game there has to be a rule change?

[Guest El Satanico]

So what now it's our fault that the Patriots are involved in two big games where a rule is questioned?

 

We weren't even talking about the game itself, so get the hell out of here with your pointless "this is bullshit we won fair and square" attitude. Aren't you people ever happy when it comes to your sports teams.

[Youth N Asia]

There has to be insentive for the kicker to do his job right, so I don't mind them getting good field position for a botched kick.

[2GOLD]

Five yards would be a meaningless penalty and putting the ball on the 30 yard line would be just as weak.

 

If you can't keep the ball inbounds on a kickoff then you should be screwed. It's a big damn field.

[Damaramu]

Five yards would be a meaningless penalty and putting the ball on the 30 yard line would be just as weak.

 

If you can't keep the ball inbounds on a kickoff then you should be screwed. It's a big damn field.

My thoughts exactly.........control your damn kick. It's your job to kick the fucking football......if you can't do it correctly then play something else.

[Kahran Ramsus]

It is needed, otherwise kickers would just kick it out of bounds to avoid a return. The coverage typically can't get down the field fast enough, unlike on punts, so the penalty is very much needed.

[Guest thetrendsetter]

The 40 yard line rule is fine. He tried to kick it close to the sidelines to narrow thier chances of a big run, and he muffed up... His fault.

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

The reason the rule is there is simple. More kick returns, which equals more excitement. I don't see a reason to change the rule. It gives the kicking team an incentive not to kick it out of bounds. Otherwise they'd kick it out every time.

[MarvinisaLunatic]

The major problem I have with it though is when the ball goes OB inside the 5 yard line because the return team just let it roll out of bounds instead of picking it up and getting no return yards and stuck back inside the 5. I saw that happen a couple of times over the course of the last season.

[Red Baron]

The major problem I have with it though is when the ball goes OB inside the 5 yard line because the return team just let it roll out of bounds instead of picking it up and getting no return yards and stuck back inside the 5. I saw that happen a couple of times over the course of the last season.

if the team intents the ball to go out of bounds, it should be where the ball first goes out of bounds.

[Damaramu]

It's simple enough........you should be able to kick the damn thing inbounds. If you can't then it's your fault and you should be penalized. It shouldn't even have the chance to roll out of bounds.

And the penalty is fine because if it wasn't you'd have every kicker kicking it out at the 2 yard line so that they could incur a 5 yard penalty and send the team out on the 7.

[the pinjockey]

The major problem I have with it though is when the ball goes OB inside the 5 yard line because the return team just let it roll out of bounds instead of picking it up and getting no return yards and stuck back inside the 5.  I saw that happen a couple of times over the course of the last season.

if the team intents the ball to go out of bounds, it should be where the ball first goes out of bounds.

I disagree with that. It isn't like a punt where the punter is under pressure making it a big skill to get a coffin corner kick. The kicker has no rush, no one in his face, and no time constraints hurrying him up. So if you gave every kicker in the league a chance to kick it out of bounds, they could all kick it out behind the 15 at worst.