This season, NFL teams are struggling with two-point conversions. After 30 years of the rule being part of the game, teams are only making 31.3% of these attempts, down from 55.1% last year.
Take the Baltimore Ravens, for example. They were in a tough spot, trailing the Pittsburgh Steelers 18-16 with just over a minute left. They drove 69 yards for a touchdown, and everyone expected them to go for a two-point conversion to tie the game. But Pittsburgh, anticipating a quick pass, called a timeout. After the reset, the Ravens tried again, but quarterback Lamar Jackson’s desperation pass fell incomplete.
That’s just one example, but the trend this season is clear: defenses are doing a great job stopping these conversions. As of Week 11, NFL teams have only made 26 out of 83 two-point attempts. Last season, that number was much higher, with teams hitting 55.1% of the time.
So, what’s going on? Defenses seem to be more prepared than ever to stop these attempts. On Jackson’s failed two-pointer, Pittsburgh’s Joey Porter Jr. made a great play, forcing Jackson to run out of bounds. That kind of defense is becoming more common across the league.
Two-point conversions were introduced in 1994, and initially, they seemed like an easy way to add excitement. Back then, it was common to see teams use their big guys to charge through for the extra point. But over time, defenses adapted, and teams became more strategic about when to go for two instead of just kicking the extra point.
For a while, two-point attempts were on the rise. But this season, things have taken a sharp turn. Teams are trying fewer two-pointers, and a lot of them aren’t succeeding. In fact, half the NFL teams have yet to convert one this season. The New York Giants haven’t made any, and the Tennessee Titans haven’t even tried one.
Some coaches, like the Giants’ Brian Daboll, say they feel good about their two-point plays, but defenses are just stopping them. And that’s what’s happening across the league. Defenses are more prepared, and offenses are struggling to find the right plays.
Even though teams are shying away from two-point attempts this season, they’ve had some big moments in the past. Remember Super Bowl LI, when the New England Patriots used two-point conversions to come back from a huge deficit and win the game in overtime? Those kinds of moments show just how important these conversions can be.
The NFL did make some changes to the rules in 2015, including moving the extra-point line back, which made teams more likely to go for two. And while the two-point play isn’t being used as much this season, that doesn’t mean it’s going away. It still keeps games exciting and can change the course of a game, just like it almost did in the Ravens-Steelers matchup.
Defenses may have the upper hand right now, but as teams adjust, we might see more successful two-point conversions again. Or maybe the NFL will tweak the rules once more. Only time will tell.
