The NFL provides a number of "new" unused balls for use in kicking in each game. They are used for kickoffs, punting, field goals, and extra points. The stated object of having special balls is to minimize the effect of ball wear on kicking accuracy. However, the reason they were instituted was due to complaints over teams using "doctored" balls to gain a kicking advantage.
However, because they are not used in other play, they differ from the balls that kickers use in practice. So many NFL kickers can be seen beating, squeezing, or working a ball before a kickoff. They are used to kicking a 'beat up' ball. Some kickers have openly complained about the slickness of the K-balls.
The 30-yard line of the team kicking the ball off.
The question is the correct assessment. If a ball travels more than 10 yards, hits the ground in bounds, and the kicking team gains possession of the ball, the ball is dead and the kicking team is on offense.
Yes. If the team kicking the ball does not kickoff before the play clock has expired.
Most kicking was done with a dropkick. The ball used in the 1920s had rounder tips and looked much like the ball used in rugby. The NFL changed the shape of the ball in 1934 to what it is today. The tips of the ball were made into more of a point. That was done to help the passing game, to make the ball more aerodynamic. That made dropkicking much more difficult and shortly afterwards it was completely out of the game, replaced by the placekick.
Stands for kicker those ball boys hold the balls for kicking plays
same reason high school and college do. kicking is hard on a ball so you dont want to ruin it
According to the NFL Rulebook: " A kickoff is illegal unless it travels 10 yards OR is touched by the receiving team. Once the ball is touched by the receiving team or has gone 10 yards, it is a free ball. Receivers may recover and advance. Kicking team may recover but NOT advance UNLESS receiver had possession and lost the ball. " According to the NFL Rules, the kicking team may not advance the ball on a kickoff unless it has been possessed first by the receiving team. In the play you saw in the Washington/Seattle playoff game, the ball went unpossessed by the receiving team when the kicking team gained control. In that case, possession is awarded to the kicking team at the spot where the kicking team gained control of the ball. no. the ball is dead where the kicking team touched it
no
The furthest an average starting Kicker could usually kick the ball is anywhere between 45 and 55 yards.
The kicking team, this happened last Sunday in the Panthers-Redskins game- http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d8136a6b6/Official-Review-Week-5
As long as the ball was kicked from the kicking team's own 30, then yes. The rule is NOT that a kickoff out of bounds is placed at the 40-yard line. The rule is that the ball is placed 30 yards from the spot of the kick. So if the kicking team had been given a 10-yard penalty on the PAT play, and ended up kicking from the 20 instead of the 30, and the ball goes out of bounds, the ball would then be placed at the 50 -- 30 yards away.
Yes, there is a distinct advantage to the kicking team if the kickoff is not returned and placed at the 20 yard line.