Doug Flutie's drop kick extra point

[JustAGuy]

I'm sure it will be on all the sports highlights tonight. I've been watching NFL football for decades and I've never seen it done before. I don't believe it HAS been done since the days when players wore leather helmets and protecting your face with a mask was an idea whose time had not yet come.

For those who have yet to see it, somehow Flutie persuaded New England coach Bill Belichek to let him try a drop kick for the extra point instead of going with place kicker Adam Vinatieri. Right through the goal posts, straight and true. The crowd and the New England bench went crazy. Now Flutie can give up riding the pines in the NFL and come back to Canada to add to his records. Hell, he's only 43. Ought to be good for another seven years here at least.

Update: the announcers just said it was the first successful drop kick in the NFL since 1941. What a cool way to finish off the regular season.

 

[LittleAsianGuy]

Still have no clue what a drop kick is. Why is it so remarkable?

 

[dirtydan]

let the ball hit the ground first then kick it! Like they do in Australian Football and rubgy. Very difficult to do if you have never tried before.

And still a legal play in the CFL.

Also, about 90 years ago this was the only permitted way to kick a field goal in Canadian football. I guess that's why at the time a field goal and a tocuhdown were both worth 5 points.

 

[aznboi9]

let the ball hit the ground first then kick it! Like they do in Australian Football and rubgy. Very difficult to do if you have never tried before.

It's even harder to do with a football. In rugby, the ball is much rounder and the ends are much more blunt than an american football. So, it's easier to bounce on it's end and still have it bounce up in a vertical position. With an american football, the pointier end makes it much more prone to bouncing off to the side when attempting the kick.

 

[niteowl]

It was done by the original Paul Crewe in the original Longest Yard movie.