Extra point

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

In American and Canadian football, the extra point, point after touchdown, or PAT is the act of lining up to kick, as in a field goal, immediately following a touchdown. If the kick goes through the uprights, the team gets an additional point for their touchdown, bringing their total for that score to 7.

If more points are needed or desired, a two-point conversion may be attempted instead of the extra point kick.

In the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, the play is over once the attempt fails. In many other levels of football, including American college football, the play continues until the ball is otherwise dead. This allows the defense to recover the ball and return it to the opponent's end zone for two points.

In the NFL, the scrimmage for point after touchdown takes place from the two-yard line. In college football, it is from the three-yard line. In the CFL it is from the five-yard line.

In the NFL, the attempt for extra point(s) is required after a touchdown scored during the regulation (i.e., not overtime) game, because points-for and points-against are used in some tie-breakers in the standings. Rarely, this can result in such an attempt having to be made at the end of the game when it cannot change the outcome of the game. If the game is in sudden death overtime, the extra-point attempt is omitted if the winning score is a touchdown.

[edit] External links

• History of the point(s) after touchdown.