You're sitting on the couch, the wings are cooling, and the game is on. Suddenly, the kicker boots a ball through the uprights, and the scoreboard ticks up by three. Then, a guy dives into the end zone, and everything changes. If you’ve ever stared at a scoreboard and wondered why the numbers jump from 7 to 13 to 14, you aren't alone. Understanding how do football scores work is basically the "Day 1" requirement for being a fan, but honestly, the logic behind it is a bit weirder than most people realize. It isn't like soccer where one goal equals one point. In American football, points are tiered based on the difficulty and the risk of the play.
It’s a game of arithmetic.
Most people think of 6 points for a touchdown as the "standard," but that’s actually a relatively modern invention in the grand history of the sport. Back in the late 1800s, touchdowns were only worth 2 points. Imagine that. The game has evolved into a high-scoring spectacle where a single play can swing the momentum—and the math—entirely.
The Touchdown: Six Points and the Foundation of the Game
The touchdown is the king. It’s the highest single score you can get in one go. When a player carries the ball into the opponent's end zone or catches a pass while staying in bounds within that 10-yard area, they get 6 points. That’s the baseline.
But a touchdown is never just a touchdown. It’s an invitation.
Once that 6 is on the board, the team gets a "try." This is where the strategy gets interesting. Most of the time, teams take the "easy" route: the Extra Point. The ball is snapped at the 15-yard line (a rule change implemented by the NFL in 2015 to make it harder, since kickers were getting too good), and the kicker just has to knock it through the yellow goalposts. That’s 1 point. If you hear someone say "the score is 7-0," they’re usually assuming the touchdown and the kick went through.
Then there’s the Two-Point Conversion.
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Instead of kicking, the offense stays on the field at the 2-yard line. They try to run or pass it back into the end zone. It’s high-risk. Coaches like Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions are famous—or infamous, depending on who you ask—for going for two when a simple kick would suffice. If they make it, they get 2 points. If they fail? They get zero. The score stays at 6. It’s a gamble that changes the entire geometry of the game.
The Field Goal: The Three-Point Safety Net
Sometimes the offense just stalls out. They get close to the end zone, but the defense turns into a brick wall. That’s when the "special teams" unit comes out.
A field goal is worth 3 points.
It sounds simple, but the distance matters. A 20-yard field goal is a "chip shot." A 60-yarder? That’s legendary territory. Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens holds the NFL record with a 66-yard kick that hit the crossbar and bounced over. Three points. It doesn’t matter if it’s a beautiful spiral or a wobbly "duck" that barely clears the bar; the scoreboard doesn't track style points.
How Do Football Scores Work When Things Get Weird?
The Safety. It’s the rarest scoring play in football, and it’s the only time the defense puts points on the board without actually having the ball.
A safety is worth 2 points.
This happens when the offensive player with the ball gets tackled in their own end zone. It’s embarrassing for the offense and a massive win for the defense. Not only do you get 2 points, but the team that gave up the safety has to kick the ball back to the other team. It’s a double whammy.
There are also weird, "edge-case" rules. For example, did you know the defense can score during a Two-Point Conversion attempt? If the defense intercepts a pass or picks up a fumble during a try and runs it all the way back to the other end zone, they get 2 points. It almost never happens, but when it does, it's absolute chaos.
Why Football Scores Move in Specific Increments
If you look at a final score, you'll notice patterns. 14, 17, 21, 24, 27, 28, 31.
These are "key numbers." Because a touchdown plus an extra point equals 7, and a field goal equals 3, the scores usually build on those blocks. This is why sports bettors and analysts obsess over "the spread." If a team is winning by 4 points, they are "up by more than a field goal." If they are up by 7, they are "up by a touchdown."
Understanding this helps you realize why a coach might make a "stupid" decision late in the game. If you're down by 8 points, a touchdown (6) won't save you unless you also get that two-point conversion (2). That’s why you’ll see teams chasing those specific numbers late in the fourth quarter.
Real-World Math: The 28-3 Collapse
To really see how do football scores work in a high-stakes environment, look at Super Bowl LI. The Atlanta Falcons were leading the New England Patriots 28 to 3.
To the casual observer, a 25-point lead is insurmountable. But the math told a different story. 25 points is exactly three touchdowns (with two-point conversions) and one field goal. Or three touchdowns, three extra points, and two safeties—okay, maybe not that last part.
The Patriots chipped away:
- Touchdown + missed extra point (6 points) - Score: 28-9
- Field goal (3 points) - Score: 28-12
- Touchdown + two-point conversion (8 points) - Score: 28-20
- Touchdown + two-point conversion (8 points) - Score: 28-28
By understanding that a "score" isn't just one value, you can see how a lead that looks massive can evaporate if a team starts "trading threes for sevens."
Actionable Insights for Your Next Game Day
If you want to sound like an expert during the next broadcast, keep these points in mind:
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- Watch the "Try" Line: In the NFL, the ball is at the 15 for a kick and the 2 for a two-point play. In college, it's at the 3-yard line for both. That extra yard in college makes teams slightly more likely to go for two.
- The "Scorigami" Factor: There is a whole community of fans dedicated to "Scorigami"—a term coined by Jon Bois—which refers to a final score that has never happened before in NFL history. Because of the 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8-point increments, some scores (like 1-0 or 4-0) are literally impossible or incredibly unlikely.
- Check the Kicker's Range: Before the game, look up the kicker’s "long." If a team gets the ball to the opponent's 35-yard line, they are usually in "field goal range." That’s a 52-yard kick. If the kicker can't hit from there, the offense has to "go for it" on fourth down.
- Safety Awareness: If a team is pinned back on their own 1-yard line, the "2-point threat" is active. Watch for the defense to bring a heavy blitz; they aren't just looking for a sack, they're looking for points.
The math of football is what makes the strategy so deep. It’s a game of territory, sure, but it’s ultimately a game of managing these specific point values to stay exactly one step ahead of the clock. Next time you see a team go for a field goal instead of a touchdown, you'll know they aren't being "cowardly"—they're just playing the numbers.