Get Rid of the Field Goal?

[ocelot]

How many of you hate the fact that a football game fought hard in the trenches is so often decided by a field goal play?

How about this proposal? Get rid of them altogether. It isn't even football really to have a game decided by this special play that has nothing to do with the rest of the game's skills.

Here is a suggestion instead. Give a team points based on where they end their drive. Between 0-10 yard line 4 pts, 10-20 yard line 3 pts, 20-30 yard line 1 point or something like that. Then you would get a lot better correlation between a team's yardage gained and points scored.

I think this would add more strategy then it would take away. Say you are on the opponent's 15 yard line and down by 3 points with a 4th down and 8 to go. Do you run the ball and protect the 3 points or risk putting it in the air for the 4 points if you can gain at least 5 yards and possibly the 1st down? But if you drop back to pass and get sacked you could get only 1 point and hand the ball over.

Any thoughts?

 

[pacerfan]

Give 'ol Vince McMahon a call...I think he could've used you for his popular XFL attempt.

 

[UT-Longhorn]

I like it, as ive won MORE off the last min FG than lost......its part of the game, like gloves in boxing......just wouldnt be the same........

 

[UT-Longhorn]

instead of eliminating FG's, what about 5 tries instead of 4? Not that my thoughts matter to the NFL

 

[ocelot]

Hey, you wouldn't even need the goal posts anymore.

I guess the downside is that drunken frat brats couldn't tear 'em down anymore though.

Well, they could leave a ceremonial paper mache one in place instead.

 

[dogface]

How about adding more value to longer FG's...

0-15 Yards: 1 pt
16-35 Yards: 2 pts
36-49 Yards: 3 pts
50-59 Yards: 4 pts
60+ Yards: 6 points

Anyone that can kick it that far without a tee, in an NFL game deserves 6 points!

TSI

 

[ocelot]

That would be okay but then they might start building entire teams around the FG kicker. Remember Jim Mora and the Saints of the mid-late 80s? They would try to sit on a 7 pt lead for 3 quarters cuz they had Morten Anderssen(sp?).

Imagine 2 cannon legs duelling it out with 50 yard FGs while the 2 offenses keep playing to get them in position. Actually, that kind of happens now.

 

[Brick]

Football wouldn't be a very appropriate name then I guess.

 

[the_fix_is_on]

I like the idea of no fieldgoals and no goalposts. That's how we played when I was a kid. How many pick-up games have goalposts? When you think about it, fieldgoals are pretty strange, campared to the rest of the game. Why not have a golf hole in the endzone. "O.K. ladies and gentlemen, it looks like the Dolphins are within sandwedge range at the 42 yard line. Fred Funk is on the field. He is lining it up. He needs to get the ball within 15 feet of the flag. He swings. . .he makes solid contact. . .nice follow through. . . it's on its way. . .it could be. . .IT'S GOOD!!!! THE DOLPHINS WIN!!!
It's just about as idiotic as having a kicker come on the field.
The name 'Football' would have to go though. Actually, I think you could eliminate the "ball" part altogether. Just give it a new name, like "Spike" TV. Call it "Crunch"...or "Smear". . . that was a variation on football we played when I was a kid. It pretty much describes the style of play. Whoever had the ball got smeared.
I say get rid of the fieldgoal, call the game "Smear", and eliminate 3 point spreads. All in favor, say aye!

 

[loungelizard]

how about if you hit anyone of the uprights you get 4 points, if you hit the crossbar you get 5 points, a new challenge for the kicking game.

LL