In the previous post, I noted the Superbowl began with a baseball score. I thought 43-8 was an unusual score for a game. It’s tough to get to 43 points with conventional scoring plays. Teams need a two-point play or a missed PAT kick at some point. Otherwise, teams need just too many touchdowns and field goals, and there aren’t enough scoring opportunities in a game. Eight points, of course, is tough too. NFL teams seldom go for two points after the first score. Both teams, however, reached exactly eight points as a result of their scoring.
Looking at Football-Reference.com, this was the first 43-8 game in the history of the NFL! You’ll also note that teams are much more likely to score 42 and 44 points than 43. So indeed, it was a very unusual game.
I remember hearing somewhere that the least likely football score was 4-4. Although I guess 43-8 had to be up there in unlikeliness too.
Tom, I suspect that 1,000,000,000 to 4 is even less likely than 4-4.
🙂
I wonder if baseball should change the rules and give 2 points for the batter who hits a HR (eg a grandslam would be a 5 run HR). That should have teams falling all over themselves for HR hitters and GB pitchers.