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It was a gradual process, without an obvious break, but I'd say the change took place from maybe 1933-48 or so -- and especially during the 1940s, as more and more teams switched from the single wing to the T-formation. I'd say teams were punting almost exclusively on fourth downs by 1950, maybe a few years earlier.SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 3:46 pm Is it known roughly when teams began punting for purposes like what we are used to seeing in more recent decades?
I would like to look at this from the opposite end....when was the last time someone actually punted on 3rd down? I remember in the 80's that the Seahawks would do screwy things like the 'quick kick' with Dan Doornink and sometimes John Elway or Randall Cunningham would punt from the shotgun, but I don't have any recent memory of a team doing a 'quick kick'.Bob Gill wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 7:10 pmIt was a gradual process, without an obvious break, but I'd say the change took place from maybe 1933-48 or so -- and especially during the 1940s, as more and more teams switched from the single wing to the T-formation. I'd say teams were punting almost exclusively on fourth downs by 1950, maybe a few years earlier.SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 3:46 pm Is it known roughly when teams began punting for purposes like what we are used to seeing in more recent decades?
I have a memory of Ben Roethlisberger doing that once or twice. Which is interesting in that this was during an era that Tomlin would have them going for 2 at odd times because their Ben/Bell/Brown offense was so potent. You'd see them with 8-0 and 16-0 first quarter leads every now and then.Bryan wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 9:03 amI would like to look at this from the opposite end....when was the last time someone actually punted on 3rd down? I remember in the 80's that the Seahawks would do screwy things like the 'quick kick' with Dan Doornink and sometimes John Elway or Randall Cunningham would punt from the shotgun, but I don't have any recent memory of a team doing a 'quick kick'.Bob Gill wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 7:10 pmIt was a gradual process, without an obvious break, but I'd say the change took place from maybe 1933-48 or so -- and especially during the 1940s, as more and more teams switched from the single wing to the T-formation. I'd say teams were punting almost exclusively on fourth downs by 1950, maybe a few years earlier.SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 3:46 pm Is it known roughly when teams began punting for purposes like what we are used to seeing in more recent decades?
The last 4 punts before 4th down were all done by the Patriots...twice by Brady, once by Matt Cassell, and once by their regular punter. The two by Brady came in the same game, Dec. 28, 2008, against the Bills.ChrisBabcock wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 9:57 amI have a memory of Ben Roethlisberger doing that once or twice. Which is interesting in that this was during an era that Tomlin would have them going for 2 at odd times because their Ben/Bell/Brown offense was so potent. You'd see them with 8-0 and 16-0 first quarter leads every now and then.Bryan wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 9:03 amI would like to look at this from the opposite end....when was the last time someone actually punted on 3rd down? I remember in the 80's that the Seahawks would do screwy things like the 'quick kick' with Dan Doornink and sometimes John Elway or Randall Cunningham would punt from the shotgun, but I don't have any recent memory of a team doing a 'quick kick'.Bob Gill wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 7:10 pm
It was a gradual process, without an obvious break, but I'd say the change took place from maybe 1933-48 or so -- and especially during the 1940s, as more and more teams switched from the single wing to the T-formation. I'd say teams were punting almost exclusively on fourth downs by 1950, maybe a few years earlier.
vs Bills you mean Cassel and Hansen puntedrhickok1109 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 12:16 pm The last 4 punts before 4th down were all done by the Patriots...twice by Brady, once by Matt Cassell, and once by their regular punter. The two by Brady came in the same game, Dec. 28, 2008, against the Bills.
Yep, you're right...my bad.Sonny9 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 6:08 pmvs Bills you mean Cassel and Hansen puntedrhickok1109 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 23, 2024 12:16 pm The last 4 punts before 4th down were all done by the Patriots...twice by Brady, once by Matt Cassell, and once by their regular punter. The two by Brady came in the same game, Dec. 28, 2008, against the Bills.
Brady in the 2011 playoffs vs Denver. Up 45-10, 3 minutes left, 3rd and 10 he punted and it rolled dead on the 10
Making Baugh's quick kicks devastating if he gets a good roll.Bob Gill wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 2:45 pmOh, yeah. It was often used as an offensive weapon, because in those days field position could be more important than possession of the ball. The football itself was bigger and harder to handle, so fumbles were more common, and passes were intercepted two or three or five times more frequently than they are today. The rules were much tougher on the offensive team, too, so if you had the ball on your own 30 you didn't have a great chance of moving all the way down the field for a touchdown.SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 2:32 pm Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t punting in the 1930’s used very differently than it is now?
But if you punted and the other team took over on its own 30, you might recover a fumble or intercept a pass and find yourself only one or two first downs away from the end zone. That's why teams often punted on first or second down when they got the ball relatively deep in their own territory. Even the good teams did that at times, and the bad teams did it a lot, especially when they were facing the toughest opponents.
I'm sure your right, but 1950 did feature a true throwback game - the Browns-Eagles rematch where Cleveland (officially) had zero pass attempts. The Browns' strategy wasn't about showing up Greasy Neale (who had derided the Browns as a basketball team after they beat Philadelphia in the season opener behind Graham's passing.) The weather was terrible in that game. Cleveland intercepted an early pass, and returned it for a touchdown. After that, they sat on the lead, and even punted five times on third down. Two more Eagles mistakes led to Browns field goals and a 13-0 lead. Philadelphia finally scored in the final minuteBob Gill wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 7:10 pmIt was a gradual process, without an obvious break, but I'd say the change took place from maybe 1933-48 or so -- and especially during the 1940s, as more and more teams switched from the single wing to the T-formation. I'd say teams were punting almost exclusively on fourth downs by 1950, maybe a few years earlier.SeahawkFever wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 3:46 pm Is it known roughly when teams began punting for purposes like what we are used to seeing in more recent decades?