NFL teams going for 2 at record-setting rate

Never before have NFL teams gone for 2-point conversions as often as y have this season, even if decision sometimes has backfired.

58 attempts through six weeks are most at this juncture of season since NFL opted 2-point conversion in 1994.

Going for 2 was a big part of story line from this past weekend.

Houston interim coach Romeo Crennel me unconventional move to go for 2 after scoring a touchdown to take a 36-29 le over Tennessee on Sunday.

Deshaun Watson’s pass fell incomplete and Titans drove for tying score in closing seconds, forcing overtime with an extra point rar than being forced to go for 2. Tennessee won game with a touchdown on opening drive of overtime.

Washington coach Ron Rivera also me decision to go for 2 after scoring a TD with 43 seconds left, cutting Giants le to 20-19. Kyle Allen’s pass fell incomplete and Washington lost.

While those failures were teworthy, teams have h decent success so far this season, converting half of chances, slightly higher than 47% conversion rate from previous 20 seasons.

DEFENSIVE STAND: Defense stepped up across league this past week with 47.4 combined points scored per game lowest of any week this season. total is four points below aver from first five weeks and a possible sign that defenses are finally starting to catch up to offenses after a record-setting scoring start to season.

HAPLESS JETS: Jets are sixth team in Super Bowl era to start season 0-6 with every loss by more than eight points. y joined Jacksonville (2013), Cincinnati (2000), Indianapolis (1991), Houston (1984) and Buffalo (1971).

Jets are averaging just 12.5 ppg this season while league aver is at 25.5. last team to score less than half league aver for a whole season was 2000 Browns, who averd 10.1 ppg when league was at 20.7

TD RECORDS: Tom Bry connected with Rob Gronkowski on a TD pass for first time since two teamed up in Tampa Bay. It was 91st career TD between duo, including postseason. only duos with more are Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison with 114 and Steve Young and Jerry Rice with 92.

TD was 555th of Bry’s career in regular season, one behind New Orleans’ Drew Brees for most in NFL history.

UNDEFEATED SHOWDOWN: When Tennessee (5-0) hosts Pittsburgh (5-0) it will mark sixth time in Super Bowl era that two undefeated teams played in Week 7 or later. In previous five showdowns, winner went on to Super Bowl with New England (2004) and Denver (2015) winning title. Patriots won two of those games in 2007 and Minnesota won in 1973 before losing Super Bowl.

COMEBACK KIDS: Colts were latest team to overcome a big deficit, rallying from 21 points down to beat Bengals 31-27 on Sunday. y were first team since Kansas City in 2016 opener vs. Chargers to win a game y trailed by at least 21 points. In all, at least one team each week has rallied from at least 16 points down to win a game this season. re have been 19 games in which a team overcame a double-digit deficit to win, tied with 2011 for most ever after six weeks.

___

More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL