Well, folks, if you ever watched a football game, especially an NFL one, you might have noticed them kicking that extra point after a touchdown. Now, you might be wonderin’ just how far they kick that ball and what all this “PAT” stuff means. Don’t worry, I’m gonna tell ya all about it, plain and simple, so ya won’t feel left out next time you’re watchin’ the game.
What is a PAT?
Now, a PAT stands for “Point After Touchdown.” That’s just a fancy way of sayin’ they get one more point after they score a touchdown, which is when they carry the ball across the goal line or catch it in the end zone. But they don’t get the point automatically! Nope, they gotta kick that ball through the goalposts or run it in or throw it in from the 2-yard line. Most of the time, it’s a kick, though.
Where Do They Kick From?
Now, here’s the thing: They don’t kick from right in front of the goalposts, like you might think. The ball’s actually put on the 15-yard line in the NFL, which makes it a little bit trickier than when it used to be at the 2-yard line before 2015. That’s a 33-yard kick, folks! That’s a little farther than just a regular extra point. Back in the day, it used to be a piece of cake, but now, it’s a bit more of a challenge.
Why the Change?
So, why’d they move it back? Well, the folks who run the NFL, they decided the extra point kicks were too easy, and too many of ‘em were goin’ in. So, they pushed it back to make the kick harder. Now, that kick doesn’t always go in—though, most of the time it does. In fact, kickers still make it about 95% of the time, but it’s not a sure thing like it used to be.
What Happens if They Don’t Make It?
If the kicker misses that extra point, well, that’s a shame, but they still don’t lose the touchdown! They just don’t get the extra point, that’s all. The game keeps goin’ on, and they’ll just have to live with that miss.
What About Run or Pass for the PAT?
Now, I know what you’re thinkin’—can’t they just run the ball or pass it in for the extra point instead of kickin’ it? Well, yup, they can! If the team decides to run or throw the ball from the 2-yard line, they can get 2 points instead of 1. That’s called a “two-point conversion,” and it’s a little riskier, but it’s worth it if you wanna go for the extra points.
How Often Do They Miss?
It doesn’t happen much, but it does happen. A good kicker in the NFL is gonna make that extra point most of the time, but in 2015, we saw a big miss in the AFC Championship Game when Gostkowski, the kicker for the New England Patriots, missed his first extra point in a long, long time. Can you believe it? A streak of over 500 successful kicks came to an end. That just shows you, even the best of the best can miss sometimes!
Conclusion
So there ya have it! The PAT in the NFL is a 33-yard kick, and it happens after a touchdown. It’s a bit harder now than it used to be, thanks to rule changes. But most of the time, those kicks go right through the uprights. And if a team wants, they can try to run or pass it in from the 2-yard line for 2 points instead of 1. Ain’t that somethin’? Just remember, no matter what, after a touchdown, you’re always gonna see that extra point try, one way or another!
Tags：[NFL, Extra Point, PAT, NFL Kicks, Football Rules, 33 Yard Kick, Touchdown, NFL Extra Point Miss, Two-Point Conversion, NFL Kicker]
