After Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs’ remarkable catch and run for a touchdown to beat the Saints in the playoffs this year, there was a long delay before the teams reassembled on the field for an extra point try that had no bearing on the outcome of the game.
The Vikings took a knee, but no team will have to make a choice about how to handle such a situation in the future. The NFL voted to approve a rule change proposed by the Competition Committee to eliminate PATs after touchdowns that decide the outcome of games on the final play.
While such plays have no outcome on the result, they do have an impact on point spreads. The Vikings went up 29-24 on Diggs’ touchdown and an extra point would have covered the 5.5-point spread bookmakers laid out for the game.
There are also tiebreakers between teams fighting for playoff spots that involve points scored, points allowed and net points. They only come into play if the teams are tied after considering things like head-to-head records, divisional records and records against common opponents, however, and the relative rarity of plays like the Minnesota Miracle should keep that from having much impact.