When the Vikings somehow scored a last-second touchdown against the Saints in the playoffs, the game was over. Unless it wasn’t.
Both teams had to return to the field and line up a total of 22 players for a meaningless extra point. Ultimately (and to the chagrin of anyone who had the Vikings giving 5.5 points), the Vikings took a knee, winning the game by five.
The proposed rule changes made by the Competition Committee for next week’s league meetings include a provision that would eliminate the requirement that teams gather for that meaningless extra point after a walk-off touchdown. It’s a smart move, for three reasons.
First, it really is meaningless, making it a waste of everyone’s time. Second, it gives the players one last chance to injure each other, possibly fueled by the frustration the comes from losing the game on a last-second play. Third, it removes any discretion that could be exercised by a coach to kick or not kick the extra point.
With gambling likely soon to be legalized, the NFL needs to be extra sensitive to any possible sources of suspicion regarding them motivation of coaches to make decisions that would impact not the outcome of the game but the outcome of the spread. If a coach chooses to take a knee when one more point would cover, what will people say? If a coach chooses to kick the meaningless extra point and cover, what will people say?
The proposed rule wipes that issue out completely for game-winning touchdowns. In fact, the league should extend this rule to all touchdowns scored with no time left on the clock, if the extra point (or two) would have no impact on the outcome of the game. Regardless of the outcome of the game, that point or two can still impact the spread.
