Give the Extra Point the Boot

January 2014

In describing the permanency of the Constitution, Benjamin Franklin once said, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes". Had Franklin been alive today, he might have "amended" that statement to include the NFL's extra point.

When attempting to kick an extra point NFL teams convert nearly 99% of the time. Only five kicks were missed in the entire 2013 regular season. (http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/team/_/stat/kicking/position/defense).

I don't mean to take the "foot" out of football but I think the statistics speak for themselves. The point after attempt (PAT) is a colossal waste of time and not worth risking players' injury. Although it only takes three seconds to execute, the entire play can take up tp 35 seconds considering the huddle, running the kicking team onto the field, and attempting the kick. Removing this play will also enable the replay officials more time to determine if the touchdown warrants review.

Players have been injured on this play as well. In 2012 Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski broke his arm while blocking for an "automatic" PAT try.

A better solution would be to offer the option of 7 points for a touchdown, or 6 points for a TD if a team elects to go for 2 points by running a play from the 4 yard line. Thus, a team would yield either 6, 7, or 8 points for a touchdown depending on which option they choose. I suspect in most cases the scoring team would opt for 7, thus speeding up the game.

This proposal would not alter the game dramatically while eliminating injuries and saving time.

Ray Pascali