# Missed field goals: Why not treat them like incomplete passes? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 16, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949 "2020-04-16T20:58:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [April 16, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/1 "2020-04-16T20:58:39Z")
Something that has bugged me about football, although I’m sure my opinion is in the minority: In football, it doesn’t matter if you kick the field goal on 1st down or 4th down, if you miss, the other team automatically gets possession of the ball. I am having a hard time understanding why it can’t be treated like an incomplete pass - if you miss, but it’s not yet 4th down, then you should be able to re-kick it again and again as long as you have downs left to use. (The exception could be if your kick falls short and is caught by a defender of the opposing team, in which case it would be tantamount to an interception - and that is indeed how it is sometimes done; Devin Hester once returned such a short field goal attempt kick 100+ yards for a touchdown). Is it just a case of, “No good reason to change the status quo?” ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/2 "2020-04-16T21:27:42Z")
I can’t remember the last time I saw a field goal attempted on any down other than 4th, unless it was at the very end of a game. But I like your idea. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/3 "2020-04-16T21:30:30Z")
Not that Im a fan of the game, but I’ve always wondered why you don’t have the conversion kicked from in line with where the touchdown occurred. It would make the extra point much more challenging and would reward touchdowns scored in the centre which is usually trickier. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/4 "2020-04-16T21:40:17Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Is it just a case of, “No good reason to change the status quo?” A kick is not a pass. They are fundamentally different things. A kick automatically is a change of possession - kickoffs, safety kicks, field goal attempts, punts, extra points. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/5 "2020-04-16T21:40:22Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Is it just a case of, “No good reason to change the status quo?” Probably in part, but another part is that, in modern American football, the only allowable kicking of a ball is in the context of plays in which the offensive team is turning possession of the ball over to the defense. It just so happens that, in one of those types of plays (a field goal or PAT attempt), the fact that it’s a change-of-possession play is masked by the fact that it’s also a scoring attempt for the offense, and that those plays nearly always end with a dead ball (either because the kick went through the uprights, or landed out of bounds). But, as you note, a missed field goal _can_ be returned by the defense if it lands short of the end line. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/6 "2020-04-16T21:47:29Z")
When you have a touchdown that goes in right at the corner with the runner knocking over the pylon, how would you even line up for a kick at that spot? And even if you could try field goals repeatedly, I’m not sure it’d be a good strategy. As it is right now, you wait until 4th down, because up until then, you’re hoping to get better field position and maybe even a touchdown. There might be some situations at the end of a game, or maybe at the end of a half, where it’d be a higher chance by making repeated attempts, instead of getting into better position. But it’d be rare. ---
**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:** [April 16, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/7 "2020-04-16T21:58:39Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I can’t remember the last time I saw a field goal attempted on any down other than 4th, unless it was at the very end of a game. But I like your idea. There have been a number of times when teams did it on 3rd down - so that, if the snap was handled awry, the team could recover the fumble and still be allowed to kick a field goal on 4th down. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/8 "2020-04-16T22:08:25Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > There have been a number of times when teams did it on 3rd down - so that, if the snap was handled awry, the team could recover the fumble and still be allowed to kick a field goal on 4th down. Exactly, but again, it’s nearly always at or near the end of a game, and nearly always in a situation in which the kicking team specifically needs the 3 points from a field goal to tie the game, or take the lead. In pretty much any other situation, if a team has possession on third down, and they’re in field goal range, they aren’t going to waste the third down play as insurance to make sure they are able to successfully attempt a field goal – they’re going to use third down to try to get a first down, continue the drive, and hopefully score a touchdown rather than a field goal. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2020, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/9 "2020-04-17T03:58:41Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I am having a hard time understanding why it can’t be treated like an incomplete pass - if you miss, but it’s not yet 4th down, then you should be able to re-kick it again and again as long as you have downs left to use. Why in the _world_ would you want such a change? The problem with field goals is that kickers have gotten too good. Short field goals are 95% to 99% successful and they’re boring as all get-out. The absolute _last_ thing I’d want to see is for the kicking team to get up to three mulligans on the very rare occasions when they miss. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2020, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/10 "2020-04-17T19:10:08Z")
It might be a player safety issue. I believe there are rules which limit how the defense can tackle a kicker because a player being tackled while in the middle of a kick is vulnerable to injury. To balance this limit on the defense, kicking plays are automatically followed by a turnover. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/11 "2020-04-17T19:30:23Z")
It’s rare so not everyone knows you can return a short FG like a punt or kickoff. Recently Auburn returned one for over 100 yards and won the game . ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2020, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/12 "2020-04-17T20:10:28Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > There have been a number of times when teams did it on 3rd down - so that, if the snap was handled awry, the team could recover the fumble and still be allowed to kick a field goal on 4th down. If it will end the game an attempt might be made on 1st down if there are only a few seconds left. If there’s a few more seconds a run will be used first to line up the ball for the kicker, and then an attempt will be made on 2nd down. This assumes the ball is within reasonable kicking range, otherwise it will probably be a Hail Mary. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/13 "2020-04-17T20:22:30Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Recently Auburn returned one for over 100 yards and won the game . “Recently” being 6.5 years ago. But [it was indeed notable](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GKmkD1pUG0). ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2020, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/14 "2020-04-17T20:40:48Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > It’s rare so not everyone knows you can return a short FG like a punt or kickoff. Recently Auburn returned one for over 100 yards and won the game . This actually isn’t that unknown, but it’s rarely in play. The only time teams kick really long attempts is at the end of the half or the game because of this. And the defending team typically doesn’t need to return the attempt, as they are winning. If it’s a tie you get a situation like happened in the Iron Bowl 6 years ago. A much rarer thing in American Football is a [Fair Catch kick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_catch_kick). There have only been 5 in the NFL since 1989. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/15 "2020-04-18T00:03:11Z")
Kicks predate passes in the rulebook, so it’s really the incomplete pass that’s the special case. When first introduced, incomplete forward passes were also an immediate turnover. From a game-making aspect, the kick needs to come with a risk since it can score points. I wouldn’t really be interested in watching a team take four cracks at a 65 yard field goal, because they’ve found a guy with a lot of power but not consistently accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/16 "2020-04-18T02:07:46Z")
> [@aktep](#): > > From a game-making aspect, the kick needs to come with a risk since it can score points. Not true for kickoffs, punts, and safety kicks. ---
**Author:** ![aktep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f0a364/32.png) [@aktep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aktep)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/17 "2020-04-18T04:57:38Z")
Yes, and you could also then point out that any act of (legal) kicking relinquishes possession. But I’m not sure what that has to do with my point. In fact, the field goal kick carries a difference from the others partly as an aspect of the fact that it can score points - the defense can have the opportunity to take the ball at the point of the kick instead of the offense using the kick for a field position change. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/18 "2020-04-18T06:31:52Z")
You are allowed to kick a field goal on any down. If there are only 3 seconds in the first half, and you are 21 yards from the goal line, and its 1st, 2nd or 3rd down, in many cases it makes sense to just kick it, get the three points, and head back to the locker room and get back to the drawing board. A hail mary or ladder pass chances of success are very low and at worst you may injure a player. But in the middle of the game, in a worse case scenario, a 6 point touchdown will double your points v a field goal, more likely with the extra point that increases 233%, and if a risky 2 point conversion is attempted after the touchdown, it increases 266%. So the touchdown is more worth it. It makes more sense in most cases to do all you can to score a touchdown or first down in 3 downs, and if all fails, settle for the 3 points if you are not desperate for points. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/19 "2020-04-18T07:11:30Z")
Freddy is right, the problem in recent decades is that kickers have gotten to be too good. I’ve watched the game since the toe kickers era, and when Jan Stenerud and Garo were among the earliest soccer style kickers. > [@Telemark](#): > > A kick is not a pass. They are fundamentally different things. A kick automatically is a change of possession - kickoffs, safety kicks, field goal attempts, punts, extra points. This is great. I never thought of it that way, but this is right on. Personally, I have no desire to see teams have multiple attempts at an FG. Leave it as it is. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949/20 "2020-04-18T14:09:05Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Freddy is right, the problem in recent decades is that kickers have gotten to be too good. I’ve watched the game since the toe kickers era, and when Jan Stenerud and Garo were among the earliest soccer style kickers. And, in that era, if a kicker made over 50% of his field goal attempts, he was seen as doing his job reasonably well; a kicker who made 70+% would probably lead the league in accuracy. Today, a kicker needs to be making over 80% of his field goals just to keep his job, and the better kickers are 90+% accurate from inside of 50 yards. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missed-field-goals-why-not-treat-them-like-incomplete-passes/851949.md?page=2)