The offense also has the option, on fourth down, of kicking the ball to the opponent when they have failed to make the requird ten yards and have too far to go to take a chance of making it on the remaining down. As you can see, if they have to turn over the ball to the opposition after failing to make ten yards in four downs, where they are on the playing field when this happens is key. If they are still closer to their own end zone than to that of their opponent, if they give the ball to their opponent at that place on the field, they have placed their opponent closer to being able to enter their end zone and score against them. In that case, they can use the option of kicking the ball to their opponent such that the ball winds up as far away from their end zone as possible.