Should The NFL Abolish Extra Points?

[Greg Ambrosius]

Has anyone asked head coaches if they like this idea?? They will be second-guessed to death on such a play. "Why did you go for the extra point when we could have won with just 7 points?!!!" Imagine the number of plays they'd have to devise. When they score first, do they take a 7-0 lead or go for the extra point?? These head coaches will never win with this new rule.

Right now, they can go for two points after every touchdown if they want. All head coaches take the more conservative route of the "extra point." It might be ingenious from Goodell's standpoint, but it will be a nightmare for head coaches and is addressing an area of the game that isn't a pressing problem.

Deal with kickoffs again and make that more meaningful. Is there anything more meaningless in the NFL right now than the kickoff as most every kicker can put it through the uprights from the 35? What a stupid play that's become under Goodell's watch.

[Sandman62]

I was implying MORE commercials, not less.

Which may very well be the real reason why Goodell wants this changed. He's pure greed and all about squeezing every possible penny out of this game.

Exaaaactly! He's probably thinking, "We already hold viewers hostage for 3+ hours now and they come back for more. We can sell this as 'removing a meaningless part of the game', when in reality, we'll just replace every single extra point with 1 or 2 MORE commercials (or at least another 30 seconds available to advertisers!".

[chriseibl]

Has anyone asked head coaches if they like this idea?? They will be second-guessed to death on such a play. "Why did you go for the extra point when we could have won with just 7 points?!!!" Imagine the number of plays they'd have to devise. When they score first, do they take a 7-0 lead or go for the extra point?? These head coaches will never win with this new rule.

Right now, they can go for two points after every touchdown if they want. All head coaches take the more conservative route of the "extra point." It might be ingenious from Goodell's standpoint, but it will be a nightmare for head coaches and is addressing an area of the game that isn't a pressing problem.

Deal with kickoffs again and make that more meaningful. Is there anything more meaningless in the NFL right now than the kickoff as most every kicker can put it through the uprights from the 35? What a stupid play that's become under Goodell's watch.

I'm not following, how would this change even slightly affect what coaches do (both you and Nelson mentioned this so I'm assuming there's something I'm missing)? Don't coaches always go for 7 now instead of risking a point for 8? The only difference is the physical act of kicking the point is removed. I don't follow how this change would affect how the decision to take 7 or "go for 8" is made in the slightest.

[ChiTwn]

Can anyone honestly tell me their enjoyment level of a game is impacted by the number of extra points or how easily they are converted? I'd find that extremely hard to believe.

Mine sure was when as a Gronk owner he broke his hand on an extra point.

[chriseibl]

Can anyone honestly tell me their enjoyment level of a game is impacted by the number of extra points or how easily they are converted? I'd find that extremely hard to believe.

Mine sure was when as a Gronk owner he broke his hand on an extra point.

Ha, that's about the only extra point that I remember from the last decade.

[ChiTwn]

Has anyone asked head coaches if they like this idea?? They will be second-guessed to death on such a play. "Why did you go for the extra point when we could have won with just 7 points?!!!" Imagine the number of plays they'd have to devise. When they score first, do they take a 7-0 lead or go for the extra point?? These head coaches will never win with this new rule.

Right now, they can go for two points after every touchdown if they want. All head coaches take the more conservative route of the "extra point." It might be ingenious from Goodell's standpoint, but it will be a nightmare for head coaches and is addressing an area of the game that isn't a pressing problem.

Deal with kickoffs again and make that more meaningful. Is there anything more meaningless in the NFL right now than the kickoff as most every kicker can put it through the uprights from the 35? What a stupid play that's become under Goodell's watch.

I'm not following, how would this change even slightly affect what coaches do (both you and Nelson mentioned this so I'm assuming there's something I'm missing)? Don't coaches always go for 7 now instead of risking a point for 8? The only difference is the physical act of kicking the point is removed. I don't follow how this change would affect how the decision to take 7 or "go for 8" is made in the slightest.

Yea, what Chris said. Unless there is some other part of the rule being changed. This changes nothing for the coaches, they will all take the easy 7.

[kjduke]

Has anyone asked head coaches if they like this idea?? They will be second-guessed to death on such a play. "Why did you go for the extra point when we could have won with just 7 points?!!!" Imagine the number of plays they'd have to devise. When they score first, do they take a 7-0 lead or go for the extra point?? These head coaches will never win with this new rule.

Right now, they can go for two points after every touchdown if they want. All head coaches take the more conservative route of the "extra point." It might be ingenious from Goodell's standpoint, but it will be a nightmare for head coaches and is addressing an area of the game that isn't a pressing problem.

Deal with kickoffs again and make that more meaningful. Is there anything more meaningless in the NFL right now than the kickoff as most every kicker can put it through the uprights from the 35? What a stupid play that's become under Goodell's watch.

I'm not following, how would this change even slightly affect what coaches do (both you and Nelson mentioned this so I'm assuming there's something I'm missing)? Don't coaches always go for 7 now instead of risking a point for 8? The only difference is the physical act of kicking the point is removed. I don't follow how this change would affect how the decision to take 7 or "go for 8" is made in the slightest.

Agree, strategy doesn't change at all. You get an automatic one point instead of a 99.9% probable one point.

[Coyote Streakers]

And while everyone is arguing about this meaningless rule change Goodell is smiling behind scenes because concussions and head injuries are on the back burner. He is smart to bring something like this up to mask real problems. Thats all it is whether they change the rule or not its a diversion to bigger problems.

[Tom Kessenich]

And while everyone is arguing about this meaningless rule change Goodell is smiling behind scenes because concussions and head injuries are on the back burner. He is smart to bring something like this up to mask real problems. Thats all it is whether they change the rule or not its a diversion to bigger problems.

Bingo.

[CoMoHusker]

What's next, double points for TD's over 50 yards? Seriously, why fix something that isn't broken? As Tom points out, there are so many other areas that the commish could be focusing on to enhance the game and he chooses to focus on extra points! I know the Navarro Bowman play on the goal line ended up not impacting the game but what if Seattle doesn't fumble that away? That absurd rule of not being able to challenge that play should be looked at way before even considering changing the way extra points impact the game.