In light of NFL owners voting 30-2 to approve pushing the extra point kick back to the 15-yard line, the ESPN Stats & Information crew analyzed the two-point conversion success rate for teams in 2014.
Theoretically, the increased difficulty in kicking extra points from 32 or 33 yards may cause teams to attempt more two-point conversions from the 2-yard line next season.
Believe it or not, the 5-11 Chicago Bears went 5-for-5 in two-point conversion attempts last year, the highest success rate in the NFL. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings tied for second place, converting 4-of-4 two-point conversions.
Digging deeper into the Bears’ five two point-conversions, four of the five successful attempts (80 percent) were designed passing plays.
But this is not a feelgood story.
Sadly, even a positive statistic from the Marc Trestman era can be spun to a negative.
Sure, the Bears hit on 5-of-5 two-point conversions, but four of the attempts occurred late in horrific blowout losses to the New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints.
Even the Bears’ lone two-point conversion in a winning effort (against Atlanta) comes with some tiny baggage. The only reason Chicago elected to go for two points following a Matt Forte 9-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run in the Georgia Dome is because the Bears had an extra point blocked in the third quarter.
Just another reminder of how nothing came easy for the Bears under Trestman.
Here is the full list of the Bears’ 2014 two-point conversions:
Oct. 12 @Atlanta: Jay Cutler to Martellus Bennett
Oct. 20 @ New England: Cutler to Dante Rosario
Oct. 20 @ New England: Cutler to Forte
Dec. 4 vs. Dallas: Forte run
Dec. 15 vs. New Orleans: Cutler to Bennett