What is a 2 point conversion?

In American football, a 2 point conversion is an alternative scoring play that a team can attempt instead of kicking an extra point after scoring a touchdown. Instead of kicking the ball through the goalposts for one point, the offense has one chance to score from two yards out to earn two points. To attempt a 2 point conversion, the ball is placed at the opponent's two-yard line, and the offense has one shot to score a touchdown. If the team successfully scores, they earn two points, but if they fail, they earn zero points. Coaches may choose to attempt a 2 point conversion when they are down by 8 points late in the game or if they want to take the lead by a field goal instead of just tying the game with an extra point.