Not sure if I like the new NFL rule for just backing up the distance...still fairly automatic...pretty much takes away the chance of any fake out of kick formation...and you could possibly see increased injuries to the blockers and rushers involved in these longer attempts.
I thought of a couple of other changes that might add to the interest of the mundane PAT kicks more effectively:
1). Make a "position player" kick PAT's and only allow specialist on FG's (most every team could probably find a pretty reliable position player on their existing roster who could be a pretty reliable PAT kicker with a little practice...not 99.9% accurate but avoiding the "automatic" is exactly the point).
George Blanda, Frank Gifford, or Lou Michaels anyone?
2). Make the "DROP KICK" mandatory on any PAT kicks.
Jim Thorpe was the master of this back in the day...and Doug Flutie did this in the last NFL game he ever played in 2006 and it was the first successful NFL "drop kick" since 1941.
It's a "lost art" but teams could find athlete's who could do it if their hand was forced.
With today's modern shaped NFL ball it might be more of a crap shoot (although playing field surfaces are certainly much better today than back then).
Either way...these changes would cause TREMENDOUS intrigue in the PAT and also likely encourage more 2 point attempts...but would this necessarily be a BAD thing?
I think both of the above ideas would add more interest and drama to the PAT kick than the new rule of just backing up the distance.
It might also get Pro Football back closer to it's roots rather than drawing father away from them.
Thoughts?
I thought of a couple of other changes that might add to the interest of the mundane PAT kicks more effectively:
1). Make a "position player" kick PAT's and only allow specialist on FG's (most every team could probably find a pretty reliable position player on their existing roster who could be a pretty reliable PAT kicker with a little practice...not 99.9% accurate but avoiding the "automatic" is exactly the point).
George Blanda, Frank Gifford, or Lou Michaels anyone?
2). Make the "DROP KICK" mandatory on any PAT kicks.
Jim Thorpe was the master of this back in the day...and Doug Flutie did this in the last NFL game he ever played in 2006 and it was the first successful NFL "drop kick" since 1941.
It's a "lost art" but teams could find athlete's who could do it if their hand was forced.
With today's modern shaped NFL ball it might be more of a crap shoot (although playing field surfaces are certainly much better today than back then).
Either way...these changes would cause TREMENDOUS intrigue in the PAT and also likely encourage more 2 point attempts...but would this necessarily be a BAD thing?
I think both of the above ideas would add more interest and drama to the PAT kick than the new rule of just backing up the distance.
It might also get Pro Football back closer to it's roots rather than drawing father away from them.
Thoughts?
