On the last play between Toronto and Winnipeg, the Bombers missed a game winning field goal. To protect their 1 point lead and the win, Toronto fielded the ball in their goal area and kicked it out of bounds in the air at what looked to be between the 20 yard lines.
Why did the game end as opposed to there being an illegal kick out of bounds penalty?
The law in question stems from Rule 5 Section 4 Article 3 which limits kicks from scrimmage from going out of bounds in flight between the 20 and 20.
I suppose I'm somewhat confused as to what is a kick from scrimmage and what is simply an open field kick. The rule book seems to exempt open field kicks from the illegal kick out of bounds rule.
So is a kick from scrimmage a kick made by a team putting the ball into play via scrimmage? Once the ball is recovered by the receiving team, is a subsequent kick considered open field?
When does a kick by the team that put the ball into play not considered a kick from scrimmage?
I think I understand what the rule book is getting at and thus the ruling in the Argo-Bomber game but I haven't found a clear definition of the distinction between a kick from scrimmage and an open field kick.
An open kick is a kick made after the ball has originally been scrimmaged whether by kick, run or pass. Many times a open kick will take place on the last play of a one score game where the receiver catches a short pass then punts the ball further down the field in an effort to score or draw a penalty. Fantuz has done this a couple of times in the last couple of years.
Depop andsportsfan100 are correct. The rule only applies to kicks from scrimmage. The subsequent punt out of the end zone was an open-field kick, and therefore not restricted by this rule.
From the rule book:
[b]RULE 5 - KICKING
SECTION 4 – KICK FROM SCRIMMAGE AND OPEN-FIELD KICK
Article 3 – Kick From Scrimmage Going Out-of-Bounds In Flight[/b]
On a kick from scrimmage going out of bounds in flight from 20 yard line to 20 yard line, the receiving team will have the option of having a 10 yard penalty applied against the kicking team at either point of last scrimmage (PLS) with the down repeated, or at the point the ball was ruled out of bounds with a first down to the receiving team.
I kind of understand the concept of a kick from scrimmage verses an open field kick but have failed to find where they are explicitly defined and differentiated from eachother.
The ball was put into play via scrimmage.. the first act after having been put into play was that the ball was placed and kicked for a field goal. This is a kick from scrimmage..
However let's say the holder picked the ball up and kicked it.. at what point is this kick a kick from scrimmage vs an open field kick? Is it once the ball is advanced beyond the line of scrimmage? If the holder ran for a short gain then kicked it, is this an open field kick and thus exempt from the illegal kick out of bounds?
Kick from scrimmage - means a punt, field goal or kicked convert that crosses the line of scrimmage. Once that ball has crossed the line of scrimmageanykicks or further kicksare open-field kicks (blocked kicks from scrimmage are a bit of special case).
I finally found the definition of a kick from scrimmage. You’d think it would be in the definitions section at the beginning of the kicking rule chapter, but no. The term is used there a number of times, but the actual definition is buried in the no yards rule.
When on a kick from scrimmage (punt, field goal or kicked convert when ball crosses the line of scrimmage), or on an open-field kick, a player who is offside in relation to the kicker:
Of course, it doesn't define what an open-field kick is, but I would infer that it's any kick other than a kick from scrimmage or dribble kick. (Not sure if dribble kicks are considered open-field kicks or not. There are completely different rules for them, as they are simply a way to advance a fumbled ball.)