The NFL has followed up their Deflate Gate punishment of the New England Patriots by trying to put some pizzazz into extra point attempts.
The NFL announced the extra point will now be kicked from the 15-yard line with two-point conversions remaining at the 2-yard line. The new rule also gives the defense the ability to score two points on returns.
According to the rule change, if the defense returns a blocked extra point or failed two-point try for a touchdown (i.e. on an interception), they will be awarded two points. Under the previous rule the ball was dead on a failed try.
This means that instead of kicking an extra point from the 10 yard line, it will now be kicked from the 33-yard line. On the surface, that seems like a fairly big change. According to the Wall Street Journal, kickers converted on 99.3% of all extra points last season. What about from the range of the new extra points? The WSJ has kicks from 30-34 yards going through the uprights 95.8% of the time.
There will be a drop off, although it’s not big enough to risk going for the two points unless the situation of the game dictates it. Or unless your field goal kicker is absolutely horrible. Or unless your coach is Chip Kelly.
What this will essentially take away are fake extra points. The teams must declare if they will go for two or try an extra point before the play because the ball must be placed at the corresponding spot. The teams could still fake it but making a fake extra point from the 15 yard line would seem to be against anybody’s way of thinking.
Maybe I’m old school, but I don’t see why the need for the change. What’s the best case scenario that comes out of this? I can’t come up with one. In fact, there is talk of potentially pushing extra points back even further next year. The worst case scenario? A team losses a playoff game or a Super Bowl because of a kick being missed or worse, having it go over the upright at a weird angle and having the refs blow a call.
[NFL]
