NFL Rules Quiz

[redbenn]

Life of Reilly

Don't hate Donovan. He's not the only player drawing a blank.

Donovan McNabb is getting $6.3M this year to play in the NFL, and yet was clueless that a regular-season game can end in a tie after one overtime. Then he added, "I'd hate to see what happens in the Super Bowl. You'd have to settle with a tie."
(Sound of America slapping its forehead.)
Oy. It'd be like a pro golfer going, "You mean I have to get it all the way into the stupid hole?" So I devised a little unscientific quiz to see if it's just Duhnovan who's brain-dead about his line of work, or if other players are rules-challenged too. Cover your eyes. It's not pretty.

Q: What does happen in the playoffs if the game is tied after the first overtime?

Q: How many points do you get for returning a blocked PAT all the way?


Q: If a punt is in the air while the game clock expires and the receiver signals and makes a fair catch, is the game over?


Q: What is a fair-catch kick?


Q: What is the penalty for running into the kicker on a quick kick?


Q: What's the maximum number of challenges a coach can make in a game if he's always right?


Q: When can the first-string QB reenter the game if the third-string quarterback is inserted before the fourth quarter?


Q: Can the kicking team recover its own blocked punt and advance?




answers...



Rick Reilly: Donovan McNabb's not the only one who's confused - ESPN The Magazine

 

[mross34]

Q: What does happen in the playoffs if the game is tied after the first overtime?
Team who received the ball in the first overtime kicks off to the other team.

Q: How many points do you get for returning a blocked PAT all the way?
2 points.

Q: If a punt is in the air while the game clock expires and the receiver signals and makes a fair catch, is the game over?
No. The offense gets to run one play.

Q: What is a fair-catch kick?
Not sure. Wild guess. If the team calls for a fair catch and decides to kick on the next play, the defense can not attempt to block the kick.

Q: What is the penalty for running into the kicker on a quick kick?
There is none. The team must be lined up in kick formation for the penalty to be called.

Q: What's the maximum number of challenges a coach can make in a game if he's always right?
Three.

Q: When can the first-string QB reenter the game if the third-string quarterback is inserted before the fourth quarter?
He can't. Once the emergency QB is used he can't reenter the game.

Q: Can the kicking team recover its own blocked punt and advance?
No. The ball is dead wherever they pick it up.

 

[Brutus1]

I missed the second question. I thought it was 2 points, that must be college only.

 

[mross34]

Looks like I'm not much better at this than those guys.

 

[mross34]

Did anyone see Sean Payton the other day on a Sunday night game get a stoppage of play because his opponent substituted offensive players and didn't give the defense time to reciprocate?

 

[jlb1705]

Does the NFL have a whole lot more asinine rules where those came from?

You bet!

 

[billmac91]

Q: What does happen in the playoffs if the game is tied after the first overtime?
Team who received the ball in the first overtime kicks off to the other team.

Q: How many points do you get for returning a blocked PAT all the way?
2 points.

Q: If a punt is in the air while the game clock expires and the receiver signals and makes a fair catch, is the game over?
No. The offense gets to run one play.

Q: What is a fair-catch kick?
Not sure. Wild guess. If the team calls for a fair catch and decides to kick on the next play, the defense can not attempt to block the kick.

Q: What is the penalty for running into the kicker on a quick kick?
There is none. The team must be lined up in kick formation for the penalty to be called.

Q: What's the maximum number of challenges a coach can make in a game if he's always right?
Three.

Q: When can the first-string QB reenter the game if the third-string quarterback is inserted before the fourth quarter?
He can't. Once the emergency QB is used he can't reenter the game.

Q: Can the kicking team recover its own blocked punt and advance?
No. The ball is dead wherever they pick it up.

I think that's about a C grade..maybe a B.

Interesting quizz. I had no idea about the 3rd string QB rule.

 

[xcrunner]

Q: What's the maximum number of challenges a coach can make in a game if he's always right?

• Barton: "If he's right, why stop him?"
• Pace: "Six."
• Mangold: "I don't know. There goes my coaching gig."

 

[jwinslow]

Rick Reilly: Donovan McNabb's not the only one who's confused - ESPN The Magazine

Really miss his columns in SI, have too little interest in ESPN's tabloid to consistently check them out there, and dislike the milk-carton pictured replacements at the back of SI.

 

[OHSportsFan]

Did anyone see Sean Payton the other day on a Sunday night game get a stoppage of play because his opponent substituted offensive players and didn't give the defense time to reciprocate?

Yeah, I thought that was interesting. Definitely new to me.

Apparently if the offense substitutes, then the defense is allowed a short period of time to sub in and match up. Is that just in "goal to go" situations?

 

[Sportsbuck28]

Really miss his columns in SI, have too little interest in ESPN's tabloid to consistently check them out there, and dislike the milk-carton pictured replacements at the back of SI.

Me too, I used to look forward to the back page now I don't even look at it anymore.

 

[jwinslow]

I get ESPN in the mail (got a deal online for like $1/year). That's how little interest I have in that piece of garbage.

 

[billmac91]

I get ESPN in the mail (got a deal online for like $1/year). That's how little interest I have in that piece of garbage.

Tom Friend can continue to suck a fat one. I'll never buy a piece of anything he is part of.