NFL eyeing proposal to abolish extra points

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

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."

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

You could do that, but I still hate the idea on principal. You're essentially saying that if you go for 2... you gain a point if you convert and lose a point if you don't. I don't like freebies. If you're going to go for 1, then earn it. You shouldn't take that away just because it saves you a few minutes of your day.

I would argue to take it away if it's a boring routine that takes a few minutes of your day and makes no difference at all 99.7% of the time.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by ChiefsChoke010414

That kind of thing should be one of the top priorities. The replay system has been around since 1999, and it's still too broken. Shouldn't take that long to set up an almost foolproof system.

Other than challenging penalties, the replay system should be simple. Unfortunately, it isn't.

There we go: quit worrying about a given play and start worrying about the big plays this league consistently ****s up...

[KChiefer]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

There is a logic problem. It's there. your numbers don't eliminate it.

.4%

That's what you're trying to protect.

[Sannyasi]

I think the only argument in favor of the extra point is "Well, this is how we've always done it."

[Chaunceythe3rd]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Make it a 35 yard attempt.

This. Would be incentive for teams go for the 2-point conversion.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by KChiefer

.4%

That's what you're trying to protect.

It's also a 0.4% that really angers and frustrates a fan base. There's a marketing value in eliminating that 0.4%.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Chaunceythe3rd

This. Would be incentive for teams go for the 2-point conversion.

It would be very hard to convert a two-point play from 35 yards out.


(I know. I just couldn't resist.)

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Sannyasi

I think the only argument in favor of the extra point is "Well, this is how we've always done it."

I think the only argument for abolishing it is that it isn't exciting enough...

[Tombstone RJ]

Fact is, kickers are the highest scoring players in the overall history of the NFL and most of it is because of the extra points...

[Tombstone RJ]

for me, the extra point is like the cherry on top of the TD, it's kindof like, "it's a TD and here's the icing on the cake"

[ChiefRocka]

..

[Rain Man]

Maybe they should follow the lead of cricket and a team can keep taking extra points as long as they make it. If people like the extra point play, this would give us about 500 of them per game.

[Tombstone RJ]

I do like the idea of making the extra point mean something by pushing it out to the 35 yard line or so. If you combine that with having a 3 point conversion instead of a 2 point conversion (when teams want to "go for it") then maybe that would "make it more exciting"?

[Simplicity]

I'm in... Move it back to a challenging spot or just take it away... It's literally a waste of time in the NFL...

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

I do like the idea of making the extra point mean something by pushing it out to the 35 yard line or so. If you combine that with having a 3 point conversion instead of a 2 point conversion (when teams want to "go for it") then maybe that would "make it more exciting"?

Right now I think the expected value of an extra point versus a two-point play is about the same. It's about .997 points per attempt and 33 of 69 for two point plays, or .956 points per attempt.

If you make a two-point play suddenly worth three points, and you move the 1-point play out, the expected values will end up something like .96 points for the 1-point play and 1.5 points for the 3-point play. Teams would never go for the 1-point play other than rare situations.