Football: What to do on a Fourth Down?
The kind of play to execute on a fourth down is perhaps the most crucial decision a head coach and his offensive coordinator have to make in the game. But on most instances, the decision is pretty much automatic: to send the special team on the field and punt the ball.
Technically, punting the ball is the last option to play on a fourth down. But it has become the more preferred choice since it assures the team that the ball will be sent out as far back as possible where the opponent has to begin its play. This is very straightforward and is proven to be very effective on many occasions whether during the regular season or in the Super Bowl.
The team punts for one reason: there is too much ground to cover and there is little or no chance to advance the ball and take the first down. Strategy is another reason why the team would decide to punt the ball. Usually, when the offensive team is in the lead, the clock is running down and there are too much ground to cover punting the ball instead of going for it is a better choice since they will not risk turning the ball over on a scoring distance in case the fourth down play fails.
Speaking of “going for it,” the team who decides to resume the normal passing or running play on a fourth down has to push the ball to reach the first down line. While this is more dangerous, the offensive team that successfully completes the play and crosses the first down line can keep possession. Meanwhile, if the offensive team fails to cross the first down line, their opponent will begin the possession on the last line of scrimmage. Choosing this kind of play is depends on the score and the time remaining in the game. Usually, the team that decides to go for it has little time remaining on the half and there is no way for the opponent to score in case the offensive team fails to cross the first down line.
If the goal post is near enough, the offensive team can choose to kick a field goal. In most situations, field goals are attempted within 35 yards from the end zone but the distance really depends on the skill of the kicker.
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