Stat Category - Jets Punt Block TD (1 Viewer)

[mattyk008]

i'm the commish of a league that is having scoring issues related to the jets' blocked punt and TD from week1. i'm looking for a little clarity to help put the issue to rest. in case it's relevant, we use yahoo to manage the league.

there are two different stat categories for the defense/special teams roster spot on yahoo...

[*]defensive TDs

[*]kick-off and punt return TDs

we award points to the team defense/special teams roster spot for #1 (and other defense-relates stats like INTs, fumble recoveries, etc).

we do not award points to the D/ST roster spot for #2, nor do we award points for any special team related stats (return yards, etc).

yahoo categorizes the TD that resulted from the jets' blocked punt as a defensive TD (#1). therefore, the jets defense got points for this TD.

now, the team in our league that was playing against the jets in our league is complaining about this situation. the argument is that the special teams squad was on the field, so this isn't technically a defensive TD.

is there anywhere i can go to get the "official" scoring of this play? all of the boxscores/recaps that i've looked at on Yahoo, ESPN, NFL.com, etc just say TD in the play-by-play, and they only show INT and fumble recovery TDs in the boxscore.

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

we do not award points to the D/ST roster spot for #2

Do you award them to the individual punt returner? Otherwise this seems like a silly rule.

now, the team in our league that was playing against the jets in our league is complaining about this situation. the argument is that the special teams squad was on the field, so this isn't technically a defensive TD.

IIRC the NFL rules don't explicitly recognize "special teams" as a separate unit. There is the offense (the team with the ball) and the defense. That's it - even on a punt or FG try, etc., it's still just offense and defense. Furthermore, I believe that (unlike a "successful" punt), the offense can pick up and advance a blocked punt. So a blocked punt is essentially the same as a fumble recovery, not a punt return. I would rule that it is definitely a defensive TD.

 

[RUSF18]

i'm the commish of a league that is having scoring issues related to the jets' blocked punt and TD from week1. i'm looking for a little clarity to help put the issue to rest. in case it's relevant, we use yahoo to manage the league.

there are two different stat categories for the defense/special teams roster spot on yahoo...

[*]defensive TDs

[*]kick-off and punt return TDs

we award points to the team defense/special teams roster spot for #1 (and other defense-relates stats like INTs, fumble recoveries, etc).

we do not award points to the D/ST roster spot for #2, nor do we award points for any special team related stats (return yards, etc).

yahoo categorizes the TD that resulted from the jets' blocked punt as a defensive TD (#1). therefore, the jets defense got points for this TD.

now, the team in our league that was playing against the jets in our league is complaining about this situation. the argument is that the special teams squad was on the field, so this isn't technically a defensive TD.

is there anywhere i can go to get the "official" scoring of this play? all of the boxscores/recaps that i've looked at on Yahoo, ESPN, NFL.com, etc just say TD in the play-by-play, and they only show INT and fumble recovery TDs in the boxscore.

I'm a bit confused about why you call it the "team defense/special teams" roster slot when you don't award special teams points. That being said...I believe the way the NFL views this is that as soon as the kick is blocked, it is no longer a special teams play but an offense/defense situation, unless the block goes past the LOS in which case it remains a punt for minimal yardage. So the TD gets awarded to the defensive team. You can also point to the rules you outlined above: special teams TDs are only awarded for kick and punt returns. With a blocked punt return not included in there, it therefore must fall to a defensive TD, the only other option you're given.

Is this a new league? Don't see how this hasn't come up before. In any case, you should have a blanket rule that anything not covered within your own standard rules defaults to how your league website scores it.

 

[mattyk008]

Do you award them to the individual punt returner? Otherwise this seems like a silly rule.

yes, we do award points to the individual. for example, if a team started ted ginn in week1, we would have been awarded points for both kick returns.

 

[mattyk008]

I'm a bit confused about why you call it the "team defense/special teams" roster slot when you don't award special teams points.

it's not a choice that we have to make. that is the label yahoo puts on the roster spot. within that roster category, you can configure points for both defense and special team related activity. we just choose not to award points for the special teams related stuff.

That being said...I believe the way the NFL views this is that as soon as the kick is blocked, it is no longer a special teams play but an offense/defense situation, unless the block goes past the LOS in which case it remains a punt for minimal yardage. So the TD gets awarded to the defensive team.

this seems to be the key.

Is this a new league? Don't see how this hasn't come up before. In any case, you should have a blanket rule that anything not covered within your own standard rules defaults to how your league website scores it.

nope... not a new league. just a salty owner that didn't get points for green bay running back a kick on thursday and then faced the jets D on sunday that got points for the blocked punt TD. i've always understood the difference, but i was looking for something "official" that would help me tell the owner to drop the issue.

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

nope... not a new league. just a salty owner that didn't get points for green bay running back a kick on thursday and then faced the jets D on sunday that got points for the blocked punt TD. i've always understood the difference, but i was looking for something "official" that would help me tell the owner to drop the issue.

Blocked punts have been returned for TDs before. Just show the owner how they were scored in the past, then.

 

[GregR]

Do you have actual written rules? What do they say exactly?

 

[mattyk008]

Do you have actual written rules? What do they say exactly?

this league isn't that formal. all we have are the settings on the league site, which are available for all league members to see.Defense/Special TeamsPoints Allowed 0 points=10PointsPoints Allowed 1-6 points=7PointsPoints Allowed 7-13 points=4PointsPoints Allowed 14-20 points=1PointsPoints Allowed 21-27 points=0PointsPoints Allowed 28-34 points=-1PointsPoints Allowed 35+ points=-4PointsSack=1PointsInterception=3PointsFumble Recovery=3PointsTouchdown=6PointsSafety=2PointsReturn Yards=0pointsKickoff and Punt Return Touchdowns=0pointsthe way i read this is... we do not award points for "Kickoff and Punt Return Touchdowns". for all other TDs scored by the "defense/special teams" position you get 6 points.

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

definitely a defensive TD.

 

[bryhamm]

It looks like you have a special "category" for return TDs. This was clearly not a return TD and should be scored as a defensive TD.