Buckle up.
Your NFL experience is about to change.
Extra points have gone from 20 to 33-yard kicks. Even if most kickers make 90 percent of their 33 yarders, that means about once every four games an extra point will be missed. Compare that to about once per season, if that, and you have what's called a game changer.
The league didn't go as far as putting the ball at the one or one-and-a-half yard line for two point conversion attempts. That would have really shaken things up by adding even extra incentive for coaches to go for the deuce.
Head coach Bill O'Brien and his staff of assistants are featured in this slideshow.
Still, the one out of ten chance that an extra point will be missed might be plenty to sway coaches to hold up a peace sign after a touchdown and keep the offense on the field.
The scores could get wacky. How do you feel about 22-11? Or 19-15? It just doesn't look right.
But never mind score sheet aesthetics. The real question is how much of a riverboat gambler your local head coach turns out to be. If they had moved the two point line inside the two, then the math would say go for it almost all the time. But a full two yards decreases the probability and takes certain plays out of the mix.
For instance, from the one, the quarterback sneak is a healthy option. From the two, it's likely off the table. From the one, your fullback could get the ball. From the two, it'll take more intestinal fortitude to make and execute a call like that.
The Houston Texans roster in photos.
QB, Kyle Allen, #3 (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
DL Mario Addison, #56 (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
RB, Darius Anderson, #30
DB, Grayland Arnold, #35
TE, Antony Auclair, #83
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
DL, Thomas Booker, #56 (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
OL, Justin Britt, #68
DB, Terrence Brooks, #8
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
RB, Rex Burkhead, #28
WR, Jalen Camp, #17
OL, A.J. Cann, #60 (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LB, Blake Cashman, #53 (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
DL, Maliek Collins, #97
WR, Nico Collins, #12
WR, Chris Conley, #18
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
WR, Davion Davis, #14
LB, Tae Davis, #19
OL Austin Deculus, #76 (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
WR, Phillip Dorsett, #2
QB, Jeff Driskel, #6
DL, Michael Dwumfour, #98
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
RB, Royce Freeman, #26
OL, Carson Green, #62
DL, Jonathan Greenard, #52
WR, DaeSean Hamilton, #5 (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
OL, Kenyon Green, #59 (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
DL, Rasheem Green (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill, #51
LB, Christian Harris, #48 (Photo by Kent Gidley)
DL, Demone Harris, #94
WR, Damon Hazelton, #86
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
LB, Neville Hewitt, #43
QB, Kevin Hogan (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
DL, Jerry Hughes (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
FB, Andy Janovich, #41 (AP Photo/Nick Cammett)
An image from the Aug. 21, 2021 Houston Texans preseason game 2 against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The Texans won 20-14.
P, Cameron Johnston, #11
TE, Brevin Jordan, #9
DB, Desmond King II, #25
LB, Christian Kirksey, #58
DL, Roy Lopez, #91
RB, Marlon Mack, #2 (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
OL, Justin McCray, #64
WR, John Metchie III, #88 (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt, File)
QB, Davis Mills, #10
WR, Chris Moore, #15
DB, Jimmy Moreland, #22
OL, Jimmy Morrissey, #79
DB, Eric Murray, #23
DB, Steven Nelson (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
OL, Cedric Ogbuehi, #77 (AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.)
RB, Dare Ogunbowale, #33 (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LB, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
RB, Dameon Pierce, #31 (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis, #57
DB, Jalen Pitre, #42 (AP Photo/Tim Heitman)
FB, Paul Quessenberry, #45
OL, Scott Quessenberry, #54 (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)
TE, Teagan Quitoriano, #84 (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
LB, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, #34 (AP Photo/Lon Horwedel)
DL, Derek Rivers, #95
DB, Reggie Robinson, #29 (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Tremon Smith, #24
OL, Jordan Steckler, #70
DB, M.J. Stewart, #21 (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)
DB, Derek Stingley Jr., #24 (Photo by: Kourtney Carroll)
DB, Tavierre Thomas, #37
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
LB, Garret Wallow, #32
LS, Jon Weeks #46
DB, Isaac Yiadom, #20 (AP)
The first time a team loses a game because they missed an extra point will send fan bases into therapy and light up talk radio lines begging for the 13 yards back. This is what the league wants: more competitive point after scenarios. They got it, but for one year. They also will allow defenses to score two points if they get the ball and run it into the opposite end zone, a no brainer.
The NFL will only put this new rule in play on a trial basis. However, after the toothpaste gets out of the tube, it'll be difficult to get it back in. We'll be watching it play out with great interest and some extra Rolaids in our pockets.
