Should The NFL Abolish Extra Points?

[Sandman62]

Every NFL point is assigned to someone, though. I'm not sure we can just arbitrarily ignore point totals in a game. I'll be very interested to see how the subtracted point would be factored into the scoring.

Every NFL point is currently assigned to someone... in NFFC leagues. What logical or statistical reason is there that this must continue though? Without launching a whole debate on 4-pt passing TDs and whether we like that or not, don't millions of ESPN leagues (and others) get by just fine without those 5th and 6th passing TD points?

[Tom Kessenich]

Every NFL point is assigned to someone, though. I'm not sure we can just arbitrarily ignore point totals in a game. I'll be very interested to see how the subtracted point would be factored into the scoring.

Every NFL point is currently assigned to someone... in NFFC leagues. What logical or statistical reason is there that this must continue though? Without launching a whole debate on 4-pt passing TDs and whether we like that or not, don't millions of ESPN leagues (and others) get by just fine without those 5th and 6th passing TD points?

Every NFL scoring play is assigned by the league. That's how the scoring works. The NFL isn't going to pretend as if the subtracted point didn't occur. It will be assigned in some fashion. So if a team loses a point somehow that point will need to be assigned and accounted for. Could a fantasy league just ignore that? Sure, anything's possible. That's why we call it fantasy football. However, I consider this a rather significant aspect in the proposal that shouldn't be casually dismissed. I'm not aware of any scoring points in an NFL game that most fantasy leagues pretend as if they didn't exist. I'm not sure why it would make any sense to start doing it now.

[Sandman62]

Please understand Tom that I'm not trying to be argumentative, nor am I pounding the keyboard here in anger or anything like that. Just a casual conversation.

That said... imagine that King Goodell keeps altering the NFL rules so that a few years from now, most QBs throw for 6000 yards per season, and position player stats go up accordingly. How about if passing yards went to 7000, or 8000? 10,000? My point is, I'm pretty sure at some point, fantasy scoring would adjust in order to avoid extreme volatility.

Some leagues, albeit a minority, already do that now with 4-point passing TDs. Many, like the NFFC, have no problem awarding 1/2 PPR (or 0 PPR), even though that results in the catch points not matching 1:1 with the number of catches in a game. Why are points more sacred than catches? IMO, we're playing a game based on stats. Nothing says there needs to forever be a 1:1 correlation. Again, my opinion.

[Tom Kessenich]

Mike, it's not a question of how many points are being assigned in fantasy. You're misunderstanding what I'm saying. This has nothing to do with how many points are awarded for a scoring play in fantasy. The fact is every point in the NFL during a game is somehow accounted for in fantasy leagues. Most of the ones I'm familiar with anyway. I don't know of a single league that pretends as if a scoring play did not occur. So if a point is being subtracted from an NFL game - which will happen if this proposal becomes a rule - than that being an NFL scoring play. Now if some fantasy leagues want to decide that ignoring points in an NFL game is the way to go so be it. That just seems like a rather curious way to go.

[Sandman62]

Gotcha. You're right, this is quite different than any current NFL scoring, in that points will now be taken away.

It'll be a big challenge though to try to assign 1 point of blame to a player on the failed 2-pt conversion. If a QB throws an incomplete, is it his fault, unless the NFL assigns a "drop" to the receiver? If a pick is thrown, again, whose fault (especially if it bounces off a receiver's hands)? But on a rushing attempt, it's not always the RB's fault (i.e. could be poor blocking). How about a fumbled snap or handoff?

In fantasy scoring though, is the simplest alternative to just always award 7 points, then just ignore failed 2-pt conversions? I mean, how can a point be deducted from the player who scored the TD when he may not even be on the field for the 2-pt'er? Also, what about successful 2-pt conversions? In fantasy terms, do they just become "1-pt" conversions?

[Tom Kessenich]

I'm not sure what the NFL will do but if a scoring play is being impacted logically it would seem to me the subtracted point would be assigned to someone involved with the scoring play. Or there could be a new team deduction category. But somehow the NFL will need to decide who gets blamed (for lack of a better word) for the subtracted point. This is the first time I'm aware of in pro sports history where points will be removed from a team's total during a game based on a scoring play. Is there another pro sport which does this? That would seem to be yet another reason why this is so pointless (no pun intended).

[King of Queens]

Mike, it's not a question of how many points are being assigned in fantasy. You're misunderstanding what I'm saying. This has nothing to do with how many points are awarded for a scoring play in fantasy. The fact is every point in the NFL during a game is somehow accounted for in fantasy leagues. Most of the ones I'm familiar with anyway. I don't know of a single league that pretends as if a scoring play did not occur. So if a point is being subtracted from an NFL game - which will happen if this proposal becomes a rule - than that being an NFL scoring play. Now if some fantasy leagues want to decide that ignoring points in an NFL game is the way to go so be it. That just seems like a rather curious way to go.

Offensive player recovers fumble in end zone for TD --> not always accounted for in fantasy.

My guess is that it would work something like Mark Moyer described above (touchdowns worth 6 points). If no try were attempted, the "team" would be awarded an additional point. I believe the NBA does something similar with regards to Team Rebounds.

[Tom Kessenich]

Mike, it's not a question of how many points are being assigned in fantasy. You're misunderstanding what I'm saying. This has nothing to do with how many points are awarded for a scoring play in fantasy. The fact is every point in the NFL during a game is somehow accounted for in fantasy leagues. Most of the ones I'm familiar with anyway. I don't know of a single league that pretends as if a scoring play did not occur. So if a point is being subtracted from an NFL game - which will happen if this proposal becomes a rule - than that being an NFL scoring play. Now if some fantasy leagues want to decide that ignoring points in an NFL game is the way to go so be it. That just seems like a rather curious way to go.

Offensive player recovers fumble in end zone for TD --> not always accounted for in fantasy.

True but the NFL does account for the points. And they are accounted for in fantasy in terms of points against your team defense. In neither the NFL or NBA are points being removed from the official total. This is unique as far as I know in professional sports. And yes I know points can be removed due to replay with 3-point shots but that's not the same thing. That's using replay to enforce a rule already in place. A penalty is not being imposed as would be the case here.