Cons
A penalty would give the offense an automatic first down
Nothing is worse for a defensive unit than having the offense on a long down and someone commits a penalty that gives the offense an automatic first down. This is always a momentum changer and having it happen late in the game could be detrimental.
Some teams have a better advantage on offense to convert
Even though they aren’t in this situation often, the Chiefs are the first team that comes to mind that can potentially convert a lot of these conversions. Having speedy receivers like Tyreke Hill and Sammy Watkins and a big tight end in Travis Kelce can certainly be a threat to opposing defenses.
It wouldn’t be a bad thing if the NFL approves this proposal. The NFL should at least give it a trial run even if it’s just for the preseason, and see how often the fourth and 15 are converted compared to the onside kick success rate.
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