Kubiak Believes that 2 pt conversion will increase in value from the PAT rule changes made by NFL

Posted by Michael David Smith on Pro Football Talk of NBC Sports 

+Getty Images

Does the +NFL's new rule moving extra point kicks back 13 yards make much of a difference to how teams assemble their rosters?

It does according to Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who sees NFL teams signing players specifically for their ability to score on two-point conversions.

“I think there [are] going to be two-point specialists from the standpoint of how you go about doing it. Coaching, those are things that you work on,” Kubiak said, via +Lindsay H. Jones of +USA TODAY Sports. “You probably practice those things during camp. It’s not very much and, all of a sudden, it becomes part of the game. That’s a big part of practice. It’s going to change the way you go about doing things. I know that.”

The player most often named as a potential two-point specialist is Tim Tebow, whose presence on the +Philadelphia Eagles' roster has some thinking that Chip Kelly must have some two-point conversion tricks up his sleeve.

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NFL Owners vote 30-2 to move the PAT back to the 15 yard line as well as a couple other wrinkles

SAN FRANCISCO -- As expected, NFL owners on Tuesday voted 30-2 to approve a change in the rule governing extra points after touchdowns

BREAKING: @NFL PAT kicks have been moved to the 15-yard line & two-point conversions stay at the 2. Defenses can return for two points.

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 19, 2015

The owners considered three proposals but ultimately approved a rule change endorsed by the competition committee. The new rule pushes the kick back to the 15-yard line and leaves the two-point conversion at the 2-yard line.

It also makes the play "live," meaning the defense could return a blocked kick or a turnover on a two-point play for two points.

The New England Patriots proposed snapping the ball from the 15 for a one-point kick or placing the ball at the 2-yard line for a two-point try. According to the Patriots' proposal, a team's choice was not final and was subject to change following a timeout or penalty.

The Philadelphia Eagles proposed snapping from the 15 for the kick but moving the ball to the 1 for a two-point conversion. The Eagles also wanted the defense to be able to score points if it returned a turnover on the two-point conversion to the other end zone.

Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith pointed to the high rate of success of extra points as a reason for the change.

Washington and Oakland were the only teams to vote no. The rule change will be reviewed after one year.

NFL to move extra point tries to the 15-yard line in 2015 http://t.co/7bErrBCJ71

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 19, 2015

NFL place-kickers have converted at least 98 percent of their extra points since 2000. That figure has hovered above 99 percent since 2010, providing little incentive to go for two-point plays. Coaches attempted them after just 4.9 percent of touchdowns last season; they were converted at a rate of 47.5 percent.

There were 41 field goal attempts last season from 33 yards. Only two were missed. The conversion rate for 33-yard field goals over the past five seasons is 92.8 percent (154-of-166). Extra-point kicks are currently from the 2-yard line.

Although it has been proposed as a one-year rule to see how it plays out in 2015, Smith says the intent from the competition committee is that rule change stays a part of the game for the long haul.

"We tried to add some skill to the play, which is the reason why we moved it back to the 15," Smith said. "And then the other element is how do we create a more exciting play? And so to give the defense an opportunity to score, it adds an element there, as well as obviously incentivizing teams to go for two.

"So our hope is what we've done is we've added skill to the play, and then we will also see some increase in the attempts to go for two. We just felt like it was a play that was almost a ceremonial play, the way it has languished here recently."

And Troy Vincent, in charge of NFL football operations, noted that placekickers can handle such an alteration. "The kicker's a skill position now,'' Vincent said. "We're not trying to take the foot out of the game.''

NFL kickers are not necessarily on board with the change.

"What did the NFL really accomplish?" said kicker Jay Feely, a 14-year NFL veteran, via Twitter. "It's still nearly automatic (90%vs 99%) but greater risk of injury to Oline."

I thought NFL was concerned about player safety? Those 60 plays will be much more dangerous for OLine now. https://t.co/IEQfEA3CXQ

— Jay Feely (@jayfeely) May 19, 2015

NFL vice president of football operations Troy Vincent acknowledged their concerns.

"The feedback that we got when we adjusted the field goal at the Pro Bowl didn't go over too well," Vincent said. "But they understand. The kicker is a skill position now. They are extremely accurate. We are not trying to remove the foot out of the game."

NFL officiating chief Dean Blandino said if conversion rate for PATs from 15 doesn't fall much below 99 percent, may move kicks back further

— Bob Glauber (@BobGlauber) May 19, 2015

LET'S GO BRONCOS! IT IS A MILE HIGH ORANGE SEASON!!

Vote Peyton Manning for FedEx Air Player of the Year

Vote for Peyton Manning on +NFL.com. Click on this link to get your vote out for the +Denver Broncos QB, NFL Record Setter, Peyton Manning:

Vote for FedEx Air & Ground Players of the year

Manning Unanimous All-Pro, Makes 7th Team (AP)

UDATED JAN 3, 2014 2:08 PM ET

NEW YORK (AP)
Peyton Manning has responded to a lost season the way he reacted to all of his great seasons.

By having more great seasons.

Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. It was his seventh time as a first-teamer, tying Hall of Famer Otto Graham for the most by a quarterback.

The Denver star set NFL records this season with 55 touchdown passes and 5,477 yards through the air.

Peyton Manning (18), QB of the +Denver Broncos 

He was chosen on all 50 ballots from media members who regularly cover the NFL. Manning also was an All-Pro for Indianapolis in 2003, '04, '05, '08 and '09 and last season made it as a Bronco. He's been on the All-Pro team in both seasons since missing 2011 after several neck surgeries. 

"I think it's well documented that this is the second chapter of my career, and didn't know what to expect off that injury and new team, new players and new physical state after an injury," said Manning, a four-time league MVP who never missed a pro start before 2011. "So I had no idea what to expect, and I've put a lot of time and a lot of hard work in to it. But I've received a lot of help along the way from coaches and trainers and strength coaches and teammates. So I'm very grateful."

Manning still has a ways to go to set the record for most All-Pro appearances at any position. Among the players ahead of him is Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice with 10.

New Orleans tight end Jimmy Graham and Indianapolis outside linebacker Robert Mathis each drew 49 votes. Philadelphia running back LeSean McCoy and Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman had 48.

Minnesota kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson was the only rookie on the squad.

Eighteen NFC players and nine from the AFC made the team. Carolina and Philadelphia each had three: linebacker Luke Kuechly, center Ryan Kalil and fullback Mike Tolbert for the Panthers; NFL rushing leader McCoy, guard Evan Mathis and tackle Jason Peters for the coach Chip Kelly's Eagles.

"Just when Chip came here, we knew we were going to run the ball," McCoy said. "The linemen, they've all been healthy this whole year. They've been blocking so well for me and without those guys, it's not possible."

Only two members of the top teams in each conference made the All-Pro team. Joining Manning from the Broncos (13-3) was guard Louis Vasquez. Joining Sherman from the Seahawks (13-3) was safety Earl Thomas.

"It is very special, especially in a special season," Sherman said. "If you're having a special season and your team has four wins or five wins, I'm sure it doesn't feel as good. But when your team is winning, your defense is No. 1 in every category and you're just contributing, you're not even trying to do anything special individually, you're just contributing to the entire group. It really feels special. And with the chance to do what we have a chance to do this year, it would be fantastic."

Unlike Sherman, many of the players chosen did not enjoy huge team success this season: 12 of the 27 failed to make the playoffs.

Rounding out the offense were receivers Calvin Johnson of Detroit and Josh Gordon of Cleveland; running back Jamaal Charles of Kansas City; and tackle Joe Thomas of Cleveland.

Other All-Pros on defense were ends J.J. Watt of Houston and Robert Quinn of St. Louis; tackles Gerald McCoy of Tampa Bay and Ndamukong Suh of Detroit; outside linebacker Lavonte David of Tampa Bay; inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman of San Francisco; cornerback Patrick Peterson of Arizona; and safety Eric Berry of Kansas City.

The special teamers were Patterson, kicker Justin Tucker of Baltimore and punter Johnny Hekker of St. Louis.

One of 15 first-time All-Pros, Kuechly was last season's Defensive Rookie of the Year.

"It's an individual award, but it's a representation of the team," he said. "You got to always remember that you have four guys in front of you. You got the other linebackers, the coaches and the DBs behind you that make everything possible."

Overall, 16 clubs were represented on the All-Pro team: Denver, Kansas City, Cleveland, Baltimore, Houston and Indianapolis in the AFC; Philadelphia, Carolina, Seattle, Detroit, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, Arizona, Minnesota and San Francisco in the NFC.