NFL will likely change the extra point rules

“If it ain’t broke,” right? Not so much when it comes to the NFL who is always tinkering with its rules, despite owning the sports landscape in America. There will always be new rules, and a need for new rules,

The NFL has already changed the game when they adopted the “everyone deserves a chance,” overtime rules, but fortunately, those rules don’t effect the game very often. Now however, the league is looking at making a move that will fundamentally change the game forever.

Nobody wants to one day explain to their children why NFL scores look like Arena League scores because the league just couldn’t leave well enough alone. No, the proposed rule changes to the extra point procedure won’t have teams scoring as if they’re playing on a 50-yard field, but how long until one rule change to the scoring system leads to something as foolish as the proposed “9-point touchdown” that was floated this week?

If you missed it, some of the proposed options include doing away with the extra point completely and having a 2-point attempt after every touchdown, to narrowing of the goal posts, to allowing teams to choose between a 2-point conversion from the 1 ½ yard line, or an extra point from the 15.

While all of these options are viable, the NFL should think twice before changing something as fundamental to the game as its scoring system.

Vikings and Peterson digging in

It started out a little more subtly as Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson’s camp suggested that it might be difficult for Peterson to remain with the team after the way they and the city of Minnesota reacted to his suspension and legal troubles last year.

This week, things became even clearer as to where Peterson stood on returning to the team that drafted him when his team released a statement that made his stance perfectly clear.

Peterson’s agent Ben Dogra made the less-than-shocking announcement in just four words when he told USA Today, “We want out of Minnesota.”

“I don’t think it’s in Adrian’s best interest to play in Minnesota,” Dogra said while attending the NFL annual meetings in Arizona. “Why would it be?”

The Vikings have been pretty clear about where they stand with Peterson, and to this point, they seem determined to keep him in the fold. Whether it’s general manager Rick Spielman, head coach Mike Zimmer or co-owner and President Mark Wilf, the Vikings have stated time and again that they expect Peterson to be in purple in 2015.

“He’s under contract and we expect him to honor it,” Zimmer stated at the NFL owners meetings.

Wilf was clear in his word that he expects Peterson back as well.

“The bottom line is Adrian is an important part of the Minnesota Vikings,” Wilf said. “He’s represented us on and off the field. We’re getting ready for the 2015 season and we fully expect him to join his teammates and be a part of what we feel is going to be a great season ahead.”

Whether or not Peterson suits up for the Vikings in September will remain to be seen, but it’s becoming pretty obvious that if there’s a divorce, it will likely be a very ugly one.

Jets file tampering charges against New England over Revis

Somewhere Alanis Morissette is sitting back thinking about how ironic it is that the New York Jets are now filing tampering charges against the New England Patriots over Darrelle Revis, don’t you think?

Before free agency began, the Patriots filed tampering charges against the Jets after owner Woody Johnson famously stated how we would love to have Revis return to the Jets.

Johnson and the Jets clearly took offense to the tampering charges as they’ve retaliated by levying tampering charges against the Patriots this week after Bob Kraft commented on the Patriots wanting Revis to stay in New England.

“I speak as a fan of the New England Patriots, we wanted to keep him,” Kraft said at the owners meetings in Arizona.

This tit-for-tat silliness has been going on between the Jets and Patriots for a long time, and it won’t likely end soon. It’s uncertain whether the league should respond to this child play by penalizing teams who waste the league’s time with such clear tomfoolery, or if they should just allow the rest of us to enjoy the childish show.

Maybe the Jets incredible offseason will make the games on the field as entertaining as the crap-slinging off of it.