Thrills Galore With 2-Point Try
In hindsight, it’s clear that the NFL put in the 2-point conversion just in time.
If anything is contributing to the spate of close games this season, it’s the 2-pointer. And, occasionally, a coach gets bold with it.
Take Dave Wannstedt of the Chicago Bears, who lost his gamble Sunday. He decided against a game-tying extra point and lost 24-23 to the Green Bay Packers.
This is the fourth season the NFL has had the 2-pointer, which seems to be growing in impact.
How many times, for example, is a team down by eight points or 11 late in a game? In the past, a team trailing by 11 would be forced to score two touchdowns or a TD and two field goals. Now it could score a field goal and a touchdown and have a chance to tie. And if a team trailed by eight points, it would need a TD and a field goal. Now it just needs a touchdown for a chance to tie.
“It keeps fans in the seats,” said New York Giants general manager George Young, a proponent of the rule as co-chairman of the NFL competition committee. “That’s what we were thinking - eight and 11.” Wannstedt’s attempt was universally applauded within the league, although in an ESPN Internet survey, 63 percent of those answering said he should have played for the tie.
Otherwise: “At some point in time you have to make a stand,” the Packers’ Seth Joyner said.
“Here’s a team that’s 0-6. They’ve got an opportunity to tie the game and give our offense the ball back and give us a chance to kick a field goal and win the game. Or they can put up the points and try to secure a victory for themselves. If I was in Dave Wannstedt’s shoes, I’d go for two as well.”
Bryan Cox, the Bears’ outspoken and sometimes volatile linebacker, said, “I appreciate his thoughts. He went down swinging.”
Ross becoming Sanders fan
Detroit coach Bobby Ross doesn’t go very far out on the limb when he says it’s easier to coach a team that has Barry Sanders.
“It makes you look like a smart coach,” Ross said. “To have Barry in a game is a very comforting feeling because at any time something could happen. Any little small breakdown defensively, he has the speed, the acceleration and the vision to make that into something big.”
That something big was a 24-carry, 215-yard rushing performance capped by touchdown runs of 80 and 82 yards that led the Lions to a 27-9 victory over Tampa Bay.
One of the reasons Sanders may have appeared to struggle in the first two games of the season (25 carries for 53 yards) was that Ross was still learning how the magic of Barry Sanders works. He might be stopped for a loss or no gain on several plays and then break off a 25-yard run on his next carry.
“In the first two ballgames we weren’t very patient because we felt like we were struggling in the running game, but we should have stayed with it longer,” Ross said.
Ross has obviously learned his lesson about Sanders’ running style. He’s also learned about Sanders as a person.
“Barry’s such a humble guy. He is a true professional. Barry’s down there blocking for our receivers. He doesn’t take it negatively if you say something. He just listens. He’s great. If you go out here, he’s the first one out there to run, he’s the last one to leave running-wise. It’s been very, very enjoyable,” Ross said.
Bucs use break to regroup
The spark from a five-game winning streak is gone, and so is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ lead in the NFC Central.
The Bucs (5-2) dropped into a tie with Green Bay and Minnesota for the division lead after their second straight loss Sunday. Now, they’ll use this week’s open date to try to regain their winning edge.
“It’s probably coming at a good time to get some of our guys healed up and let us step back and examine what we were doing well at the beginning of the year,” coach Tony Dungy said.
Wuerffel to start for Saints
Danny Wuerffel stepped in for Heath Shuler in the second half of the New Orleans-Atlanta game and rallied the Saints to their only two touchdowns of the game. It wasn’t enough to win, but coach Mike Ditka was impressed, naming Wuerffel the starter Sunday against Carolina.
“The time has come,” Ditka said. “This is a decision I made and we’re going to stick with him for the time being and see what happens.”
Around the league
The Miami Dolphins released wide receiver Fred Barnett a week after the veteran wide receiver lost his starting job.
The St. Louis Rams released rookie punter Will Brice and signed veteran punter Mike Horan.