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. (Updated 4/16/2021)
TE, Jordan Akins, #88
TE, Antony Auclair
DL, Auzoyah Alufohai, #98
DB, Cornell Armstrong, #30
DL, Ross Blacklock, #90
OL, Justin Britt
DB, Terrence Brooks
TE, Pharaoh Brown, #85
OL, Cohl Cabral, #72
OL, Marcus Cannon
WR, Randall Cobb, #18
DL, Maliek Collins
WR, Chris Conley
WR, Brandin Cooks, #13
WR, Isaiah Coulter, #82
WR, Keke Coutee, #16
DB, Keion Crossen, #35
LB, Zach Cunningham, #41
LB, Tae Davis
DL, Brandon Dunn, #92
LB, Duke Ejiofor, #53
WR, Alex Erickson
K, Ka'imi Fairbairn, #7
QB, Ryan Finley
OL, Hjalte Froholdt, #77
LB, Jonathan Greenard, #52
LB, Kamu Grugier-Hill
LB, Nate Hall, #48
DB, Vernon Hargreaves III, #26
OL, Charlie Heck, #67
RB, Dontrell Hilliard, #27
OL, Tytus Howard, #71
RB, Buddy Howell, #38
RB, Mark Ingram
TE, Ryan Izzo
LB, Jordan Jenkins
RB, David Johnson, #31
DL, Jaleel Johnson
DB, Lonnie Johnson Jr., #32
P, Cameron Johnston
DB, Desmond King
LB, Christian Kirksey
DL, Shaq Lawson
RB, Phillip Lindsay
LB, Jacob Martin, #54
OL, Justin McCray
LB, Whitney Mercilus, #59
DB, Terrance Mitchell
WR, Donte Moncrief
DB, A.J. Moore Jr., #33
WR, Chris Moore
DB, Eric Murray, #23
LB, Hardy Nickerson
DL, Charles Omenihu, #94
DB, Jonathan Owens, #36
LB, Kevin Pierre-Louis
RB, Scottie Phillips, #40
TE, Paul Quessenberry
DB, John Reid, #34
DB, Justin Reid, #20
DL, Derek Rivers
WR, Andre Roberts
DB, Bradley Roby, #21
OL, Max Scharping, #74
DB, Tremon Smith
OL, Jordan Steckler
OL, Lane Taylor
QB, Tyrod Taylor
DL, Vincent Taylor
LB, Joe Thomas
DB, Tavierre Thomas
OL, Cole Toner
OL, Laremy Tunsil, #78
DL, MeMarcus Walker
TE, Kahale Warring, #81
QB, Deshaun Watson, #4
LS, Jon Weeks #46
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.
