Immaterial NFL Rules Question

[digamma]

From the Sports Guy's Intern's correction column:

In "A True Stomach Puncher," Simmons wrote: "6:29 -- All right, two amazing things here: First, the Dolphins have a white guy named Welker returning kicks. Second, this same white guy just ran a Patriots punt back 71 yards to the 2-yard line. Of course he did."




Then at 7:03 Simmons wrote: "That was a grueling Patriots drive: 12 plays, 10 runs, 54 yards and a Dillon TD. 14-7, Patriots. And the Dolphins don't have a first down yet."




Writes Chris Babcock in Savannah: "In the NFL a first down is awarded whenever an offensive team moves the ball past the line-to-gain. When the Dolphins ran the ball back to the two the line-to-gain was established at the goal line. When they scored they received six points and a first down."

Is the corrector (Babcock) right? When you score a TD, you receive six points and an extra point attempt, not a first down, no? I know this is semantics and really doesn't matter, but still...

Seems like a perfect topic for FOFC...

[Draft Dodger]

I'm inclined to believe Babcock, but it's just an assumption

[Passacaglia]

Is that Shorty's brother?

[jamesUMD]

I don't think that you get a first down in that situation. I am 99% certain.

[gottimd]

I don't think that you get a first down in that situation. I am 99% certain.


If you are not credited with a first down in that situation, then it could be possible to, but very unlikely, on your first set of downs on each drive score on third down, but yet never record a first down? I think Chris Babcock is correct, that in going beyond the "line to go" marker in any situation essentially gives that team a first down in the books, no matter if a TD was scored or not.

[ISiddiqui]

Yes, the corrector is right. For every TD, it counts as a first down.

[sabotai]

Anyone saying either way have a source?