Article 1 – Consecutive Downs
«Consecutive» shall mean possession in a continuous series of downs on which the ball is in possession of one team.
Article 2 – Continuity Interrupted
The continuity of downs is interrupted:
- a) When Team A gains the required distance for first down.
- b) When Team A fails on 3rd down to gain the required distance for 1st down.
- c) When Team B obtains possession of the ball by recovering a fumble, intercepting a pass, by any other legal play, or by penalty (touching the ball is not possession).
- d) When there is a loose ball on a play from scrimmages, (e.g., fumble, blocked kick, etc.) and Team B dribbles the ball.
- e) When the ball is punted, drop kicked or place kicked over the line of scrimmage. A ball dribbled over the line of scrimmage by A does NOT interrupt the continuity of downs.
Note: When the ball is kicked (but NOT dribbled) by Team A over the line of scrimmage and is legally recovered by Team A, before the ball has been touched by Team B across the line of scrimmage, 1st down is awarded to Team A only if the required distance for 1st down is gained.
- f) When the ball is kicked out of bounds, strikes the opponent's goal post assembly in flight on a kick from scrimmage, is blocked directly out of bounds by Team B, or is last touched by Team B before going out of bounds.
- g) When a score is made.