NFL teams have gone for a two-point conversion 59 times this year through seven weeks and have converted 34 (a 58 percent success rate), according to Pro Football Reference.
Given the new rules that seem to favor offenses and the not-so-sure-thing of a 33-yard extra point, should teams be going for two even more regardless of the score?
First take: Michael Rand
Well, the short answer is yes.
I know some (and probably still most) coaches are hesitant to eschew what is still a high likelihood of one point in search of two, but if the current conversion trend continues, it will simply be bad math to adhere to the status of kicking by default.
While teams have gone for two 59 times, they've kicked 528 times this year, making 501 (95 percent). Had they gone for two each time and made them at the aforementioned 58 percent rate, they would have scored 107 more points than they had by kicking.
Obviously there are other factors in play, such as wind, relative strength of an offense and defense and even an intangible like momentum, but if you are a good offensive team playing with confidence, you should be going for two more often than you kick.
Vikings writer Andrew Krammer: The answer is absolutely yes.