Without further ado, here is my (rather late) Ben Graham report for last week, Sept. 10, 2006. First, I just have to say it sure was nice to win the opener, on the road no less! :drunk: The Jets opened the game with possession, but went a quick 3 and out... so 1. Graham's first punt came early. Being backed up at theor own 27 yard line, this was a spot where Benny could really try to air one out. He did. At least for distance. The hang time of 4.2 seconds wasn't his best, but still good. He was hitting 5 seconds + in training camp often. 52 yards, a nice torpedo. That's about 61 yards from the spot he made contact with his foot. It was returned for 13 yards, in part because Graham outkicked his coverage a bit. Grade: A- For the Aussies, that simply means for that distance, a longer hang time would be better to allow the Jets punt coverage team to get downfield to make the tackle. 2. Graham's second punt was his only poor effort on the day.... the Jets, on their own 38 yard line needed another long punt. For some reason I don't understand, Graham angled it towards the sideline. When a punt goes out of bounds, it gets spotted by the ref at the point (in the air) where it went out. This one landed well out of bounds, by a good 8 yards or so, and was spotted at the 26 yard line of the Titans. So, it was only a 36 yard punt. Aiming a punt out of bounds is often done when the opposing team's punt returner is a dangerous one... a fast guy that can elude tackles. Punt it out of bounds, and he can't return the ball. The Titans don't really have a good punt returner. (I am not impressed with Jones so far). I would have thought a 50 yard punt would have been better here. With the hang time Benny gets on most of his punts, that would have been a better approach IMO. Grade: C+ 3. The Jets are backed up to their 13 yard line.... we need a rain maker here. Graham got off a fifty yard punt, but with a 4.6 second hang time. The punt returner also muffed (failed to catch) the ball, and that helped the coverage team as well. 50 yard punt, no return.... you take that any time you can get it. VERY nice punt. Grade: A 4. The Jets are up, 16-8 in the fourth quarter, and Benny has to punt from out own 26 yard line. He gets off an absolute beauty! 4.7 seconds of hang time and 58 yards! that's about 67 yards in the air! I rememebr in training camp.... I kept counting the yardage... yup, 70 yards, 5 seconds of hang time. He has mastered the torpedoe! This was just as good as it gets. Grade: A+ If not for that second punt, it was a solid, solid A performance. That punt brings it down to a A-/B+. He is usually so good at getting inside the twenty, and even the ten yard line.... I just don't understand why they went for the out of bounds punt there. I like that strategy at time, but generally when the Jets are a bit closer to the other teams goal line. That reduces the angle, being closer. From your own 38.... that is a tough angle to try and hit accurately, unless of course he just mis-hit that one. That's this weeks report. Hopefully, I will not make another mistake, and be able to post next week's in a more timely fashion! :beer: to my Aussie mates!
Great report TBJ, the original and the best. I have a basic question. If the returner fumbles the catch can the coverage team recover possesion of the ball? I have seen it often where the returner has opted out of attempting a catch/return and the coverage team stand around looking at the bouncing football. So,in other words, if the returner had touched the ball is it back in play and able to be recovered?
If the returner touches it but does not gain possession, it would be a live ball and the coverage team could recover, but it can't be advanced. In other words, you can't run with it. You get the ball where you recovered it. It's called a muffed punt. Now, if the returner catches it and fumbles, then you can pick it up and run with it.
Yep, good explanation by Gator. When a punt returner thinks he might have trouble making a clean catch, he'll run away from the ball. If it touches him, it's "live", meaning the punting team can recover it and gain possession. This is something that happens, and it's not rare. The recieving team's punt returner may run away from the ball, but if one of his blockers is too close, and the ball hits him on a bounce, it's a free ball. As Gator said, if the punt returer does catch it, and then fumbles, the ball can be advanced. This is actually called the "muff rule". If it touches any player on the recieving team, but they ONLY touch it, without establishing "possession" it is a live ball, but cannot be advanced, only recovered.
While you're here (and good to have you back) can you explain the rules on a blocked FG, because it seems even the players never know this one. When it happens, it's like a chinese fire drill.......can I say that?
I'm no expert in that area, and my ego allows me to admit as much, but as I understand it, any FG attempt, either blocked or caught in the end zone, is a live ball and can be returned for a TD. The kicking team can only down the ball, unless the recieving team has gained possession, and then lost possession. If the ball is blocked, and recovered by the kicking team, it is a dead ball, cannot be advanced, and possession goes to the recieving team. That part is pretty clear. The part I'm a bit fuzzy on is the PAT. There are a ton more rules that apply to blocked PAT's, fumbled snaps on PAT's, etc. What happens on the two point conversion is another area I admit I don't have a good handle on. Anyone care to comment on PAT's and two point conversion attempts?
So when the punting team decides to run a trick play and carry the ball or pass the ball to an eligable reciever to get a 1st down, the rules about the ball needing to be first touched by the receiveing team go out the window?
This thread was misleading before I clicked on the actual thread. I saw it as "The Late Great Ben"... I'm like DID HE DIE!! (Godforbid) But now I see it. Great read... Ben Graham was such a great signing. Big punters are always great.
The rules about the ball being touched and recovered by the kickers only go into effect when the ball is kicked. Until they kick it, the regular rules of passing/running/etc are in effect. Once theball passes the line of scrimmage, even if it's blocked, possession has changed, and it's the receiving team (or defensive team in terms of a FG)'s ball. The kicking team can only get the ball back if a receiving (defensive) team member touches the ball. Any FG attempt can be returned like a punt if you wish. This is rarely done because if you do not, you get the ball at the spot of the kick. Of course, at the end of the game (or half), that'll do you no good, and teams try to return it (like the Bears did last year, Baltimore did a couple years ago, and Aaron Glenn did for the Jets a bunch of years back).
Yep.... it's just like any other play, but if the team running the "fake" fails to make the yardage needed for the first down, they turn the ball over to the defending team at the spot that they were stopped. Just like a team with a 4th down and one... if they fail to gain the one yard, they lose the ball at that spot, and the opposing team takes over. The Jets did try a trick play with Graham in the preseason.... having him fake the run, and then punting it on the run, Aussie style, instead. It appeared as though Graham waited too long to punt. Only two players are allowed to run downfield when the ball is snapped. Those two players are called gunners sometimes.... the rest of the team has to stay behind the line that the ball was snapped form, until the punt is actually kicked. When Ben waited too long, some of those other players left too soon, or Ben waited too long to punt. Because Mangini was yelling at Ben. it would seem he waited too long to punt. Graham may have had the option to run instead.... and might have delayed his decision to punt instead until it was too late. If he runs, instead of punting, those other players can cross the line of scrimmage, where the ball was originally snapped from. It's funny.... growing up with a game, like American football, one tends to think it isn't complicated, rules-wise, but it is. The best way to learn the game is too watch it with someone who knows it.... and I still really want to watch some AFL with an Aussie.... it's the fastest way to learn.
I'll have to re-visit this thread when I'm not so hungover. The lights are on but no one's home. LOL!
