how do they determine the FG distance?

by **learnnew** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 6:39 am

i'm a bit new to football and so i don't know the rules very well. i'd appreciate it if someone can answer this for me. this is probably an elementary question. how is the distance of a field goal determined based on where the offense is?

by **skinsfaninroanoke** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 6:51 am

The FG is determined by the line of scrimmage plus 10 yards for the end zone plus (usually) 7 yards for the spot of the ball where the kicker kicks it from.

If they are on the 35... add 10 for the end zone - 45 plus the 7 for the place where the holder puts the ball down or 52 yards.

Is that good or did I confuse ya more?

by **learnnew** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 7:55 am

yup thats good, thanx.

by **BossHog** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 10:24 am

... and if you miss the FG, they give the opposition the ball where you kicked from, so in the stated example, the opposition would get to start from the 42.

by **skinsfaninroanoke** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 4:37 pm

right - sorry bout that

by **RedskinsFreak** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 4:39 pm

I found this inconsistency a bit odd:

FGs are measured from the spot of the kick but punts are measured from the line of scrimmage.

by **skinsfaninroanoke** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 4:45 pm

So true, but then again punters aren't trying for points or trying to hit the space between the uprights... ::shrug:: in other words... I dunno

by **learnnew** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 7:53 pm

so does the kicker have the choice of how many yards behind the line of scrimmage does he want to kick the FG from? 'cause i saw 17, 18 or 19 (mostly 8 though) yards added to the position of line of scrimmage to determine the FG distance.

btw, thanx a bunch guys for answering qns like this.

regarding the inconsistency in measuring the FG and the punt, obviously i dunno. but here's something i don't understand: consider a missed FG vs. a missed/blocked punt. a blocked punt is equivalent to a fumble, right? so the field position would be wherever the ball is recovered when the play ends. but the missed FG attempt would automatically be ruled an incompletion (i guess). if you threw an incomplete TD pass, then your field position shouldn't change from the line of scrimmage for the next play. why should it be any different for a missed FG?

now consider this interesting situation. what if the center snaps the ball to the QB who acts as a holder and the backfield guy (tailback or whoever) acts as a kicker and attempts a FG? would that "trick" play be valid? whether it is valid or not, if it fails, the drive ends with that play, doesn't it?

on that note, may be they count punts from the line of scrimmage because the line of scrimmage changes from the position where the punting team snaps the ball to the position where the punt returner returns the ball/the ball ends up at the end of the play. i don't even know if that makes any sense

by **skinsfaninroanoke** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:44 pm

You know... they used to have a drop kick where the QB would actually, I think, bounce the ball and kick it for a FG... I think they called that a quick kick. I may be way off on that and I don't think that is allowed anymore.

Can you imagine trying to fake like you were gonna run it, get the ball down quick enough, hold off the blitz and hope to God the HB can kick straight? Eek. What a mess. Whether the play ends the drive or not, believe it or not depends on the down you try it on. Remember when the Skins were kicking on third down so they would have another attempt if the snap screwed up?

On the other thing, I don't believe it is ruled an incomplete pass, or anything like it. The ball is spotted where the FG is attempted from if it misses, and I believe where the ball is recovered in the event it is blocked. Someone check me on that cause while I know some about offense and more about defense I suck at special teams rules.

by **learnnew** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:35 am

hahaha! that play *is* a mess!

my other question was precisely that. why should the ball be spotted if the FG is missed? shouldn't the line of scrimmage matter?