Chip Kelly still says kicking long extra point better than going for two

Chip Kelly repeated it several times–the difference between the rate of missed kicks from the 15-yardline (the new position for extra points during the 2015 NFL season) as compared with the old position.

It’s just threepercent.

Just three percent less points after touchdown will likely be converted next season if the numbers remain the same.

“They didn’t move the ball up,” the coach said. “I don’t think there is anything to entice us. The ball has been on the 2‑yard line for the longest time. So just look at the statistics on trying to get a two‑point play; if they wanted to encourage us to go for two, then they should have moved where we were going from two from, but it’s always been at [the 2-yard line].

“I’m not hanging my hat on three percent. It’s three percent on extra points and it drops down to under 50 percent on two‑point plays.”

What prompted the question during Kelly’s press conference Tuesday was the fact that Pro Bowl kicker Cody Parkeymissed an extra point, something he didn’t do in 54 tries last season.

It was also brought to the coach’s attention that several other placekickers had missed extra points during the first week of the preseason. But Kelly shrugged that mere fact off as being from too small a sample size.

And another factor still, is the possibility of Tim Tebow being the Eagles No. 3 quarterback. A player who has been described by Kelly as being like a “Swiss army knife” for his ability to run and pass, he is a big guy, at 6-foot-3, 245 pounds. His size and speedcould make him a great weapon in the two-point conversion game.

But Kelly is steadfast in his assurances that Tebowis a quarterback and not there for gimmicks.

“Tim obviously has a lot of skills that other quarterbacks don’t have because of his ability to run the football,”Kelly said. “but we have not delved into any of that. Right now we are just competing and getting reps.”