The NFL moved the extra point distance back ahead of the 2015 season for two reasons: the previous two-yard line setup had a 99.3% success rate, and try to encourage more teams to go for two. While the two-point conversion hasn’t taken off, the priority of kicking is clearer than ever.
Brett Maher was 1-for-5 on extra points last night in a Cowboys 31-14 win, so they were really inconsequential. But Maher missed each of his first four attempts and his last attempt of the regular season. Was that performance an anomaly or does it actually set him up for success?
It invokes another remarkably yip-y performance. October 7th, 2018, in Detroit. Mason Crosby. The Green Bay kicker missed his first four field goals and an extra point! He finally nailed his last kick from 41 yards to finish a 1-for-6 day, but lost 31-23, truly the difference in the loss.
Here’s where it gets crazy. The next week, Crosby went seven-for-seven on field goals and extra points, including the game winner as time expired. The opponent? The San Francisco 49ers.
Since that day for Crosby has made 96% of his extra points and 86% of his field goals. So maybe Maher owes a call to Crosby, he’s the only one who knows what he’s going through.
