Regarding the nfl rule on downing a punt: The punting team tries to down a punt, touches it but it slips away. The receiving team then picks it up but fumbles it and the punting team recovers the fumble, who is awarded the ball?
by 
meecci
ANSWERS: 7
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once the kicking team touches the ball the play is dead so there would be no such thing as the ball slipping away
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The receiving team will get the ball from where the punting team initially touched the ball. On that play the ref will instantly drop a little bag bean bag when the ball got touch. In that situation the receiving team would have been able to advance the ball with no consequence what-so-ever since the kicking team touched the ball. The play will only be called dead if the punting team handles the ball not just lightly touches it.
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Your question is missing a key ingredient. Did the officials blow a whistle. According to your question since no whistle was blown the play was allowed to continue to a point where the punting team recovers the ball. Punt team ball at that spot. If any member of the punt team touches the ball (lightly or downs the ball) it's said to be a dead ball at that spot. But the only way the play or ball is called dead is if the officials blow the whistle.
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FootballGuru is correct.
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once the kicking team touches the ball the play is dead so there would be no such thing as the ball slipping away
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OK, but what about when guys jump into the end zone and bat the ball back into play? Is the ball dead? If not why not? After all, it has been touched by a member of the kicking team. I think it is because the player is airborne that the ball is not dead in such a case. But if that is true, then why do the kicking teams down the ball at say, the 20 yard line? Why not just jump up and bat it towards the goal line? Confusing.
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Guru is correct. In answer to Groblic, If the ball is batted back to keep it from going into the end zone it is still live until it is blown dead (due to being out of bounds, controlled by kicking team, or a receiver is downed by tackle, etc.) Touching by the kicking team beyond the neutral zone is called first touching and the ball remains alive. They must control it to down it. Batting the ball, in general, is a foul with some exceptions, including trying to prevent the ball from going into the end zone. Here's another twist... under high school rules the kickers can down the ball in the field of play (i.e.-the one foot line) while they are standing in the end zone. It is not a touchback as long as the ball has not broken the plane of the goal line. However, in high school, if the ball breaks the plane of the goal line, a basketball-type save won't work. It's a touchback when the ball touches a player when the ball is on or behind the goal line. You're right this can be confusing.
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