Do You Go for Two?

Adam “Hot for” Teicher and Jason Unfit-lock both were very critical after the game of Herm’s decision to go for a two-point conversion after the Chiefs scored their fourth quarter touchdown, putting them up 12-7:

Teicher:

Herm Edwards joined the Chiefs with a reputation for making strange game-day decisions. None in his time with the Chiefs was stranger than his decision to have his team try for two points after a fourth-quarter touchdown Sunday against the Raiders at the Oakland Coliseum. The Chiefs took a 12-7 lead on Larry Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run with 11 1/2 minutes left. Having Dave Rayner kick the extra point would have meant two Oakland field goals would have tied but not beaten the Chiefs.

Whitlock:

But most troubling was Edwards’ decision to go for two points after the Chiefs scored a go-ahead TD with 11 minutes, 30 seconds to play. Johnson’s 1-yard plunge made the score 12-7. Given how poorly Oakland’s offense had performed, the smart, easy decision was to kick the extra point, which would force Oakland to kick two field goals to tie. There was no reason to think the Raiders could score another TD. Their running game had given them nothing. Daunte Culpepper had been inconsistent and inaccurate at best. What the Chiefs wanted to avoid was bringing kicker Sebastian Janikowski into the picture as a potential game-winner.

I’ve honestly searched my soul for the last 15 hours, trying to contemplate why this was such a bad move. Think about it– 12-7 early in the fourth after scoring a touchdown. Three things can happen now:

• Attempt and make an extra point — Chiefs 13, Raiders 7.
• Attempt and make a two-point conversion — Chiefs 14, Raiders 7.
• Fail at either a one- or two-point conversion –Chiefs 12, Raiders 7.

Now, according to each and every one of the 36,800,000 2 point conversion charts on Google, when ahead by 5 points, you go for two. It’s like a law. Up to this point, Dante Culpepper’s QB rating was a strong 103.7 after putting up 80 yards and 7 points in 51 seconds. Who’s to say that Oakland can’t put up another TD immediately after the Chiefs kicked off? Or, another way to look at it…

All I’m saying is that in my coaching experience (limited to Madden 2005 and NCAA 2007, available at fine retailers throughout the greater Kansas City area), you follow the rules of the two-point conversion chart, even if the opponent hasn’t shown much of an offensive spark all day. Please, someone explain to me the logic in not making it a one-possession game.

• Edwards’ two-point gamble unsuccessful (via KansasCity.com)
• Chiefs remain a mystery (via KansasCity.com)
• Norm Hitzges Two-point conversion chart