Just now we punted and our guy touched it but accidentally knocked it into the end zone. When the punting team touches it....isn't t downed RIGHT THERE IN THAT SPOT?? The kicking team wouldn't be able to punt it to the 20 then knock it to the 10 would they? So why is it a touchback and not a downed ball at the 3 just now?
I'm trying to find out why Cro is taking a knee when trying to make a tackle but not when he's deep in his own endzone returning kicks.
This is called the first touching rule. Once the punt is touched by the punting team, the spot that it is first touched is marked. The play continues until the ball becomes dead. The receiving team then has the option to take the ball where the play ends (including the activity after first touching) or at the spot of first touching. The ball went into the end zone after first touching so the receiving team essentially chooses the touchback.
