During a kickoff the clock doesn't start until the return man touches the ball, correct?
Why doesn't the clock start when the ball is kicked?

Is punting the same way? Does a punt clock start when it's kicked or when someone touches the ball?
PFT suggest the Cowboys could of used the fair catch / free kick rule... but with only 2 seconds on the clock and a punt staying in the air for 3 seconds, the clock would be done if the clock starts during the punt. So there would be no time to kick it, unless the clock doesn't start until the return man touches it.



Also why did the Packers punt it? ... Aaron Rodgers can waste two seconds and throw the ball away with no chance of a return... would of been safer to not punt it (assuming they can protect Rodgers for two seconds).

Or steal a page out of John Harbaugh and tell everyone on the punt team to hold everyone on defense and get all the yellow flags to fly... after all the game doesn't end on a defensive penalty but does on an offensive penalty and kneel the ball after two seconds.

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If you call a fair catch kick then you can kick it without time on the clock, it's a free play.

Why Mike McCarthy punted I just don't know probably thought the fair ctach kick from 70 was impossible, he was probably right about that.

About rules:
kickoffs: clock starts on the kicked but in the last 2 minutes clock starts when the ball is touched by a player.
In a punt the clock starts when the ball is snapped.

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I always see the ref signal to start the clock only when the return man tries to leave the end zone. If he takes one step and then stops and takes a knee, no time runs off the clock. At least not on kicks that I am paying attention to.

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Speaking of kicking a ball, how about that 66 yard punt by Jacob Schum?

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He's a bum and Packer fans hate him. 😂

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Sadly it rolled into the endzone. Let me tell you, I was screaming at that ball to stop.

Good game for Schum all around.

On a punt the clock starts at the snap of the ball. It was a handful of years ago The Packers did try a fair catch kick with Crosby I can't remember the exact result but it was a somewhat reasonable attempt. Dallas returner caught the ball on their 38 making it a kick at over 70 yards.

I also now wonder why not just snap the ball let two seconds tick and take a knee.

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