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From: stevev@tekchips.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: Re: A rules question
Message-ID: <171@tekchips.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 31-Dec-84 17:23:07 EST
Article-I.D.: tekchips.171
Posted: Mon Dec 31 17:23:07 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 3-Jan-85 04:22:11 EST
References: <3811@ucbvax.ARPA>, <153@tekchips.UUCP> <720@noscvax.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 43

>      I am quite sure that the NFL record 63-yard field goal
> which allowed New Orleans to beat Detroit 17-16
> several years ago was a free kick after a fair catch.
> Furthermore, that fair catch was on the -37 yard line,
> before the goal posts were moved to the back of the end zone.

Hmm.  The way I remember the story is that Detroit had just scored to
put themselves ahead by a point or two with just a few seconds (~10?)
left on the clock.  On the ensuing kickoff, the Saints returned the
ball to their own 45.  Their coach sent the field goal unit onto the field,
thinking that the ball had been returned to the DETROIT 45 (which would
have been a plausable 53ish-yard field goal back in those days of
goal-line goalposts).  Tom Dempsey and crew, not to question why, tried
their best at the 63-yarder, which amazingly succeeded.  I seem to remember
reading this in Sports Illustrated.  Does it ring a bell with anyone, or
is my imagination running away with me?

As long as we're on the subject of long field goals, did anyone see the
bowl game a couple weekends ago in which the game was ended by a 71-yard
would-have-broken-the-tie field goal attempt that came within a foot or
so of the crossbar?  I forget the names of the kicker, teams and even the
bowl game.  Can someone fill in the details?

Back to free kicks.  Can anyone give an itemization of situations in which
a team is awarded (or may elect) a free kick?  After a safety is the only
other situation that comes to mind (a kickoff is not a free kick--you don't
have the option of punting).  I seem to remember reading that one could not
score a field goal on a free kick that follows a safety, even if wind
conditions and/or penalties made it physically possible.

As long as I'm on the subject of safeties, someone a long time ago told me
that after a safety, the scored-upon team had the option of foregoing the
free kick, and running one play from scrimmage (effectively a 4th down
and 80 yards to go).  I have no reason to believe this to be true, but
it sticks in my mind.  If true, one can imagine some unusual behavior
by a team in the closing seconds of a game taking advantage of this rule.

				********************************
    Steve Vegdahl		      NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR
    Computer Research Lab.		    typos
    Tektronix, Inc.			logical errors
    Beaverton, Oregon		  actions of my pet alligator
				********************************