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Dallas Cowboys: Dan Bailey’s Job Just Got A Little Tougher

By Brian Martin

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For Dallas Cowboys fans, and for many others across the league, extra point attempts after touchdowns are nothing more than a formality.

In hopes of making the point after attempts a little bit more interesting, the NFL owners approved the Competition Committee’s proposal on the matter for the 2015 season.

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The new rule was approved at the leagues’ Spring League Meeting and was decided by a 30-2 vote by the owners.

Extra point attempts will now be kicked from the 15-yard line with two-point conversions remaining at the two yard line. The new rule also gives the defense the ability to score two points on returns.

Under the previous rule the ball was dead on a failed try. Now with the rule change, if the defense returns a blocked extra point or a failed two-point try after a touchdown, they will be awarded two points.

So, how does this new rule have an impact on the Cowboys and especially their kicker, Dan Bailey?

Well, what this new rule means is that Bailey will now have to attempt extra points  from approximately the 30-yard line since the ball will now be placed on the 15-yard line for the extra point attempts.

Personally, I’m not really a fan of this new rule. I think I would’ve actually preferred the league narrowing the goal post instead, like they did for the 2014 Pro Bowl.

I just think that if the NFL wanted to make the extra point attempt little bit more interesting, since kickers have become more accurate, then they should of made it a little more challenging.

Bailey in fact is among the league’s most accurate kickers to play the game.

On October 12, 2014, he became the most accurate kicker in NFL history with a 48 yard made field goal in the first quarter of the Cowboys eventual 30-23 victory over the Seattle Seahawks.

Let that sink in for just a minute.

Out of all of the kickers to ever play the game, an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State is the most accurate kicker to ever play.

That’s pretty impressive, to say the least.

I would actually say that that’s money well spent by the Cowboys.

The Cowboys organization and Bailey agreed upon a new seven-year contract in January 2014. His new contract is worth $22.5 million with a $4 million signing bonus and a total of $6.6 million in guaranteed money.

Bailey’s job and those of the rest of the kickers in the NFL might have become a little bit more difficult with the new point after attempt rule. But I for one am not worried about #5.

Since joining the league in 2011, Bailey has never missed an extra point attempt and I have faith that he will continue that streak.

I have been impressed time and again with the way he’s able to focus and make an accurate kick when it’s most needed.

In fact, my favorite Bailey moment was when he missed a potential game-winning 53-yard field goal against the Houston Texans to end regulation. In doing so, he ended his franchise record streak of 30 consecutive field goals and sent the game into overtime. He then won the game with a game-winning 49-yard field goal.

Can you imagine the emotional roller coaster he had to go through knowing that he could have ended the game in regulation and that his consecutive streak ended?

It takes more than just talent to accomplish something like that.

The new point after attempt rule change might have an impact on some teams around the NFL, but I don’t see America’s Team being one of them.

Bailey may become the best kicker to ever play the game and that is one of the reasons why I don’t foresee him have any problems when it comes to kicking the ball through the uprights.

Do you foresee any trouble that Dan Bailey might have with the new rule change?

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