A Kickoff Quirk: How the Texans Exploited a Rare Rule
Sunday’s matchup between the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans at Lambeau Field featured a peculiar kickoff scenario that left many viewers perplexed. The Texans’ kicker, Ka’imi Fairbairn, hooked a kickoff wildly left and out of bounds at the Packers’ 5-yard-line, prompting an official to throw a penalty flag for an out-of-bounds kickoff. However, instead of lamenting the mistake, Fairbairn’s teammates cheered and high-fived him.
The Unconventional Strategy
As it turned out, the Texans had intentionally kicked the ball out of bounds from the 50-yard-line, rather than risking a touchback at the 30-yard-line. This unorthodox approach was made possible by a Green Bay defender’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the previous play, which moved the kickoff spot up 15 yards. By kicking out of bounds, the Texans actually gained five yards to their advantage, as the Packers would have started at the 25-yard-line instead of the 30.
A “Foolproof” Plan
According to running back and kick team blocker Dare Ogunbowale, special teams coach Frank Ross had instructed Fairbairn to “be aggressive” before the play. The Texans had noticed a loophole in the new kickoff rule, which allowed them to exploit the situation and gain better field position. As Ogunbowale explained, “We knew going into it that if we were able to kick the ball from the 50, that we would have [Fairbairn] just be aggressive… That’s just something that we noticed with the rule that was kind of foolproof way for us to have our defense get some good field position.”
The Impact of the New Rule
The Texans’ strategy was made possible by the new kickoff rule, which has changed the dynamics of the game. Under the previous rule, a touchback would have been taken to the 25-yard-line, eliminating the field position advantage. The new rule has also altered the position of the kickoff team, which now lines up on the opposite 40-yard-line and doesn’t move with penalty yardage.
A Potential Loophole
The NFL has acknowledged that there may be adjustments to the rules surrounding the new kickoff in the offseason. It remains to be seen whether this loophole will receive scrutiny in that process. Until then, teams may continue to exploit this quirk in the rulebook, potentially gaining an advantage in kickoff situations.
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