NFL rule on free kicks out of bounds?

[ChickenOfNC]

Just curious for anyone who knows NFL rules...

Opening kick in the Panthers/Ravens game, kick hugs the sideline down to about the 5, where a Ravens player has one foot OOB, and he possesses the ball. The ball was probably two feet in bounds when he got it. I know in HS, this would not result in a flag. I assume the NFL rule is different?

[JasonTX]

This would also be a kick out of bounds under NCAA rules so the NFL rule must be the same.

[OverAndBack]

NFL Rule 6, Section 3

FREE KICK OUT OF BOUNDS OR IN TOUCH

Article 1 - The kicking team may not kick a free kick out of bounds between the goal lines.

Penalties:
(a) Receivers' ball 30 yards from the spot of the kick, or the receivers may elect to take possession of the ball at the out-of-pocket spot.

(I have no idea why it says "out-of-pocket spot.")

No penalty flag, apparently, but the Ravens did get the ball 30 yards from the spot of the kick (their 40) because the official play-by-play says:

Carolina Panthers vs Baltimore Ravens at M & T Bank Stadium
1st Quarter
BLT wins toss, elects to Receive, and CAR elects to defend the East goal.
4-J.Kasay kicks 67 yards from CAR 30 to BLT 3, out of bounds.

Baltimore Ravens at 15:00, (1st play from scrimmage 14:36)
1-10-BLT 40 (14:36) 9-S.McNair pass short left to 31-J.Lewis to BLT 44 for 4 yards (58-T.Davis).

So a violation without a flag?

[ChickenOfNC]

There was a flag. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear.

[OverAndBack]

That's cool, the NFL Gamebook didn't make it clear, either.

I guess it doesn't count as penalty yardage against.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

Penalties:
(a) Receivers' ball 30 yards from the spot of the kick, or the receivers may elect to take possession of the ball at the out-of-pocket spot.

(I have no idea why it says "out-of-pocket spot.")

Could that be the NFL's terminology for the spot where the balls goes out of bounds?

[Stripe]

So what would that be in Federation? Doesn't the rule book say that the ball is dead when it touches anything or anyone that is out of bounds?

[ChickenOfNC]

My understanding is that, in Federation, it depends on where the ball is when it touches the player. If the ball doesn't break the verticle plane of the sideline before touching the player (as described in the play above), then you just have a dead ball, R's ball at that spot. No flag.

However, if the ball breaks the plane and then is touched by the R player, you have a foul against K for kicking it OOB.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by OverAndBack

I guess it doesn't count as penalty yardage against.

Nor does it in NCAA or NFHS. It's simply an option to take the ball at a specific spot, just as an awarded fair catch is.