The Chart

The decision for the Cowboys to go for a two point conversion early in the second quarter in Sunday's game against the Redskins wasn't a snap decision. It had to do with an age old formula, better known as "The Chart."

"That was on the chart," said Head Coach Bill Parcells. "When it was 5-to-0 Redskins, we said if we score, I asked the coaches, what's it say up there, and he said, it says two."

But because the play failed, the question remains, was it the right decision?

Gil Brandt, former Cowboys Director of Player Personnel, has written about the chart and its use by coaches for NFL.Com.

"The proof is do you win or do you lose. That's the whole proof. And if you win, you're a genius," Brandt says.

The Chart was initially created in the early 70's by two coaches at UCLA, Dick Vermeil and the late Tommy Prothro. Today, variations exist, but basically the chart exists to increase the probability of success when facing certain point differentials.

One week ago in Carolina, the chart also said to go for two after Dallas scored a touchdown with 9:47 left in the game. The Cowboys went up by 7-and eventually won, so going for two never became an issue.

Football has many examples of chart uses and omissions. An omission occurred in the fourth quarter last year in the game between Texas A&M and Clemson. An extra point gave the Aggies a two point lead, even though the chart said to go for two. The Aggies lost that game on a field goal.

The two-point conversion has been a rule in College Football since 1958, but the NFL didn't adopt it until 1994.

One thing the chart doesn't say is whether to wait until late in the game, or not.

Says Parcells, "Maybe someone's does, but the ones I know about, don't."

Brandt bases his use of the chart on the following, "If you feel it's a low scoring game, then I would put it in early. If I felt it was going to be a 41-38 shootout, I would probably wait until the 3rd quarter to use it."

Every since the NFL-AFL merger, Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt tried to get the two point conversion added, but it didn't pass until 1994. The main reason, it created just another opportunity to second guess the head coach.

Brandt says this is the chart that was orginally developed by Vermeil and Prothro:

THE CHART

LEAD BY...................TRAIL BY
1 point Go for 2..........1 point Go for 1
2 points Go for 1.........2 points Go for 2
3 points Go for 1.........3 points Go for 1
4 points Go for 2.........4 points Decision
5 points Go for 2.........5 points Go for 2
6 points Go for 1.........6 points Go for 1
7 points Go for 1.........7 points Go for 1
8 points Go for 1.........8 points Go for 1
9 points Go for 1.........9 points Go for 2
10 points Go for 1........10 points Go for 1
11 points Go for 1........11 points Go for 2
12 points Go for 2........12 points Go for 2
13 points Go for 1........13 points Go for 1
14 points Go for 1........14 points Go for 1
15 points Go for 2........15 points Go for 1
16 points Go for 1........16 points Go for 2
17 points Go for 1........17 points Go for 1
18 points Go for 1........18 points Go for 1
19 points Go for 2........19 points Go for 2
20 points Go for 1........20 points Go for 1