Football Lists – Page 3 – Quirky Research

Required extra-point attempts in walk-off situations

by Ben Austro - March 28, 2018October 27, 2024 3

When Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs scored a walkoff touchdown to win the divisional playoff against the Saints, it was a truly historic moment in the NFL. Once the touchdown was confirmed by replay, the Vikings were required to attempt the extra-point conversion, despite the fact that they lead by 5;

Double Overtimes and the NFL Playoff Overtime Rules

by Jeremy Snyder - January 12, 2018July 17, 2022 0

Differences between NFL regular season and postseason overtime rules: Regular Season Postseason Number of periods 1 unlimited Length of periods 10 minutes 15 minutes Timeouts per team 2 3 per 2-period "half" Timing rules 4th quarter 1st quarter for 1st overtime, etc. If the first possession ends in a field goal ... Opponent gets a follow-up possession subject to the time remaining Opponent gets a follow-up possession If

NFL teams that never kicked off

by Jeremy Snyder - January 11, 2018January 11, 2018 0

In the 1986 NFC Championship game, the Giants won the coin toss and chose to play the first quarter with the 15-30 mph winds at their backs instead of receiving the opening kickoff. The Redskins failed to make a first down on their first two drives, neither punt made it

Reader mail! Extra points

by Jeremy Snyder - October 22, 2017February 3, 2023 8

Updated 10/22/2017: Jeff Heath extra point. In 1971 the Bears had two non-kickers score PATs: Bobby Douglass on a rush and Dick Butkus on a pass from Douglass. Douglass was the Bears' holder on placekicks. Prior to the 2-pt conversion rule in '94; how many times during the era after the

When the offense doesn’t get far: games with the shortest longest plays

Football Lists

by Jeremy Snyder - October 11, 2017October 11, 2017 0

The longest play from scrimmage in Week 5's Dolphins-Titans game was only 17 yards. Is this the lowest ever? Shortest longest play from scrimmage, 1981-2017 Scores are linked to the box score at Pro Football Reference. Does not include defense or special teams. Both teams Game Date Length Notes Broncos 13, at Bears 3 12/18/1993 16 39 degrees and rainy at kickoff; mud-soaked

Field goal attempts on consecutive plays

by Jeremy Snyder - September 24, 2017 0

The Steelers and Bears attempted field goals on consecutive plays from scrimmage today. When was the last time this happened with no kickoff in between? Field Goal Attempts On Consecutive Plays, 1982-2017 Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys, November 25, 1993: The Dolphins, trailing 14-13, had driven to the Cowboys 24 with

Veterans who crossed the picket line, 1987 NFL strike

by Jeremy Snyder - September 22, 2017April 25, 2019 1

Football players, with the shortest career expectancy of any professional athletes, are reluctant to strike because they have more to lose and less time to make it up. They also feel less compunction about breaking a strike before returning to work, since they can be replaced by other players who

Every safety … ever

The bookkeeping for most scoring plays is clear, simple, and consistent: the type of play, the scoring player, the passer (if applicable), and the yardage. Safeties are an exception; at best, the box score line will show the tackler and the player safetied; at worst, they'll read something like "Safety,

When overtime wasn’t sudden death

The evolution of the overtime rule in the NFL is as follows: 1941 — Sudden-death rule was added for divisional playoff games (at the time, these were one-game playoffs to break a division tie to advance to the NFL title game) 1946 — Sudden-death was extended to the championship game

NFL fair-catch kick attempts

After a fair catch, an NFL team has the right to take a free kick from the line of scrimmage on the next play. If the kick goes through the uprights, the kicking team scores 3 points. It is also known as a "free kick field goal." What special rules apply?