Can someone explain the weird 49er kick?
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Do you know the NFL's free-kick rule? If you were watching the end of the first half of Thursday's game between the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams, you got a tutorial. You just didn't see history being made.
The rule is an obscure one. Any team that fair catches a punt then can subsequently attempt a free kick, like a kickoff, that counts for three points if it goes through the uprights. The best part? The defense can't rush the kick.
That exact scenario played out at the end of the first half when the Rams couldn't run the clock out as the 49ers used all their timeouts. When Kyle Williams fair caught the ball at the San Francisco 39-yard line, it appeared that Jim Harbaugh would then send out Colin Kaepernick for a final Hail Mary heave with only seconds remaining on the clock.
Not so fast!
The sneaky, obscure-rule-loving Harbaugh instead sent out kicker Phil Dawson for what would have been double history.
The Chargers’ Ray Wersching is believed to be the last person in league history to successfully make a free kick, hitting a 45-yarder against the Buffalo Bills in 1976, although many have attempted them over the years, including Neil Rackers in 2008.
But Dawson's 71-yard kick would have bested the all-time long mark of 63 by nearly a whole first down. Sadly, it went way left. At least, it was a far more worthwhile attempt than Rackers' was.
Maybe it was ill-conceived. Dawson, after all, had missed a 53-yard "normal" field goal earlier in the game and is off to a tough start this season, having missed as many kicks as he's made since leaving the Cleveland Browns.
Oh well. If you are a football geek, it was exciting during the buildup.
Do you know the NFL's free-kick rule? If you were watching the end of the first half of Thursday's game between the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams, you got a tutorial. You just didn't see history being made.
The rule is an obscure one. Any team that fair catches a punt then can subsequently attempt a free kick, like a kickoff, that counts for three points if it goes through the uprights. The best part? The defense can't rush the kick.
That exact scenario played out at the end of the first half when the Rams couldn't run the clock out as the 49ers used all their timeouts. When Kyle Williams fair caught the ball at the San Francisco 39-yard line, it appeared that Jim Harbaugh would then send out Colin Kaepernick for a final Hail Mary heave with only seconds remaining on the clock.
Not so fast!
The sneaky, obscure-rule-loving Harbaugh instead sent out kicker Phil Dawson for what would have been double history.
The Chargers’ Ray Wersching is believed to be the last person in league history to successfully make a free kick, hitting a 45-yarder against the Buffalo Bills in 1976, although many have attempted them over the years, including Neil Rackers in 2008.
But Dawson's 71-yard kick would have bested the all-time long mark of 63 by nearly a whole first down. Sadly, it went way left. At least, it was a far more worthwhile attempt than Rackers' was.
Maybe it was ill-conceived. Dawson, after all, had missed a 53-yard "normal" field goal earlier in the game and is off to a tough start this season, having missed as many kicks as he's made since leaving the Cleveland Browns.
Oh well. If you are a football geek, it was exciting during the buildup.
So would it have counted as a FG? I mean not point wise, but would that allow someone to break the traditional FG record? If that be the case, let Zuerlein let one rip from 80.
Yamahopper
Hall of Fame
I'm all for it with GZ. Points are points, take them however we can get them. On the downside you give the other team great field position if we miss. The upside of that is our D won't have to stay out on the field as long before they allow a score.
I remember seeing it as a kid when Tom Dempsey the kicker with the half foot and the funky kicking shoe beat the Lions with a free kick FG for 63 yds in 1970. Alex Karras threw his helmet up in the air when Dempsey made the kick.
EDIT. I miss remembered. Dempsey attempted the fair catch kick in 1969 against the NIners, but missed that one.
Also, Neil Rackers tried one in 2008 and missed from 68 yds.
EDIT. I miss remembered. Dempsey attempted the fair catch kick in 1969 against the NIners, but missed that one.
Also, Neil Rackers tried one in 2008 and missed from 68 yds.
HometownBoy
Hall of Fame
As people already explained the rule, I'll explain why I think it happened.
Looks like Harbaugh was just trying to chew time off the clock, can't say I blame him, that 2nd quarter was dragging on forever.
So I think he just told Dawson make it look as good as you can and told his special teams not to let anything crazy happen.
Looks like Harbaugh was just trying to chew time off the clock, can't say I blame him, that 2nd quarter was dragging on forever.
So I think he just told Dawson make it look as good as you can and told his special teams not to let anything crazy happen.
The play was called dead even though Pettis never hit the ground when he was tackled. He landed on the guy tackling him. Pettis got up and started to run, but the ref had already blown the play dead.PhxRam said:
That's how I remember it
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HE WITH HORNS
Hall of Fame
I'd like to try that kick with Zuerlein sometime, and I thought we had the wrong Austin back there returning that ball. . . .
i think that if the defense doesn't touch the ball, then they get it at line of scrimmage provided there is time left on clock
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HE WITH HORNS said:
YES to both but definitely the Austin comment. When it happened I was like "Why is Tavon not back there?!?!?!?!?!?" Yeah I know the probability of it is slim but the kick was probably going to be short and its a very weird situation who knows how many Whiners would have been playing the ball at that point and you have a ton of space for the return guy to set up the field. Sounds like everything Tavon is good at. No idea why Pettis is back there at all. Cause he has good hands? Well I guess but if he drops it not like it'll be a turnover or anything the half will just end. Was weird but completely agree HWH.