Ask Farmer: What’s the worst record of a Super Bowl winner?

Have a question about the NFL? Ask Times NFL writer Sam Farmer, and he will answer as many as he can online and in the Sunday editions of the newspaper throughout the season. Email questions to: [email protected]

Considering the poor records in the AFC South and NFC East, has a team won their division with a losing record? What’s the worst regular-season record for a Super Bowl champion?

Michael Oliver, Torrance

Farmer: In 2010, Pete Carroll’s first season in Seattle, the 7-9 Seahawks made NFL history by winning their division — and, as a result, making the playoffs — with a losing record. Carolina matched that feat last year, advancing to the postseason with a 7-8-1 record.

Three teams that went 10-6 in the regular season wound up winning it all: San Francisco (over Cincinnati) in Super Bowl XXIII, the New York Giants (over New England) in Super Bowl XLII, and Green Bay (over Pittsburgh) in Super Bowl XLV. Two 9-7 teams reached the Super Bowl, but lost: the Los Angeles Rams (to Pittsburgh) in Super Bowl XIV, and Arizona (to Pittsburgh) in XLIII.

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The Steelers line up to go for two after a touchdown. Ben Roethlisberger, with three defenders hanging on his arms, drop-kicks the ball through the uprights. How many points go up on the scoreboard — 3? 2? 1? 0?

Michael J. DeNiro, Santa Barbara

Farmer: Zero. If you line up for two from the two-yard line, you can score points only if you throw or run and cross the goal line. The only way to score points with a kick is if the original line of scrimmage is the 15. A successful drop kick from the 15 on a PAT try earns one point. If it’s not a PAT, a drop kick counts for three, same as a field goal.

Then, there’s New England, which tried an onside drop kick against Philadelphia earlier this season. The Eagles recovered it, and went on to score 35 unanswered points in a 35-28 upset at Gillette Stadium. Patriots Coach Bill Belichick defended the decision to try the unorthodox play: “A lot of times when teams have six guys up on the line of scrimmage like Philadelphia did, like we usually do, a lot of teams do that, then that leaves five players to cover the field and there is quite a bit of space back there, so if the ball gets into that space, it’s hard to set up a return, and it’s possible that it could roll around or not be handled and you can make a play on it.”

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Is a quarterback an eligible receiver or must he “report” to be one?

Bryn Schofield, Westwood

Farmer: A quarterback is an eligible receiver if he’s in shotgun, but not if he’s lined up under center. He has the number of an eligible receiver, which ranges from 1 to 49 and 80 to 89. Provided he has an eligible jersey number, any offensive player who is lined up at least one yard behind the line of scrimmage at the snap is eligible, unless he’s a quarterback directly under center.