ou have probably heard radio and television commentators say, "Just look at the number of first downs they have; they are really moving the football today." Downs do indicate a level of offensive successy, but it is not just first down but all four downs that define the team's level of productivity. (Of course, let's not dismiss the ultimate sign of output, the touchdown.) After all you only need two offensive first downs to win a game.
This Chalk Talk continues with possession and goes into how penalties affect downs.
Who gains possession after a free kick down?
If the ball crosses the goal line a new series is awarded to R at their 20 – that is a touchback.
R will get the ball at the inbounds spot if R touched the ball before it went out of bounds. A good example: K kicking off from its 40. K2 shanks the ball to his right. The ball travels exactly ten yards and strikes an unsuspecting R56 in the helmet and goes straight out of bounds. First and ten at the out of bounds spot for R.
The team in possession of the ball at the time of the kick keeps the ball if it is beyond R’s free kick line and K did not commit first touching. This recovery by K would not allow them to advance the ball. Say R37 at his 30 muffs the ball and K44 picks up the ball at R’s 28. The ball immediately becomes dead at R’s 28, first and 10 for K.
- If K recovers the ball before it travels ten yards, the ball belongs to R at the spot of recovery.
Continued...
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