Kickers to become even more irrelevant?

[TREFF]

Speaking Monday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league could eventually abolish the extra point.
"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." Goodell said the league is intrigued by a proposal that would automatically grant seven points for every touchdown, but still allow teams to try for an eighth point via a traditional offensive play. The catch is that if you fail to convert, the touchdown then becomes worth only six points. Perhaps the most perfunctory play in sports, extra points serve almost no purpose at the professional level

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IMHO, this is a ridiculous idea. If the thought behind this is to take it away because its automatic, than the correct answer is not to take it away, but to make it less automatic. Back it up a little. A 30-35 yd kick, leave the 2pt conversion attempt where it is.

But even dumber. .A TD becomes automatic 7pts, unless you try for the extra point (with what is now a 2 pts play) and are unsuccessful, in which case you take a point away? ??

Somebody needs to get a handle on Goodell, the guy had always had damn good intentions, but I'm starting to slide into the camp of people who think he's starting to run the game.

 

[yourTEAMreallySUCKS]

Getting rid of extra points is incredibly rediculous. I hope it never happens.

 

[SFNL]

I like the idea of backing it up.. Make it just far enough (40-45yds) that it'll make teams think twice about just punching in the 2pt conversion.

 

[Sam Sportboy]

Yup..............I agree. As a fan, when your team is in a close game and just scored and needs the extra point to tie try and tell me you don't watch the kick and the whole time you're like "Please don't miss it!". The last big game I can remember was a Saints game where their kicker missed an extra point with no time left that would have tied it.

 

[Trudem]

Asinine...

 

[wilwhite]

Of all the things that bother me about football, the wast-of-timeness of the extra point is maybe the zillionth thing on the list. It actually fills a nice role even when it's not crucial, I think, gives us a chance to catch our breath after the TD (and before they attack us with commercials).

 

[tlance]

I like the idea of backing it up.. Make it just far enough (40-45yds) that it'll make teams think twice about just punching in the 2pt conversion.

They can't logistically back it up though. The line of scrimmage really needs to be the same as where they would try a 2 point conversion to preserve the possibility of a fake.

What about a second, narrower set of uprights inside the others that are only used for PATs? If a FG hits the second set, it is good.

 

[wilwhite]

For some reason this reminds me of my favorite score: 12-10, with the only touchdown of the game scored by the winning team.

 

[TREFF]

For some reason this reminds me of my favorite score: 12-10, with the only touchdown of the game scored by the winning team.

TD-missed 2pt conversion and 2 fg's vs 2fg's and 2 safeties??

 

[wilwhite]

Exactly. Hilarious game. Bills and Texans flailing through the 2003 season.

 

[JDM]

Yup..............I agree. As a fan, when your team is in a close game and just scored and needs the extra point to tie try and tell me you don't watch the kick and the whole time you're like "Please don't miss it!". The last big game I can remember was a Saints game where their kicker missed an extra point with no time left that would have tied it.

After a solid ten laterals?

 

[ChicagoIrish]

JDM, that avi is rough bro

 

[4thstreet]

.

IMHO, this is a ridiculous idea. If the thought behind this is to take it away because its automatic, than the correct answer is not to take it away, but to make it less automatic. Back it up a little. A 30-35 yd kick, leave the 2pt conversion attempt where it is.

But even dumber. .A TD becomes automatic 7pts, unless you try for the extra point (with what is now a 2 pts play) and are unsuccessful, in which case you take a point away? ??

Somebody needs to get a handle on Goodell, the guy had always had damn good intentions, but I'm starting to slide into the camp of people who think he's starting to run the game.

Must of got this from Bettman (NHL)-reward losing/failed efforts

 

[leftypower]

Of all the things that bother me about football, the wast-of-timeness of the extra point is maybe the zillionth thing on the list. It actually fills a nice role even when it's not crucial, I think, gives us a chance to catch our breath after the TD (and before they attack us with commercials).

Agree - the NFL seems to be treading down the same road as NASCAR screwing with rules that are basically meaningless to the fans and upsetting to traditionalist. If they keep it up, the results will become the same - - people will begin to lose interest.

Heck the NFL has already taken a lot of contact out of a contact sport. .... which is, and will be, my #1 peeve.

 

[wilwhite]

I think football has, weirdly, less violence and more damaging injuries than it did before. I blame the equipment. You dress up in that stuff and you feel like Optimus Prime. You use your head like a battering ram in that helmet because your skull is protected but your brain is still slapping up against your skull like take-out huevos rancheros piling into the front of the styrofoam container when you stop too fast.

I say go back to the leather helmets and smaller pads. Broken noses and lost teeth can be accepted as the price guys are willing to pay, even if some people find it unsightly, but brain damage never will be. If it keeps up the way it is, I bet within ten years kids will have to be 16 before they can play organized tackle football.

 

[Barilko]

Exactly. Hilarious game. Bills and Texans flailing through the 2003 season.

Hey Texans hurt too much already no need to bring up Flailing....

 

[dblakejr7]

not a fan of the idea of removing the extra point.. if the line of scrimmage has to be the same.. back it up and give the team two or three downs to make the conversion, if a fumble or interception the play is ruled dead and no point awarded.. so you can take the safer route of kicking a 40 yrd field gola or a couple of stabs to get it in the zone for 2 points

 

[Bandit]

I kind of like the idea of narrower goal posts for all kicks. With 2 minutes left in a tie game, how annoying is it to watch a team just run it 3 times into the line and attempt the game winning field goal. Maybe they would be inclined to actually continue playing offense if the goal posts were closer together. And I am perfectly fine with eliminating the extra point. Just make them all go for two after every touchdown.