Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis believes the new procedurally changes to PATs this season will impact the AFC North division more than any other in football. This off-season, the NFL announced the extra-point will now be kicked from the 15-yard line with two-point conversions remaining at the 2-yard line. The new rule also gives the defense the ability to score two points on returns.
“I think our division is going to be affected by it more than any other in football,” Lewis told The Jim Rome Show. “Because all four teams are outside, we are all going to get bad weather at some point in the season, and I do think it’s going to play a big part.”
Lewis says there are some bonuses to the change, but stresses the change isn’t minor.
“I think adding the defense to score is a great opportunity, a good part of it,” says Lewis. “But I think moving the ball back, kicking the ball from the 15 yard line, which is virtually a 33-yard kick, you’re going to see quite a few missed PATs, more than people understand.”
The rule change has made Lewis adjust the way his team will practice.
“As coaches, we’re going to have to spend more time during Training Camp, during the week on both the offensive part of two point conversions and the defensive parts of two point conversions,” said Lewis.
Now entering his 13th season as Bengals head coach, Marvin discussed the change he’s seen in his quarterback Andy Dalton already.
“We have noticed a good change in Andy, an uptick in every area as far as his responsibilities and so forth,” Lewis told The Jim Rome Show. “I think the entire building has felt that and that’s what you want to have, this has been his football team now and he has got to be the leader for 24/7 and we’ve empowered him to do that, and he continues to accept that. He’s worked very hard this off-season to hone in on his craft and get better at what he does and then be able to go out there and push the other guys to be better at what they do.”
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