# Two NFL Football Q's from a Novice **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 14, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839 "2019-12-14T02:44:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/41 "2019-12-19T01:28:43Z")
Another thing about the old NFL I just wanted to mention. I don’t know when the rule changed but back in the 50s (and presumably earlier) a runner wasn’t down until his forward motion stopped. If a player was tackled and he slid forward 3 yards, he got that yardage. If he was able to pop up he could continue running. Naturally, this led to piling on and more injuries and eventually the rule was changed. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/42 "2019-12-19T02:31:12Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > Another thing about the old NFL I just wanted to mention. I don’t know when the rule changed but back in the 50s (and presumably earlier) a runner wasn’t down until his forward motion stopped. If a player was tackled and he slid forward 3 yards, he got that yardage. If he was able to pop up he could continue running. Naturally, this led to piling on and more injuries and eventually the rule was changed. I’m trying to imagine what that would look like today. ---
**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:** [December 19, 2019, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/43 "2019-12-19T03:26:14Z")
Unlikely scenario but what happens is the opposing team manages to intercept a point after attempt? Can they theoretically run down the field and score a touchdown? ---
**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:** [December 19, 2019, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/44 "2019-12-19T03:29:40Z")
I’m pretty sure I saw a game once on a snow-covered field where a dude slid for a full five yards after going down. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/45 "2019-12-19T04:36:06Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Unlikely scenario but what happens is the opposing team manages to intercept a point after attempt? Can they theoretically run down the field and score a touchdown? Close. If a team intercepts the two point conversion (or recovers a fumble or blocks an extra point kick) and returns it to the opposite endzone, they get two points. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/46 "2019-12-19T13:35:54Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Close. If a team intercepts the two point conversion (or recovers a fumble or blocks an extra point kick) and returns it to the opposite endzone, they get two points. And in the “how could this ever possibly happen?” category, if either team scores a safety on an extra point attempt, that team is awarded one point. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/47 "2019-12-19T14:24:53Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > And in the “how could this ever possibly happen?” category, if either team scores a safety on an extra point attempt, that team is awarded one point. Attempted interception runback gets out of the endzone and the returner fumbles, at which point it goes out of bounds in the endzone. B was responsible for the ball and it became dead in their endzone = safety, one point. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/48 "2019-12-19T14:36:24Z")
> [@Darth\_Sensitive](#): > > Attempted interception runback gets out of the endzone and the returner fumbles, at which point it goes out of bounds in the endzone. B was responsible for the ball and it became dead in their endzone = safety, one point. Yes, sure, it could physically happen, but it’s vanishingly rare - never in the NFL, only a few times in college. And going the other way - the defense scores a safety on the offense - has never happened. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/49 "2019-12-20T00:15:45Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Close. If a team intercepts the two point conversion (or recovers a fumble or blocks an extra point kick) and returns it to the opposite endzone, they get two points. I saw Eric Berry do this live on TV. > **[Berry's 'pick 2' lifts Chiefs in homecoming win](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18204366/eric-berry-pick-2-lifts-kansas-city-chiefs-homecoming)** > > Eric Berry had quite the homecoming Sunday, notching a pick-six and returning a two-point conversion attempt to the end zone to help the Chiefs get a victory in Atlanta that he'll never forget. It was epic. 🙂 ---
**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:** [December 20, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/50 "2019-12-20T00:21:49Z")
Suppose that, on a kickoff, the ball lands on the 1 yard line but a player on the receiving team deliberately bats or kicks the ball out the back of the end zone. Touchback or safety? ---
**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:** [December 20, 2019, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/51 "2019-12-20T01:56:05Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Suppose that, on a kickoff, the ball lands on the 1 yard line but a player on the receiving team deliberately bats or kicks the ball out the back of the end zone. Touchback or safety? I think it’s a safety. [As per the NFL rules page](https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/2019-nfl-rulebook/#section-5-safety): > [@](#): > > It is a Safety: > > (a) if the offense commits a foul in its own end zone or; > (b) when an impetus by a team sends the ball behind its own goal line, and the ball is dead in the end zone in its possession or the ball is out of bounds behind the goal line. Point (b) seems to cover what you describe. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/52 "2019-12-20T16:03:29Z")
Agreed that it would be a safety. I think it’s also a safety if the receiving team catches the ball outside the end zone, but then runs into their own end zone and is tackled. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/53 "2019-12-20T16:41:09Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > Agreed that it would be a safety. > > I think it’s also a safety if the receiving team catches the ball outside the end zone, but then runs into their own end zone and is tackled. I’ve seen something similar, where a bonehead receiver gets the ball out of the end zone then backs up into the end zone to kneel in a mistaken attempt at a touchback. Ooh I think I found footage of this: > **[NFL.com | Official Site of the National Football League](https://www.nfl.com/videos/)** > > The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. Classic. 🙂 ---
**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:** [December 20, 2019, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/54 "2019-12-20T16:45:16Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I’ve seen something similar, where a bonehead receiver gets the ball out of the end zone then backs up into the end zone to kneel in a mistaken attempt at a touchback. > > Ooh I think I found footage of this: > [NFL Football Highlights, Clips & Analysis | NFL.com](http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d82597399/Packers-give-up-safety-on-kickoff) > Classic. 🙂 That was exactly the example I was thinking of as I read your post. I remember that play well. :smack: ---
**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:** [December 20, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/55 "2019-12-20T16:50:29Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > Agreed that it would be a safety. > > I think it’s also a safety if the receiving team catches the ball outside the end zone, but then runs into their own end zone and is tackled. Yep. There was another incident few years back where a returner caught the ball in the end zone, stepped out of the end zone, realized it would be better to have a touchback, and then stepped back and took a knee in the end zone. Which is a safety. ---
**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:** [December 20, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/56 "2019-12-20T19:09:34Z")
I’d like to note that batting or kicking a loose ball is\* a penalty, but in the described case it would be declined to get the safety. \*: should be. Seattle caught a massive break a few years ago when an obvious batted ball wasn’t called. KJ Wright knocked a Lions fumble out the back of the endzone to get a touchback, but the penalty would have given three back back to the Lions. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2019, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/57 "2019-12-23T02:18:44Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Yep. There was another incident few years back where a returner caught the ball in the end zone, stepped out of the end zone, realized it would be better to have a touchback, and then stepped back and took a knee in the end zone. Which is a safety. Is there a difference in points for a touchback compared to a safety? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/58 "2019-12-23T02:31:56Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Is there a difference in points for a touchback compared to a safety? There are no points for a touchback. [Touchback](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchback#American_football). When the Kicking Team kicks the ball into the endzone (or the Receiving Team catches the ball and kneels on it in the endzone), the Receiving Team gains possession of the ball at their own 25 yard line. [Safety](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_(gridiron_football_score)): When a player with possession of the ball is tackled in their own endzone, the team on defense is awarded 2 points, and the team on offense has to punt the ball (well, it’s technically a “free kick”) from the 20. ---
**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:** [December 23, 2019, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/59 "2019-12-23T05:23:34Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > There are no points for a touchback. > > [Touchback](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touchback#American_football). When the Kicking Team kicks the ball into the endzone (or the Receiving Team catches the ball and kneels on it in the endzone), the Receiving Team gains possession of the ball at their own 25 yard line. Just to note, since Northern Piper, who asked the question, is Canadian – this is a notable difference from the Canadian game. In Canadian football, a kickoff, punt, or missed field goal that goes into the endzone without being returned out of the endzone by the defense, or which goes out of bounds in the end zone, is called a “single” (or a “rouge,” though I think that that may be an archaic term), and nets the kicking team one point. (Note, also, that the end zone in Canadian football is 20 yards deep, and that the goal posts are on the goal line.) Also, in the NFL, the defense/receiving team only gets the ball at the 25 yard line after a touchback on a kickoff, and that’s a relatively recent rule change – until a few years ago, such a play would lead to a spot at the 20 yard line, which is where other touchbacks (like after a punt, or an interception or fumble recovery in the end zone) would be placed. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839/60 "2019-12-25T06:27:47Z")
Yes, that was my confusion. Thought that a touchback would be a score of some sort. Also, in Canadian football the rules on possession are more wide open. No problem with batting a ball out of bounds. Last team to touch it before it went out of bounds gets possession. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-nfl-football-qs-from-a-novice/844839.md?page=4)