The Indianapolis Colts have pitched a novel idea to breathe life into the increasingly boring PAT kick. A team opting to attempt a two-point conversion instead of kicking would be awarded a 50-yard extra point try if the two-point conversion is successful. (LINK)
That would be interesting, but a loyal BGA reader has what might be an even better idea.
He suggests, with a nod toward rugby, that the extra point try have to be kicked directly up the field from where the touchdown is scored. (To give the offensive line room to set up properly the outside boundary for a PAT might be set halfway between the hash mark and the sideline on an experimental basis. After a trial period it could be moved closer to the sideline if the try still proves too easy.)
With this rule TDs scored down the middle would bring about today's run-of-the-mill PAT.
But a score on a fade to the left corner or a sweep to the right would make the kick a lot trickier.
The kicking team would have the option of choosing the yardline for the snap. Obviously, a tough angle would be made easier by a longer kick, but that would bring its own challenge.
What would the result be? More challenging kicks for sure, and a lot more to think about for coaches in tight games.
Do you throw the fade and risk getting six instead of seven? Do you put a little more emphasis on defending the middle of the field if you are up seven to lure your opponent into going for a touchdown that will result in a more difficult kick? Do you go for two because you scored in the corner and the kick is going to be difficult? Do you try to score up the middle to make the kick easier or on one side of the field because your kicker is more accurate from that side?
It's an interesting idea that is fun to think about, but a long shot to ever make it to the rules committee because it's probably too revolutionary.
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The Princeton women's basketball team and former Dartmouth star and assistant coach Courtney Banghart saw their undefeated dream season come to an end last night with an 85-70 loss at No. 1 Maryland.
Although the Tigers faded in the second half they gave as good as they got for much of the game, repeatedly taking the Terrapins to the basket in the first half while also winning the rebounding battle. In the end it was a fabulous shooting night by Maryland (12-for-20 from outside the arc and 53.4 percent from the field on the game) that made the difference.
