How to Score One Point in Football: The Extra Point and Beyond
In American football, scoring is the name of the game. While touchdowns get all the glory, those crucial extra points can often be the difference between a win and a loss. But what exactly constitutes scoring a single point in this exciting sport? The most common way, by far, is the extra point, also known as a point after touchdown (PAT). However, there's another, rarer, but equally valid way to achieve this singular score: the safety.
Let's break down each of these scoring opportunities in detail.
The Extra Point: The Bread and Butter of One-Point Scores
After a team scores a touchdown, which is worth six points, they are granted an opportunity to add more points to their total. This is where the extra point comes into play.
Two Ways to Attempt an Extra Point:
- The Kick: This is the most frequent and traditional method.
- The Setup: The ball is placed on the opponent's 2-yard line (in the NFL and college football). High school rules can vary, sometimes placing the ball further back. The offense sets up their kicking unit.
- The Snap: A player (the snapper) snaps the ball back to another player, typically the holder.
- The Hold: The holder catches the snapped ball and places it on the ground, often with a small kicking tee, in a position for the kicker.
- The Kick: The kicker then runs up and kicks the ball through the opponent's goalposts.
- The Result: If the ball successfully goes between the uprights and over the crossbar of the goalpost, the team is awarded one point.
- The Two-Point Conversion: While this is an attempt to score *two* points, it's still an option after a touchdown and is worth mentioning as the alternative to the kick.
- The Setup: The ball is placed on the opponent's 2-yard line (NFL and college).
- The Play: Instead of kicking, the offense attempts to run or pass the ball into the end zone, just as they would for a touchdown.
- The Result: If the offense successfully gets the ball into the end zone, they are awarded two points. If they fail, they get zero points.
Important Note: A successful extra point kick is worth 1 point. A successful two-point conversion play is worth 2 points. Teams can choose which attempt they want to make.
The decision to go for one point (the kick) or two points (the conversion play) is a strategic one, often dependent on the game situation, the team's strengths, and the opponent's weaknesses.
The Safety: A Defensive Score of One Point
While the extra point is an offensive play initiated after a touchdown, a safety is a defensive score that awards one point to the team on defense. It's a less common but significant way to earn a single point.
How a Safety Occurs:
A safety is awarded to the defensive team when the offensive team commits certain infractions or is unable to advance the ball out of their own end zone under specific circumstances. Here are the most common scenarios:
- Ball Carrier Tackled in Own End Zone: If a player with possession of the ball is tackled in their own end zone, a safety is called.
- Ball Goes Out of Bounds in Own End Zone: If the offensive player carrying the ball steps out of bounds in their own end zone, it's a safety.
- Offensive Foul in Own End Zone: If the offense commits a penalty within their own end zone, such as holding or intentional grounding, it can result in a safety.
- Ball Becomes Dead in Own End Zone: If the ball becomes dead in the offense's own end zone due to their own actions and not due to the defense forcing it there (e.g., a fumbled snap that rolls into the end zone and the offense recovers it there, or the ball is blocked and goes into the end zone and becomes dead), it's a safety.
- Punt or Kick Goes Out of Bounds in Own End Zone: If a punt or kickoff is touched by the receiving team and then goes out of bounds in their own end zone, it's a safety.
What Happens After a Safety?
When a safety is scored, the team that was scored upon must then perform a free kick from their own 20-yard line. This free kick is essentially a punt or a placekick, and the scoring team has the option to receive the ball.
"A safety is a crucial play that can shift momentum. It's a rare but impactful way to get a point on the board, and it also gives the scoring team possession of the ball." – Anonymous Football Analyst
Key Differences and When You See Them
The primary difference lies in the context of when these one-point scores occur:
- Extra Point: Always occurs immediately after a touchdown. It's an offensive opportunity to add to the six points already scored.
- Safety: Can occur at any point during the game when the offensive team is in possession of the ball and is unable to advance it out of their own end zone, or commits certain fouls there. It's a defensive score.
Understanding these two mechanisms for scoring one point is fundamental to appreciating the nuances of American football. While the extra point is a routine part of the game, a safety is a more exciting and often game-changing defensive victory.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How is an extra point different from a touchdown?
A touchdown is worth six points and is achieved by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone. An extra point is a separate, optional play that occurs *after* a touchdown, offering a chance to score one or two additional points.
Why would a team choose a two-point conversion over an extra point kick?
Teams opt for a two-point conversion when they feel the risk is worth the reward. This might be to tie the game late, take the lead, or if they have a particularly strong offensive play designed for short yardage against that specific defense. It's a higher-risk, higher-reward strategy.
Can you score one point by tackling someone in the field of play?
No, simply tackling an opponent in the field of play does not result in any points. Points are only awarded for specific scoring plays like touchdowns, extra points, safeties, or field goals. Tackling is a defensive action to prevent the offense from advancing.
What happens if a team misses an extra point?
If a team misses an extra point kick or fails to score on a two-point conversion attempt, they simply get zero points for that opportunity. The score remains as it was before the attempt.
