The Packers have a trick to get opposing kickers to kick the ball out of bounds

The Green Bay Packers often display a knack for helping their opponents into committing fouls and reaping the rewards. Here’s another way they do that:

That kickoff by the Detroit Lions’ Sam Martin took a hop in the end zone and bounced back into the field of play and towards the sideline. Then Packers return man Ty Montgomery lay down with his foot out of bounds and grabbed the ball. Since a ball in contact with an out-of-bounds player is considered to be out of bounds, that meant Martin’s kickoff had gone out of bounds, making it an illegal kickoff and giving Green Bay the ball at the 40.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Green Bay player do this: In 2012, Randall Cobb waited for a kick towards the middle of the field to bounce towards the sideline, and when it came to a stop a few feet away from the boundary line, he put his right foot out of bounds and snagged the ball.

Clearly the Packers know this rule is on the books and teach their players to take advantage of it. And players like Cobb and Montgomery are smart enough to remember it on the fly when many return men just catch the ball and run. It’s little things like that which can make a big difference in a game -- the Packers used their great field position to score a touchdown just three plays later.