Sorry that should be "Bob C."
For some reason, I can't edit.

Wenn die Verteidigung nicht wirkungsvoll zurück gehalten wird ist der Kicker tot! ;-)

I think there was some confusion in the previous thread over exactly what 'drop kick' means. For me it's any kick where you first let go of the ball and then kick it, as opposed to a kick when someone else is still holding it or it's resting on the ground. So that's why I think of a punt in American football as one kind of drop kick, even though there's only an instant while the ball is in free fall before it's kicked. (I assume -- now that I think of it, I'm not sure I've ever seen a punt in slow motion, but I don't think you can kick the ball while still holding it, can you?)

But evidently in the rules, that term may only be used for the kind MikeE describes where it bounces on the ground, or falls to the ground, first? I can't even picture that with an American-shaped football -- I wouldn't think you could predict which way it would bounce. And surely you couldn't get as good a kick; it would probably turn out like an onside kick, low and on the ground and not going very far on purpose?

I don't think we're talking about after calling a fair catch, because when you do that you voluntarily down the ball. I assumed the examples were probably on a conversion attempt where they didn't line up with a kicker, but the quarterback had the option to throw or run for 2 points, or kick for 1 point. I don't see why that wouldn't work, but I don't think it would mean a drop kick where you let the ball fall to the ground, only that the quarterback kicked the ball, which is unusual but evidently not unheard of.

That is, I believe Flutie and Grogan are QBs; never heard of Brees.

hm, "I can't even picture that with an American-shaped football . . ."

It's not easy, but here is a demonstration of a drop kick in rugby (where a drop kick is also used for a restart):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMlgmH3f1Q0

I don't think there's much difference in the shape of the ball (though the American ball may be lighter and more inflated - which might make it more difficult).

I think the drop kick conversion is used in rugby when speed is essential. I imagine the reason in NFL football is similar but the occasion arises much less often.

Slightly OT, I have been wondering which rules really make American football so different from rugby union. I think it must be the whole idea of plays and downs, and perhaps the use of forward passes (which are forbidden in rugby). When looking around, I was most surprised to find this American rugby coach showing how to practise passing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkhAvoakxGY
The exercise seems to practise forward passing.
I realize it is only a drill, but to me the important thing to practise is passing backward (or laterally) while running forward.

The "typical" rugby backward passing, with the players strung out like a line of geese, is shown in some of these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyT4t3XAF1g&li...

And let’s not forget Australian football:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_kick#Austra...

I remember the good old drop kick, but that went out of fashion some time back in the 60s - at about the same time as the chest mark:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_%28Australi...

Mike, so, as I say, there has never in all NFL history ever been a case of a player calling a fair catch and then drop kicking the ball or doing anything with it other than hand it to the referee. A fair catch ends the play. Period.

According to the Wikipedia article you cite, after a fair catch, if anyone wants to drop kick, the opposing teams must line up and start a new play.

One of the many things that makes NFL football really different from rugby is that an NFL football is passed overhand. Long distances. Not possible with a rugby ball.

And there's a huge difference between rugby and NFL footballs.

For me it's any kick where you first let go of the ball and then kick it, as opposed to a kick when someone else is still holding it or it's resting on the ground.

Not so. In Rugby (Union and League) it's a kick where you let go of the ball, let it bounce, and then kick it. In rugby, a 'drop goal' is a goal resulting from such a kick.