Punt...

**ace2die** · 11-15-2011, 01:59 PM

When the balls was downed on the 3 yard line, a Seattle player grabbed at it. He touched the ball and then Ayanbandejo recovered it. How come the refs waived it off? Why does this not create a turn over?

**MinnesotaRaven** · 11-15-2011, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by ace2die

When the balls was downed on the 3 yard line, a Seattle player grabbed at it. He touched the ball and then Ayanbandejo recovered it. How come the refs waived it off? Why does this not create a turn over?

Once a Raven bats a ball... the return team can touch it, try to pick it up, run it, fumble it... whatever. Those are the rules. That is why Ed Reed is always sticking his hands in there when he returns punts. Makes your rate go up a bit though doesn't it. lol

**Haloti92** · 11-15-2011, 02:08 PM

Once the kicking team touches the ball at all, then the absolute worse outcome for the receiving team is that they take the ball at that spot (where the kicking team first touches it). This is why you see Ed Reed pointlessly but amusingly dive into a circle of kick covering players and make futile attempt to touch it or pick it up, because on these plays the kicking team had touched it, Ed knows this, and Ed is nuts.

Edit: Damn, I type too slow, Fury beat me to it, lol. What he said.

**Dade** · 11-15-2011, 03:08 PM

Haloti and Fury are right. But its kind of a dumb rule when you about it.

**MinnesotaRaven** · 11-15-2011, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Dade

Haloti and Fury are right. But its kind of a dumb rule when you about it.

Well, I think THIS is the reason it's in place. I haven't read the rule book, so this is just my presumption....

It's probably in the books so Players on the punt team covering kicks (i.e the Ravens in this scenario) don't bat the ball back into a receiving team's (Seahawks) back's when they are facing away, or can't react to the otherwise "live" ball.

Everything else that takes place after that... is just players reacting to a "loop hole" in the rule.. maybe?

**alien bird** · 11-15-2011, 04:15 PM

I once saw a Detroit Lions player shoot into the circle of defensive players waiting to down the ball after touching it, scooping it up cleanly and returning it for a touchdown, so there is some precedent to the crazy actions of Ed Reed.