Washington team returns blocked field-goal

[voiceoflg]

Originally Posted by bigjohn

Dead ball

Help out a broadcaster here. How long does a live ball have to be untouched before it becomes dead?

[asdf]

Originally Posted by voiceoflg

Help out a broadcaster here. How long does a live ball have to be untouched before it becomes dead?

Until the covering official deems it dead.

The fact that it could have been recovered and advanced by either team (a receiving team player initially tried to recover it, but made a bad decision and didn't secure it) means you give it more time than when a kick beyond the NZ comes to rest.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by voiceoflg

Help out a broadcaster here. How long does a live ball have to be untouched before it becomes dead?

It's not a matter of time. It's when it becomes obvious no one will.

Example - punted ball rolling to a rest, no receiving team players anywhere near the play, several kicking team players around the ball. When the ball stops and no one reaches over to touch it, kill the play. They can't just sit there looking at the ball to let time roll off the clock.

On THIS play - where either team can pick it up, you've got to wait until it's completely obvious that no one is going to pick it up. Like - the kicking team leaves the field like the receiving team did.