Is the NFL Sudden Death Overtime Rule Unfair?

by LoveHate on Jan 4, 2009 11:49 AM CST Comment 12 comments

Last night the Indianapolis Colts took the home team San Diego Chargers to overtime where they lost the coin flip and consequently the game. Controversy? I had no idea there was such much fervor over the NFL's overtime rules.

It seems there is an argument that the NFL should do away with Sudden Death overtime and institute a model similar to the college game by allowing both teams an opportunity to possess the ball.

Are the current overtime rules unfair? If you'd change it, how?

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I think the current rules are great. Want the ball, play defense simple as that.

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by SDviking on Jan 4, 2009 11:51 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I am with you. The current rules don’t really give an advantage to one team or the other. Indianapolis’ offense didn’t score points from 8:10 remaining in the third, on. Who says an overtime possession would result in points scored?

by LoveHate on Jan 4, 2009 1:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

No good solution = rules won't be changed.

Give both teams a possession, but make them go for the 2pt conversion and have to score TDs or punt away/ b/c FG swapping could go back and forth for a while with a 2 poss. game, no XP attempts allowed on TD scores. It wouldn’t be likely that both teams would go back and forth scoring 8 pts on each other. Teams that win the toss win the game about 60% of the time I believe with the current rules. I’m positive though, the rules won’t change anytime soon.

by solafide on Jan 4, 2009 12:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

The team that wins the toss only scores on the first possession 30% of the time (per Boomer Esiason CBS).

Would each team be required to kick off or just get the ball at some point on the field?

by LoveHate on Jan 4, 2009 1:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Good Question, lol. These ambiguities make changing the OT rules such a debate and hassle.

I think what I mean to say, is that OT would not be sudden death. So turn over on downs always apply. But if one team scored w/o the other team’s offense ever touching the ball b/c that team won the toss, it might be more fair to give the other teams offense a possession via kickoff. I’d like to see both teams get offensive possessions in OT, just an idea – i know it won’t happen though.

Thanks for the 30% fact, but somehow it seems like the team who wins the toss is always favored. Wonder what the OT winner toss records were this season?

by solafide on Jan 4, 2009 1:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Adopt the college overtime

But move it back to the 40 and take away the automatic field goal.

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by MilCardFan on Jan 4, 2009 12:15 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I say

The NFL should do it like the NBA and MLB, play a whole period. Have your coin toss and kick it off like they do now, but play the entire 15 minutes regardless of the scoring with the same rules as the 4th Quarter.

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by free7694 on Jan 4, 2009 12:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

cant do that

because we’d be watching the “5th Quarter” of a 12:00 game when the 3:15 games start… that would mes with scheduling

by hickenizgriz on Jan 4, 2009 1:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

They should keep the regular season as is.

by LoveHate on Jan 4, 2009 1:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Although the NBA plays 5min OT's, not whole periods...

…and I’m not really looking to alter the current system:

Maybe a 5-6min OT should be played out as you suggest. No guarantee of posession, which I personally dig—-and yet no immediate chippy FG’s ending OT. Yes, this invites more ties. Admittedly I like ties. I’m sick that way :)

Enjoy the game, all!

by SkolOk on Jan 4, 2009 3:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i think a touchdown should win the game, but a field goal should give the ball other team a chance. Make them earn it, instead of them getting to the 30 yard line and kicking a field goal on first down to win it, because right now all you need to win in over time is the coin toss, and a good kicker. This way, they either fight and get a touchdown, or they kick a field goal and play defense.

by thewild_viking_twins on Jan 4, 2009 7:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs