Football Basics – Two Point Conversion

Previously on Mother and Son Sports we discussed scoring and the different ways that a football team can score points. The two point conversion is one of the less talked about scoring plays and something you don’t see everyone game.

The two point conversion occurs when the offensive team scores a touchdown and chooses to go for two points instead of kicking the field goal. In the NFL (National Football League) the ball is lined up on the two yard line and the offensive team gets one chance to get the ball into the opposing teams end zone.

You may be wondering, why go for two when a one point kick is practically a guarantee. Typically this decision is part of an overall strategy, the Coach may be trying to get the points to be down only by a field goal or touchdown, meaning it is now a one score game. A two point conversion chart invented by Coach Dick Vermeil in the 1970’s is still utilized by coaches today to determine whether to go for one or two.

The two point conversion can be a very exciting scoring opportunity and usually has a big impact on the overall result of the game. If you really want to impress your son, daughter, family or friends become familiar with the two point conversion chart and next time the game is on take the opportunity to yell “they should go for two”!

by Stacey Atkinson

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