Most people who follow the NFL know what a touchdown is, and how crucial points are in the game. Fewer people may know that there is more than one kind of scoring in the NFL. Although the points for touchdowns are the most common, there is a different kind of scoring known as “mixed numbers”. Essentially, this is when the offense fails to convert a first down into a touchdown but instead into a field goal or safety. The defense does not get the job done either, and the team is forced to settle for a mixed number.
What Does a Mixed Number Mean in NFL Betting?
First Downs, Two-point Conversions And More
Let’s take a quick look at how the different scoring systems work.
On your first down, you decide to go for it and attempt to score a touchdown. If the defense stops you and you have to settle for a field goal, you’ll earn two points for that drive. You will also get one point for the two-point conversion, which is when the quarterback kicks the ball between the goalposts after scoring a touchdown.
The safety is the most common type of mixed number in the NFL. This occurs when a team fails to score a touchdown or the other team scores a touchdown but the defense intervenes and forces a safety. A safety is worth two points, so in this case you’ll get three points for the drive.
Here is a quick example: the Buffalo Bills are facing the New York Jets in one of the NFL’s most exciting matchups. Buffalo is a 4.5 point favorite, which means they are expected to win by 4.5 points or more. The Bills have the ball and are on their own 20-yard line. They need a first down to keep the pressure off of the opposing quarterbacks and put points on the board.
The Bills call a running play and attempt to go for it on first down. They need a first down to avoid a field goal. Unfortunately, the defense sifts in and stops the play for no gain. The ball is put back into play and the Jets’ defense starts the clock. They will have 10 minutes to pick it up and score a touchdown before the half, otherwise the Bills will receive a half-time knockout blow.
The Bills use their time wisely and manage to get a touchdown, but it’s a safety. This is worth two points, giving them seven points at the end of the first half.
The second half begins with both teams trying to gain some ground. Buffalo scores another touchdown, but this time it is just a field goal. This is worth one point, as there is no two-point conversion in the third quarter. The final score at the end of the game is 13-10 in favor of the Jets. The point spread at the beginning of the game was 4.5 points, but as the game went on it moved to 6.5 points, which is the exact score of the game. (Incidentally, this was the same result if the score had ended in a tie)
So, which type of scoring system is used in the NFL? Well, it depends on the situation. For close games, the two-point conversion is crucial. This ensures that there is always a score in the game, even if it’s a tie at the end. Therefore, the two-point conversion is usually a good choice for situations where the game ends in a tie.
However, if the game is far enough along, the defense takes over and the safety becomes the go-to option. In most cases, a half-time score update will be enough, as long as there is no longer any chance of a full comeback. This is because the game is far enough along that the opposing team is sure to make a comeback at some point. When that happens, a safety is a much safer bet than a touchdown or field goal. This is because a safety ensures the other team does not get the ball and the chance to come back and win. The last thing you want is to give the ball away and have your team never be able to come back.
In conclusion, although the two-point conversion is the most common type of mixed number in the NFL, you should always consider a safety when the game is far enough along. The key is to look at the situation and decide what will happen more often – touchdowns or field goals? Sometimes it is close, and you need to force a two-point conversion in order to ensure the game ends in a tie, but usually a safety is the better choice once the defense has taken over for the better part of the game. In this case, the Bills would have gotten three points for a safety instead of two points for a two-point conversion.