# NFL: Two simple rules question **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 15, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635 "2012-01-15T21:29:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/1 "2012-01-15T21:29:22Z")
1. What happens if a player makes an interception in own end zone and an offense player tackles him to the ground? 2. If a punter kicks the ball out of bounds, is the spot where the ball passed the line or is the spot placed futher up the field as a penalty? (This may be two questions: Whether the ball bounces out of bounds and whether it just flies out without touching the field.) 3. If the ball carrier goes down with a couple of yards to the end zone – say his knee touches the ground – can he a) get up to his feet and walk in for a touch down, b) crawl his way to the end zone for a touch down, and if b) is Yes, then c) even if a defense player touches him? Thank you. And congrats to the Ravens. Edit: I know that was three questions, but I can’t edit the title, so there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/2 "2012-01-15T21:33:31Z")
> [@Wakinyan](#): > > 1. What happens if a player makes an interception in own end zone and an offense player tackles him to the ground? Touchback - intercepting player’s team gets the ball first and 10 on the 20-yard line. > [@](#): > > 1. If a punter kicks the ball out of bounds, is the spot where the ball passed the line… Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/3 "2012-01-15T21:37:27Z")
> [@Wakinyan](#): > > 1. If the ball carrier goes down with a couple of yards to the end zone – say his knee touches the ground – can he a) get up to his feet and walk in for a touch down, b) crawl his way to the end zone for a touch down, and if b) is Yes, then c) even if a defense player touches him? If he went down as the result of contact from the other team, or was touched by them when down, the play is over. If not he can get up and run, or crawl, to further advance the ball. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/4 "2012-01-15T22:51:17Z")
Since the OP is answered. Very basic. How much time are the players given to get back to the line of scrimmage after a play is over? It seems like there’s a lot of dawdling around sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/5 "2012-01-15T23:19:22Z")
Thanks for the answers to my questions, looking forward to the answer to AuntiePam’s question too. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/6 "2012-01-15T23:32:45Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Since the OP is answered. > > Very basic. How much time are the players given to get back to the line of scrimmage after a play is over? It seems like there’s a lot of dawdling around sometimes. 30 seconds. It’s called the play clock. ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/7 "2012-01-15T23:34:18Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Since the OP is answered. > > Very basic. How much time are the players given to get back to the line of scrimmage after a play is over? It seems like there’s a lot of dawdling around sometimes. The offensive team must snap the ball 40 seconds from the end of the last play, or 25 seconds after the ball is placed and ready for play if there’s a stoppage of play (eg. a timeout or instant replay review). ---
**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:** [January 15, 2012, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/8 "2012-01-15T23:36:10Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > 30 seconds. It’s called the play clock. Pretty sure it’s 40 seconds. And to clarify, that’s to snap the ball, not to get to the line of scrimmage. There’s no really limit to that, other than the offense has to be set at the line before the ball is snapped. And since this seems like a good topic for these types of questions: How do players on the field know when to come out for a substitution? Lot’s of times I see them leave before the other player starts to come on the field. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/9 "2012-01-15T23:54:36Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > How do players on the field know when to come out for a substitution? Lot’s of times I see them leave before the other player starts to come on the field. Mostly that’s situational players. There will be different sets of specialist players for 3 and 8 than there are for third and 1 (for example), and generally players know which set they belong to. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/10 "2012-01-16T00:20:31Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > And to clarify, that’s to snap the ball, not to get to the line of scrimmage. There’s no really limit to that, other than the offense has to be set at the line before the ball is snapped. So if they wanted to, either side could dawdle indefinitely? Hypothetically. ---
**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:** [January 16, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/11 "2012-01-16T00:21:59Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > So if they wanted to, either side could dawdle indefinitely? Hypothetically. The clock starts as soon as the last down ends. So the offense only has 40 seconds. The defense could wander around, but it would be pretty bad form them to not be ready. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/12 "2012-01-16T00:42:13Z")
The play clock can be set at 25 seconds in certain situations, such as following a timeout or a video review. I personally think the play clock should be shortened to better the pace of he game. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/13 "2012-01-16T01:19:40Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > I personally think the play clock should be shortened to better the pace of he game. I agree, because there is not [much](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406.html) football in a football game. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/14 "2012-01-16T01:25:33Z")
The play clock used to be 30 seconds but the argument to go to 40 was 30 was just too short for offenses and it made for bad playcalling, negatively affecting the game overall due to less offensive performance. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/15 "2012-01-16T01:31:57Z")
I believe the title of Division Champion goes to whichever team has the best record at the close of the regular season. However, if another team from the same division (wildcard) knocks that “Division Champion” out of the playoffs in a head-to-head post-season match, especially in the “ **Divisional** Playoff” or “ **Championship** Game” should that team be allowed to strip the “Division Champion” title away? ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/16 "2012-01-16T01:51:20Z")
I’ll chime in with basic question of mine spurred by one of the above. How much time, or what happens if the defense is not set and ready very shortly after the offence is ready? So say the offence is set, ready to snap the ball, and the defence aren’t set yet. Can the offence just run their play? Or do they have to wait for the defence to be ready? ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/17 "2012-01-16T02:05:05Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > I’ll chime in with basic question of mine spurred by one of the above. > > How much time, or what happens if the defense is not set and ready very shortly after the offence is ready? > > So say the offence is set, ready to snap the ball, and the defence aren’t set yet. Can the offence just run their play? Or do they have to wait for the defence to be ready? The offense can snap the ball after they are set, they don’t have to worry about the defense. If the offense sees the defense being lazy in that regard, they will ofter snap the ball on a quick count to take advantage. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/18 "2012-01-16T02:10:46Z")
The offense can’t snap the ball until the referee declares it ready to play. Under newish rules, the defense is allowed to substitute with the ball being held by the refs if the offense has made a substitution. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/19 "2012-01-16T03:12:58Z")
Another time question – regarding commercial breaks, do the teams know when there’s going to be a break? Which has precedence, the game or the ads? ---
**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:** [January 16, 2012, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635/20 "2012-01-16T03:27:29Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Touchback - intercepting player’s team gets the ball first and 10 on the 20-yard line. What happens if a player intercepts a ball around the two yard line and sees he’s not going to be able to run very far up the field. Can he take a few steps back and kneel down in the opposing endzone for a touchback so the next play starts at the twenty? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-two-simple-rules-question/609635.md?page=2)