# American Football: The Safety **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 14, 2014, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497 "2014-09-14T21:03:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/21 "2014-09-22T07:35:53Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > And the other team has to kick off from their own 20 year line, rather than their 35, so the team that scored the safety is likely to get the ball in very good field position as well. FWIW, from what I’ve seen teams tend to punt after a safety rather than actually kick off. The hang time really helps the coverage team, so you often see the other team end up at the 30 or 35 yard line, rather than enable a kickoff return. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/22 "2014-09-22T07:40:42Z")
There is a free kick after a safety (like a punt except the kicker just holds it instead of having it snapped to him) instead of doing a traditional kickoff ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/23 "2014-09-22T10:13:25Z")
There were actually five safeties today, which feels like it should be a record (although it probably isn’t). The Chargers, Broncos, Lions, Bengals, and Dolphins all got a safety. The free kick after a safety does not have to be a punt. Like any other free kick, it can also be a place kick or a drop kick. Of course, nobody does a drop kick anymore (and the ball isn’t designed for it) and the place kick is done without a tee so the kicker can’t get the same distance as he would on a kickoff. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/24 "2014-09-22T16:14:48Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > FWIW, from what I’ve seen teams tend to punt after a safety rather than actually kick off. The hang time really helps the coverage team, so you often see the other team end up at the 30 or 35 yard line, rather than enable a kickoff return. Idea just came to me-the NFL of course moved the kickoff line up 5 yards a few years ago…what if instead they move it back to the 30-and let them punt it instead? Or did the NFL do that to reduce kickoff return injuries? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/25 "2014-09-22T16:20:03Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Idea just came to me-the NFL of course moved the kickoff line up 5 yards a few years ago…what if instead they move it back to the 30-and let them punt it instead? Or did the NFL do that to reduce kickoff return injuries? Cynically, I think they did it to encourage kickoff returns (and injuries be damned), and thus promote excitement and higher scores. Moving the kickoff line back five yards reduces touchbacks, which are boring and result in mediocre field position for the offense. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/26 "2014-09-22T16:25:18Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Another tactic usually used with taking an intentional safety is running parallel to the end line for a few seconds, then stepping out of bounds behind the back of the end zone. This is usually done late in the game when a team is ahead by (usually) six points and has fourth down near its own goal line, so the other team has less time to score and win the game. And a lot more distance to cover to do it. Sometimes allowing points is a smart move - and once in awhile, you’ll even see a defense allow a fast TD and give up the lead, just to save time for the offense to make it back at the end. You’ll also sometimes see a player about to get tackled for a safety run out of bounds, or at least throw or kick the ball out of there, to make sure he only gives up two points, and doesn’t fumble and allow a touchdown instead. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/27 "2014-09-22T16:30:44Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > There was kind of an interesting safety last year in the Titans-Steelers game. The Titans’ kick returner was in the end zone as the opening kickoff bounced toward him. Without realizing it, he broke the plane of the goal line as he collected the football. So when he took a knee in the end zone, he surrended a couple of points to Pittsburgh almost before the fans could start digging into their hot dogs and nachos. Tell me about it- Michigan State did that against Notre Dame several years ago. The kick was fielded just outside the goal like and the receiver knelt down in the end zone. ND had two points with 15:00 left in the first quarter. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/28 "2014-09-22T16:35:11Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > once in awhile, you’ll even see a defense allow a fast TD and give up the lead, just to save time for the offense to make it back at the end. I should also mention that a ballcarrier wise to the tactic will sometimes deliberately stop short of scoring when they could easily do so, to use up time. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/29 "2014-09-22T17:27:52Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I should also mention that a ballcarrier wise to the tactic will sometimes deliberately stop short of scoring when they could easily do so, to use up time. SBXLVI, Ahmad Bradshaw should have, but in hindsight the Giants won anyway. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/30 "2014-09-22T17:55:45Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > SBXLVI, Ahmad Bradshaw should have, but in hindsight the Giants won anyway. He was going to, but the Patriots purposefully opened a hole for him and he wasn’t able to stop himself. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/31 "2014-09-23T19:51:12Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Tell me about it- Michigan State did that against Notre Dame several years ago. The kick was fielded just outside the goal like and the receiver knelt down in the end zone. ND had two points with 15:00 left in the first quarter. This happened on the opening kickoff of the Wisconsin-Western Illinois game this year as well. The kickoff returner for Western Illinois bobbled the kick reception just inside the end zone, broke the plane while establishing possession, then stepped back into the end zone and knelt down. Took some consulting by refs to confirm that indeed a safety had occurred. Because of the bobble then kneeldown, one or two seconds were ticked off the clock so it wasn’t 15:00 in the 1st qtr. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2014, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/32 "2014-09-23T23:51:01Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > He was going to, but the Patriots purposefully opened a hole for him and he wasn’t able to stop himself. The best part is that no coaches called for the “stop short” tactic, and it was not mentioned in the huddle. The only time anyone said anything about it was when Eli was physically handing him the ball, he shouted “Don’t score!” By the time Bradshaw processed this impromptu command it was already too late. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/33 "2014-09-24T00:27:47Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > Cynically, I think they did it to encourage kickoff returns (and injuries be damned), and thus promote excitement and higher scores. Moving the kickoff line back five yards reduces touchbacks, which are boring and result in mediocre field position for the offense. You think they moved the kickoff up 5 yards in an attempt to encourage returns? That makes no sense at all. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/34 "2014-09-24T00:50:27Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > You think they moved the kickoff up 5 yards in an attempt to encourage returns? That makes no sense at all. No, they moved it back, from the 35 to the 30 yard line. The kicker now has farther to kick it. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/35 "2014-09-24T14:47:53Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > No, they moved it back, from the 35 to the 30 yard line. The kicker now has farther to kick it. No, they moved it up from the 30 to the 35, specifically as a safety measure. In fact, during this past offseason there was a proposal to move the kick up a further 5 yards to the 40, but this proposal was voted down. [Link](http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/26/owners-vote-down-proposal-to-move-kickoffs-to-40-yard-line/) ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497/36 "2014-09-24T14:48:39Z")
> [@borschevsky](#): > > No, they moved it up from the 30 to the 35, specifically as a safety measure. In fact, during this past offseason there was a proposal to move the kick up a further 5 yards to the 40, but this proposal was voted down. > > [Link](http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/26/owners-vote-down-proposal-to-move-kickoffs-to-40-yard-line/) Huh. Wow. Thanks for setting me straight. :smack: :o [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-the-safety/698497.md?page=1)