In the National Football League (NFL), there are a wide variety of scores that can be achieved throughout a game. However, some scores are much more rare than others, and the rarest score in NFL history is the “1” point safety.
Before discussing the “1” point safety, it is important to understand how scoring works in the NFL. There are several ways that a team can score points during a game, including touchdowns (6 points), extra points (1 or 2 points), field goals (3 points), and safeties (2 points). In addition, a team can also score a “two-point conversion” after a touchdown, which is worth 2 points.
Given these various methods of scoring, it is not surprising that some scores are more common than others. For example, a team can score 7 points with a touchdown and an extra point, 8 points with a touchdown and a two-point conversion, or 10 points with a touchdown and a field goal. These scores are relatively common in the NFL and occur regularly throughout the season.
However, there are some scores that are much rarer than others. For example, a score of 4 points is possible if a team scores a touchdown and then misses the extra point, but then recovers the ball in the end zone and scores again. This is known as a “double touchback,” and has only occurred a handful of times in NFL history. Similarly, a score of 5 points is possible if a team scores a touchdown and then misses the extra point, but the opposing team fumbles the ball and the scoring team recovers it in the end zone. This is known as a “defensive two-point conversion,” and has only occurred once in NFL history.
However, the rarest score in NFL history is the “1” point safety. This score can only occur in very specific circumstances and has only happened once in NFL history.
To understand how a “1” point safety can occur, it is important to first understand what a safety is. In football, a safety occurs when the offensive team is tackled or commits a penalty in their own end zone. This results in the defensive team being awarded 2 points, and the offensive team having to punt the ball back to the defense.
However, a “1” point safety can occur if the following sequence of events takes place:
- The offensive team has possession of the ball and is in their own end zone.
- The offensive team commits a penalty that results in a loss of yardage.
- The ball carrier for the offensive team is tackled in the end zone, resulting in a safety for the defensive team.
- However, during the tackle, the ball carrier fumbles the ball, and the ball goes out of bounds in the end zone.
- Since the ball went out of bounds in the end zone, this results in a “touchback,” and the defensive team is awarded 2 points.
- However, if the defensive team commits a penalty on the play, the offensive team can be awarded 1 point.
So, in summary, a “1” point safety can only occur if the offensive team commits a penalty, is tackled in their own end zone, fumbles the ball, and the ball goes out of bounds in the end zone. Furthermore, the defensive team must commit a penalty on the play, which results in the offensive team being awarded 1 point.
Given these specific circumstances, it is not surprising that a “1” point safety has only occurred once in NFL history. The play took place on November 4, 2004, during a game between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. In the fourth quarter of the game, Giants quarterback Eli Manning was backed up in his own end zone.