NFL owners to vote next week on giving both teams a possession in overtime

[JonLP24]

As Woody Johnson knows all too well, the NFL had no problem settling the new-stadium spat between the Jets and Giants with a coin flip. But when it comes to settling the score in overtime playoff games, the league may be moving away from the time-honored tradition.

NFL owners will vote next week on a proposed rule change that would give both teams a possession if, on the first series of overtime, the team that won the coin toss kicks a field goal.

Currently, the first team to score wins in the sudden-death format, even if the other team's offense remains on the sideline. It happened in the NFC championship game in January, with New Orleans beating Minnesota and going to the Super Bowl after the Saints won the coin toss and kicked a field goal.

According to Rich McKay, chairman of the NFL's competition committee, teams that win the coin toss have too great an advantage in the overtime period.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/2010/03/17/2010-03-17_nfl_owners_to_vote_on_changing_ot_rules.html#ixzz0iT9Wjk3O

[RT Atlanta]

1. I like this

I am not a fan of the "sudden death" overtime format in the NFL.

In this case, I like the NCAA rules for football overtime where each team has a possession.

[4lbs]

2. I like a combined rule where if one team scores on it's opening possession, the other must score

better on the very next possession if both teams haven't yet had a possession in overtime.

For example, taking the Minnesota-New Orleans example, once the Saints kicked the FG in that overtime, the Vikings would get the ball for their first possession.

Then Minnesota MUST score a TD on that possession. They cannot kick a matching FG. That would be a better score. 6 points versus 3.

Now, if New Orleans had scored a TD and kicked a PAT, then Minnesota would have also had to score a TD, but go for two. 8 points versus 7.

If New Orleans scored a TD but instead opted to go for two, making it 8 points, then the game would be over with a successful conversion. You can't get better than 8 points. There's a risk though. If the Saints failed the two pointer, then it's just 6 points scored. Minny could then score a TD and kick a PAT to make it 7 points, and the Vikings win.

However, if both teams had possessed the ball in OT once before that New Orleans FG, then this doesn't apply. Minny would have had their offensive chance already. It then becomes sudden death as normal.

[KamaAina]

8. Minny did have its offensive chance already

they were just about in position for the game-winning FG when they took a chowderheaded penalty for twelve men on the field. Next play, the drama queen throws an ugly pick, and we head to OT. And the rest, as they say, is history.

GEAUX SAINTS!!! :party:

[malakai2]

3. Rick McKay's reasoning sucks

Both teams had 60 minutes to win, neither did. What's next, allowing a team that's losing by 8 or less at the end of regulation "just one more possession" to see if they can tie it up and force the other team to score again? Here's an idea, how about addressing some of the more recent rules that hamstring defenses and turn football games into track meets? That might help cut down on the team with the first possession in overtime winning so often...if that's a problem. I see no reason to consider it such.

[Awsi Dooger]

6. Every recent rule change sucks

The only exception is elimination of the force out.

This is pandering to the simple crowd.

And I love how the league thinks 60-40 is a massive advantage. :rofl:

In the majority of playoff games the favorite is greater than 60-40 beforehand. And I've seen it broken down on betting sites recently that the favorite getting the ball first is partially the reason for the 60-40 split. For whatever reason, like the NFC winning the Super Bowl coin flip a bizarre 13 years in a row, the favorite has been getting the ball first in NFL overtimes far beyond 50-50 expectancy, and then they take care of business. When the underdog receives the ball first they actually win less than half the time.

[Iggo]

4. Why don't they just say "First to score 6 points in OT wins"?

It'd be an easier sell.

[Captain Hilts]

5. PLEASE make it so. nt

[1gobluedem]

7. Will it be called the Favre rule?

I don't like it.