Cameron Dicker could see the confusion on the Denver sideline when the Chargers lined up for a free kick at the Denver 47-yard line. Even some of his own teammates had no idea what a fair catch kick was.
But Chargers special teams players talk about it every week: A team can attempt a place kick or a drop kick after a fair catch and is awarded three points if it goes through the uprights and over the crossbar. Special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken is a “situational sensei” when it comes to obscure rules, Harbaugh said. It’s the head coach’s self-professed favorite rule in football.
“We just taught a bunch of people what’s going on,” Dicker said.
Wide receiver Quentin Johnston understood he was supposed to say he knew the rule but admitted he had never heard of it. Now it might turn into his favorite rule, too.
“I’m glad they have that,” Johnston said, “because we got the best kicker in the league.”
While it counts as a typical field goal, the Chargers didn’t line up with a long snapper and there was no rush. Punter JK Scott held the ball while teammates lined up spread across the line of scrimmage. Not having to kick from eight yards behind the line of scrimmage is what makes the rule so great, Harbaugh gushed.
“Been trying to get one of those, like, every game,” Harbaugh said.
More than crossing an item off Harbaugh’s personal football bucket list, the kick — which was tied for the third-longest in franchise history and the first attempted fair catch kick since 2019 — also energized the Chargers going into the third quarter. Instead of an 11-point deficit, they were only down by eight. They scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the second half.
“He brought a lot of juice with that kick,” said receiver Derius Davis, who was interfered with on the punt fair catch that set up Dicker’s kick. “From getting that momentum, we just fed off it and stayed with it.”
