How did Seahawks pull off a double punt vs. Rams? Kick rule defined

The Seahawks accomplished a double punt of their “Thursday Night time Soccer” sport towards the Rams.The sequence left viewers confused and questioning how this might have been a authorized NFL play.

The play occurred late within the third quarter. The Rams’ blocked a Michael Dickson punt, however Dickson shortly obtained maintain of the ball, ran and kicked once more. The second punt went for 68 yards.

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The play shocked the Fox broadcast commentators together with the viewers. For a lot of of them, this was the primary time they’d seen a double punt. Mike Pereira, the foundations analyst for the printed, commented that the play was unlawful, however he was unaware of the rule.

According to NFL Rule 9, a second punt is authorized as long as the ball doesn’t cross the road of scrimmage. Had the ball crossed the road and Dickson punted once more, the second kick would have resulted in a 10-yard penalty.

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“A second kick from behind the road of scrimmage is authorized offered the ball has not crossed the road,” the rule reads.

The rule additionally mentions that the participant kicking the ball should be behind the road of scrimmage as properly: “The penalty for a punt, drop kick, or placekick from past the road is to be enforced from the spot the place the ball is punted or kicked when the participant’s complete physique and the ball are past the road of scrimmage. This consists of both when the participant is airborne or touching the bottom.”

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Since Dickson kicked from behind the road of scrimmage, the play was deemed authorized.

NFL’s officiating Twitter account confirmed the play’s legality: “In #LARvsSEA, the punt was blocked and recovered by the kicking crew. The punter kicks the ball once more from behind the road of scrimmage. This can be a authorized kick and the results of the play was the ball was dominated down on the 11 yard line.”