Punt question

[Robert Goodman]

I'm trying to imagine a situation in which K1's contact with R1 causes the ball to bounce off R1 so differently from the way it might've bounced off the ground as to put R2 at a disadvantage. If R2 wants to avoid contact with the ball, the distance and direction R2 goes in, if it isn't sufficient to avoid a deflection off R1, isn't sufficient, period.

Why is R1 in position to be contacted by K1? Really only a couple of reasons. R1 could be blocking to set up a runback, or to prevent K1 from downing the ball close to R's goal line. In the second case, other players of R would treat the ball as poison because they want the ball to bounce over their goal line. In the first case, other players of R might decide the ball was poison or might still be trying to run it back. If they were trying to gain possession of the ball, they're taking their chance on a deflection regardless of whether R1 or K1 is nearby. If they were trying to get away from the ball, the consideration in the 1st para. is in effect.