The 49ers experimented with a new punt formation in Monday’s game
Forced to punt in the second quarter of their game against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night, the 49ers tried something different.
It wasn’t a fake punt, but a new formation. About 5 yards to the left of San Francisco punter Mitch Wishnowsky stood 49ers receiver Marquise Goodwin.
It was an odd sight, especially when the ball was snapped and Goodwin, who ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, turned on the jets.
Only two players can be lined up wide at the line of scrimmage on a punt, and they usually have one or two blockers trying to impede their progress.
But Goodwin ran untouched down the field and arrived just as the ball was coming to Seattle returner Tyler Lockett.
San Francisco’s Raheem Mostert beat Goodwin by a split second and hit Lockett before he could field the ball, resulting in a penalty.
If Mostert had not been there, Goodwin likely would have had a free shot at Lockett, who didn’t signal for a fair catch.
Here is the play (from Twitter user Dieter Kurtenbach):
The Niners put an olympic track star 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage on a punt. he got there too fast. pic.twitter.com/Mvqeq0InIr
— Dieter Kurtenbach (@dieter) November 12, 2019
Mark Maske of the Washington Post wondered if that formation will be banned by the NFL:
That formation the 49ers used on the punt is innovative. Guessing the NFL will prohibit it in the future for safety reasons. Running starts were banned on kickoff coverage and the league has been studying the punt play from a player-safety standpoint.
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) November 12, 2019
