I know this is "an NFL thing" right now, but this would likely 'trickle-down' to the rest of us if it were to go into effect and it's something I've been interested in for a while.

 

I've seen many creative suggestions:

* TD counts 7 and team may choose to attempt a 2-pt conversion; good=2pts, no good=lose 1 point.

* keep the 1pt XP, but move the try line back (to the 30 in NFL, the 20 in college, and the 10 in HS).

* go for one from 1 yard line or go for 2 from the 5 yard line.

 

Personally, I've always thought it was strange to award points for something so different than how the game is played otherwise (run or pass plays from the line of scrimmage). For the same reason I also don't like how soccer and hockey games can be decided by 'shootouts.'

 

But the game's roots are in kicking the ball so I understand some saying kicking for points should stay in the game.

 

Then I thought about 'the old days' when it always seemed the QB or best RB not only scored the TD's but also kicked the extra points.

 

...so what if the rule changed to where the Extra Point was still from the 3 yard line, BUT whoever scores the TD must be the one to try the kick? Would make a bit of uncertainty (which is what the NFL seems to want to address) and would require players to develop another skill -- sort of like how in basketball every player must (or at least SHOULD) be able to shoot FREE THROWS in addition to jump shots, handling the ball, etc.

 

Probably would cause most to go for 2 (unless--as I've seen suggested--you're limited on how many times you can go for 2 in a game), but would certainly be something to see the 250lb. DL who just scooped and scored the game-tying touchdown HAVE to try a kick to win the game and actually toe-bash it through.

Huh?

 

Kinda sounds like a circus. Like arena football or something. Which btw starts next week at NKU.

 

Yeah, maybe I'm just to cold to think straight. Either way, hopefully the NFL keeps it like it is. This past weekend if the 49's would have scored at the end, that x point would have been the game. Seems important to me.

For high school kids the extra point is not automatic like in the pro's.

Football, which preceded soccer, was called football in its prototypical form in the Middle Ages because it was played on foot, not, like sports for the English nobility, on horse. So its origins are proletarian, a worker's game, the people's game. Eventually in the 19th century some toffs at English public schools (which are expensive private schools) developed the no-hands version which morphed into modern soccer. Soccer, before we go any further, is an English coinage. Since in soccer you use your head, torso, butt, knees, & other parts of your body, including the hands by goalies why should it exclusively be called football? What is called worldwide American Football is the purest football, refined by generations of players & coaches.

 

History of American Football

 

There have been many changes to point systems & other aspects so I guess if change must come, I just hope it would serve the quality of play rather than the silly notion of some nitwit rulemaker.

 

My view: leave everything alone. The PAT kick is an adventure in high school. Don't screw up the game. But if you want to have fun, allow only the drop kick, eliminate the placekick. Cool.

 

And, while we're at it, why not restore the jump ball in basketball rather than use the their-turn-now-our-turn-now-their-turn system. Where is the reward for the difficult act of forcing a jump ball without fouling?

Its still needed in HS for sure. I like it for all levels though. If the really want change, offer teams that attempt a pass or run 3 points for a conversion. That would add excitement and really odd scoring.

I heard Johnson Central is hoping they'll make it a 70-yard kick off a tee.

I say leave it alone. Some time change just to change doesnt make it better.

Rebel said it, for high schools it's not automatic, however if they ever did away with it and went with one of the options you listed above Coach J, then that would make for some excitement!

 

As far as the NFL, they need to do something. It's pointless really.

 

Bring out Lions or Tigers, have each teams toughest player battle till death......line up shots of Jose, Jack or Jim; see if the player who scores can take X amount of shots in a given time, etc. Something like that, too could be fun.

How many times have we seen games won by one point? Not just in high school, but in college and in the NFL. Was the extra point ever in question? Maybe not. But, one team kicks two field goals amassing 6 points, the other team scored a touchdown and kicked the extra point amassing 7 points. Was the extra point difficult? No. But, it mattered immensely and it was achieved by virtue of being awarded the possibility of having the attempt for scoring the touchdown.

 

Now, let's change that scenario up a little. A defensive battle takes place, one team scores a touchdown and is forced to go for two by virtue of no longer having an extra point getting 6 points. The other team is never able to get a touchdown and can only kick two field goals getting 6 points. The game goes in overtime and the team that kicked the two field goals wins. Now the team that did not give up a single touchdown is punished because they were not afforded the right to kick the automatic extra point for scoring the games only touchdown.

 

The extra point is a bonus awarded to a team for scoring a touchdown. Just like a single free throw in basketball after getting fouled and making a shot. A bonus for making the shot and getting fouled. Is the free throw hard? Nope. But, it is an award for doing something difficult.

The extra point is a bonus awarded to a team for scoring a touchdown. Just like a single free throw in basketball after getting fouled and making a shot. A bonus for making the shot and getting fouled. Is the free throw hard? Nope. But, it is an award for doing something difficult.

 

I think this analogy is pretty good.

 

However, imagine that a player makes a shot and gets fouled so the coach brings off the bench a 'designated free throw shooter.' It's the player that gets fouled and makes the shot who has to shoot the free throw.

 

(I'm really just playing devil's advocate on all this -- blame it on having a rare snow day. The points above stating that in high school extra points are more an adventure than in the NFL are probably the best points made on this subject as it relates to the only level of football I really care deeply about.)

I think this analogy is pretty good.

 

However, imagine that a player makes a shot and gets fouled so the coach brings off the bench a 'designated free throw shooter.' It's the player that gets fouled and makes the shot who has to shoot the free throw.

 

(I'm really just playing devil's advocate on all this -- blame it on having a rare snow day. The points above stating that in high school extra points are more an adventure than in the NFL are probably the best points made on this subject as it relates to the only level of football I really care deeply about.)

Since you're on a snow day, I'll play along. Football is much different then basketball, baseball, or any other sport. In football many players are specialists, only certain players can throw a forward pass, only certain players can be eligible receivers, and only certain player can kick. Now, if basketball, a good basketball player can do any legal activity on the court, they have to dribble, shoot, run and play defense.

 

I'm for some excitement, but having a right guard throw the occasional pass, or having the running back play left tackle is not something that I want to see. Football is the best team sport played, and requires a lot of players with specialized skills, and we should allow those players to use those specialized skills for the betterment of the game.

Since you're on a snow day, I'll play along. Football is much different then basketball, baseball, or any other sport. In football many players are specialists, only certain players can throw a forward pass, only certain players can be eligible receivers, and only certain player can kick. Now, if basketball, a good basketball player can do any legal activity on the court, they have to dribble, shoot, run and play defense.

 

I'm for some excitement, but having a right guard throw the occasional pass, or having the running back play left tackle is not something that I want to see. Football is the best team sport played, and requires a lot of players with specialized skills, and we should allow those players to use those specialized skills for the betterment of the game.

 

Great points in the debate. Touche

I like the idea of kickers for KOs and FGs but I really like the idea of the player who scores the TD kicks the XP. Brings a whole new layer to play calling.