I love my American Football. The scoring system kinda makes sense if you think about it. It is roughly merit-based, which is as American as it gets. So the lowest score is 1, an easy kick at point-blank range. The defense gets to score 2 for a tackle in the endzone. That alone encourages flat out raw animal clashes in those situations. You also get 2 points, often changing the final outcome of close games for being bold enough to think and believe your team can put it in the endzone twice consecutively from scrimmage. I think the reason a field goal is worth 3 is because the team usually has to organize a decent drive to get close enough. Obviously, touchdowns are what you want to see in a game, they are just that spectacular. The reward is double because it's just that much harder to do. And the chance to add one more makes it worth more than double. That ensures that no strategy to only get close enough for your ace kicker will work in the long run. We want TDs and we're willing to pay big points for them, which is very American.
This scoring system was deliberately set up to produce close but not identical scores, which are always more exciting. It encourages risk taking for greater rewards. Risk means suspense, and the endings of some of these games can have grown men chewing their fingernails.
Can you tell I'm ready for the season to start?
And thanks for the description of American footabll scoring. It seems a little more logical now. I can't say I agree, but at least I understand it.