Tuesday, May 19, 2015

NFL kicks up rare score chances with new PAT rules

As I wrote in one of my sports lists for CBS Los Angeles, there were five scores recorded (out of 256 games) for the first time in the NFL during the 2014 season. Based on Tuesday's 30-2 vote among NFL team owners to approve changes to the point-after rules, you can expect a lot more than five new combinations next season.

As anyone who has bought a square in a football pool knows, 0, 3 and 7 are the numbers to get. Yeah, a 4 is not terrible and a 1 can eventually work, but because of the combination of touchdowns and field goals it should be no surprise that the most common score in NFL history is 20-17, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com.

But with Tuesday's vote there will be a major paradigm shift: The point-after kick with the line of scrimmage at the 15 lines up with something like 91 percent accuracy for kickers, so there will be a few more chances for a 6 rather than a 7. Also, allowing the defense to return blocked kicks, interceptions and fumbles on the point-after try means the occasional 2 sneaking its way in. (And don't even ask about 1-point safeties, although I hope the NFL notices that little college rule.)

All told, I wouldn't be surprised to see the NFL's first 14-8 game next season. Or 32-19. Or 35-29.

I particularly like the NFL adding the 2-point defensive score on PAT tries. They very rarely happen in college, but when they do it really shakes things up.

Overall, I like the changes, even if the Redskins were one of the two teams to vote against them. I certainly don't think they can play worse under the new rules than they have in the past few years..