NFL eyeing proposal to abolish extra points
 

NFL eyeing proposal to abolish extra points
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By Marc Sessler
Around the League Writer
Published: Jan. 20, 2014 at 04:53 p.m.
Is the extra point about to go the way of the dinosaur?

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told NFL Network's Rich Eisen on Monday that the league's Competition Committee might eventually abolish the time-tested point after touchdown in favor of a brand-new scoring system.

"The extra point is almost automatic," Goodell said. "I believe we had five missed extra points this year out of 1,200 some odd. So it's a very small fraction of the play, and you want to add excitement with every play.

"There's one proposal in particular that I've heard about. It's automatic that you get seven points when you score a touchdown, but you could potentially go for an eighth point, either by running or passing the ball, so if you fail, you go back to six."

Extra points have become an afterthought. Unless you're up against Lawrence Taylor in Tecmo Bowl, there's virtually zero drama attached to the point after. Taylor's old coach Bill Belichick has often opined about about how unnecessary the extra point feels.

Goodell said "some issues" stand in the way of a change, asking: "Is that going to discourage people from going for two?"

We doubt it. Teams inclined to go for the deuce will continue to do so in situations that call for an eight-point score -- with the same potential consequences. Traditionalists might disagree, but this is a good idea long overdue.

Well, unless you're a kicker.

Goodell's entire interview will air Monday night at 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network's "Total Access."

Goodell to abolish form tackling and play with flags

Goodell needs to just go away, he's ruining the league.

Hmmm... I want to hate this proposal but I really can't.

The downside is removing the tactic of lining up in the kick formation and running a fake but it's not like coaches opt for that option anyway.

Goodell to abolish linemen going forward. No rushing of the passer allowed anymore.

:rolleyes:

That's pretty much where I'm at as well.

I'd love to be all rabble, rabble, rabble "Goodell is ruining everything I love", but extra points are time wasted in a football game.

It's pretty easy to hate. All Goodell cares about is scoring, and this will force teams to go for two (as in, MOAR POINTZZZZ). He's watering down the league one rule change at a time.

Why don't they consider moving the extra point kicks back so they are not so automatic?


I posted a thread awhile back from a Peter King I think that argued that NFL kickers have become too good.

Extra points are an opportunity for an extra commercial break for the NFL. I doubt they abolish them. That said, they should. What a waste of time.

Also I feel like it might improve the game flow.

Say a team scores a TD that looks iffy and it goes to automatic review. TV timeout, but in the 30-45 seconds the play's upheld and scoring team opts to take the point and kickoff. When action resumes from a TV view's standpoint there's about to be a kickoff whereas currently they might break back in for the score and then take commercial after the XP or 2-point conversion.

It doesnt sound like such a terrible thing, whats irksome is just Goodells penchant for constantly changing shit, seems like this guy has made more changes than the last two commissioners combined.

I'm reeeally sick of this butthole.

Make it a 35 yard attempt.

The NFL could do what rugby does and force the kicker to attempt the XP from where on the field the TD was scored. That would make it more difficult.

Example: Charles hits the outside, and just sneaks inside the pylon for the TD. Succop then has to kick from that sideline.

I'd hate that. Why not move it back to a distance where it's not such a gimmie. Spot it on the 20 and let them kick a 37 yarder. Depending on conditions it might cause coaches to go for 2 points more often.