NFL Overtime Rule Remains The Stupidest In All Sports

[rucker4]

One team having ZERO chance to potentially tie or win the game in OT in the NFL is just insane. No other sport like it. The equivalent of OT in basketball where the first to score a basket wins so you better be damn sure you win the opening tip to start OT.

NEVER have I heard an explanation from the NFL office, the owners, or the NFL Payers Union as to "why" this has always been the rule and it's never been changed to allow, at minimum, an equal opportunity for both teams to at least be on offense.

Just let us know what the reason is for the OT rules.

 

[BigBlueFanGA]

One team having ZERO chance to potentially tie or win the game in OT in the NFL is just insane. No other sport like it. The equivalent of OT in basketball where the first to score a basket wins so you better be damn sure you win the opening tip to start OT.

NEVER have I heard an explanation from the NFL office, the owners, or the NFL Payers Union as to "why" this has always been the rule and it's never been changed to allow, at minimum, an equal opportunity for both teams to at least be on offense.

Just let us know what the reason is for the OT rules.

Yes, its utterly stupid. I think when I was young i heard them say it was about keeping the games shorter or something to that effect. Regardless of the "why", its stupid to not give both teams equal opportunity on offense.

 

[GoBigBlue1280]

At least now you have to score a TD to win lol it use to be a FG, correct?

 

[Dallas-Wild]

At least now you have to score a TD to win lol it use to be a FG, correct?

Believe that's correct from what I remember

 

[rucker4]

At least now you have to score a TD to win lol it use to be a FG, correct?

True, but if the team that wins the coin toss scores on the first possession (I believe I read that happens 50% of the time since the rule was adopted), the other team never gets the ball and is denied an offensive possession.

 

[zwynn10]

One team having ZERO chance to potentially tie or win the game in OT in the NFL is just insane. No other sport like it. The equivalent of OT in basketball where the first to score a basket wins so you better be damn sure you win the opening tip to start OT.

NEVER have I heard an explanation from the NFL office, the owners, or the NFL Payers Union as to "why" this has always been the rule and it's never been changed to allow, at minimum, an equal opportunity for both teams to at least be on offense.

Just let us know what the reason is for the OT rules.

Agree completely. Probably the best game in the NFL this year was essentially decided by a coin toss. Not a good look for the NFL.

 

[travisbickle]

I agree it’s not a great rule but it is better than it used to be, where a FG would also win it (I think that used to be the rule).

The only caveat to that, which I didn’t realize until last night, was that a safety on the first possession will also win it for the defense. Obviously not a high probability of that happening but at least there is a chance for the defense to win as well on the first possession.

I think they’re trying to avoid a 5 hour game that comes down to a kicking contest but I agree it’s dumb and the college OT is better.

 

[Soupbean]

One team having ZERO chance to potentially tie or win the game in OT in the NFL is just insane. No other sport like it. The equivalent of OT in basketball where the first to score a basket wins so you better be damn sure you win the opening tip to start OT.

NEVER have I heard an explanation from the NFL office, the owners, or the NFL Payers Union as to "why" this has always been the rule and it's never been changed to allow, at minimum, an equal opportunity for both teams to at least be on offense.

Just let us know what the reason is for the OT rules.

It turned out to be the ultimate damn shame that you had a dual of a generation going on between Mahomes and Allen in the final 5 minutes and it ended with one side not getting a chance to return fire. How much fun would the Bills response drive have been.

 

[yoshukai]

Whoever won the toss was going to win that game . It’s a stupid rule, and I would say the same thing if Mahone never too the field on overtime.

 

[Cawood86]

Especially in the playoffs. My goodness. Why in the world would they not se how that rule is not even close to fair?

 

[ukalum1988]

Agree with the sentiments on this thread. Maybe they should give each team possession on the 50-yard line and see what happens.

 

[BlueRunner11]

Yeah it’s ridiculous.

 

[mbc82584]

The NFL would argue it’s about limiting the length of games and player safety. And that both teams had 4 quarters to keep it from coming down to a coin toss. All fair points.

that said, the college rule makes for a more exciting game, no more regular season ties, and actually end up costing fewer snaps to players than a 10 minute OT could

 

[Dead Cat Bounce]

The ending of the Bills-Chiefs game was an abomination. If nothing else, guarantee both teams a drive--perhaps like in baseball, let the home team take the ball last--and then revert to the sudden-death system if you have to.

(As an aside, hats off to the Bills for going toe-to-toe with a *great* NFL team on the road.)

 

[Lempface]

The ending of the Bills-Chiefs game was an abomination. If nothing else, guarantee both teams a drive--perhaps like in baseball, let the home team take the ball last--and then revert to the sudden-death system if you have to.

(As an aside, hats off to the Bills for going toe-to-toe with a *great* NFL team on the road.)

My preferred method would be alternating drives from the 50 with the other team a chance to match. If it's tied after two rounds of that then just do one down from the 10 to get a TD and allow the other team to match until there is a winner.

At the very minimum I'd like to see them play an extra quarter in it's entirety. At least for the playoff.

 

[GoBigBlue1280]

I’m not opposed to the college rule. I think it’s pretty fair.

 

[sieken]

It was a crazy way for this one to end but not sure it's a catalyst to change the rules. The score before the crazy final minutes of the game was something like 23-21, it's incredibly difficult to score a touchdown on an NFL defense with one timeout and the defense knows you have to have a touchdown to win, especially when you have already played 60 minutes of football.

The Bills lost that game in the final 13 seconds of regulation.

 

[Lempface]

It was a crazy way for this one to end but not sure it's a catalyst to change the rules. The score before the crazy final minutes of the game was something like 23-21, it's incredibly difficult to score a touchdown on an NFL defense with one timeout and the defense knows you have to have a touchdown to win, especially when you have already played 60 minutes of football.

The Bills lost that game in the final 13 seconds of regulation.

The game was tied after that. You can bootlick the terrible rule all you want though. There are better alternatives available that just aren't used. It's a two phased game, and KC's D was never tested. So the only thing the OT proved was theirbO was better than Buffalo's exhausted defense and the Chiefs exhausted defense didn't have to take the field because of a coin flip.

In baseball extra innings tests both the hitting, pitching, base running, and fielding of both teams. There is no reason NFL can't do the same, it's the least satisfying way to end the best shoot out I've ever seen.

 

[rucker4]

It turned out to be the ultimate damn shame that you had a dual of a generation going on between Mahomes and Allen in the final 5 minutes and it ended with one side not getting a chance to return fire. How much fun would the Bills response drive have been.

Yeah, the NFL screwed themselves on that yesterday.

 

[rucker4]

It was a crazy way for this one to end but not sure it's a catalyst to change the rules. The score before the crazy final minutes of the game was something like 23-21, it's incredibly difficult to score a touchdown on an NFL defense with one timeout and the defense knows you have to have a touchdown to win, especially when you have already played 60 minutes of football.

The Bills lost that game in the final 13 seconds of regulation.

The fact the Bills NEVER should have given up a score with just 13 seconds left after taking the lead has nothing to do with the overtime rule that's in place today-- which doesn't allow fairness.

 

[sieken]

The game was tied after that. You can bootlick the terrible rule all you want though. There are better alternatives available that just aren't used. It's a two phased game, and KC's D was never tested. So the only thing the OT proved was theirbO was better than Buffalo's exhausted defense and the Chiefs exhausted defense didn't have to take the field because of a coin flip.

In baseball extra innings tests both the hitting, pitching, base running, and fielding of both teams. There is no reason NFL can't do the same, it's the least satisfying way to end the best shoot out I've ever seen.

So if I think that this isn't a catalyst to change the rule, I'm boot licking.... Got it. The Chiefs Defense has gotten a ton better the second half of the season. I thought both defenses played really well for 55 minutes of the game. I wanted the Bills to win but you have to keep the Chiefs out of field goal range for 13 seconds, they didn't, they lost.

 

[rucker4]

The NFL would argue it’s about limiting the length of games and player safety. And that both teams had 4 quarters to keep it from coming down to a coin toss. All fair points.

Then what is the NFL argument that would put the "fairness" issue of the current rule to bed once and for all?

Answer: They don't have one.

 

[Lempface]

So if I think that this isn't a catalyst to change the rule, I'm boot licking.... Got it. The Chiefs Defense has gotten a ton better the second half of the season. I thought both defenses played really well for 55 minutes of the game. I wanted the Bills to win but you have to keep the Chiefs out of field goal range for 13 seconds, they didn't, they lost.

Nah you're bootlicking because you're defending a clearly bad rule by pointing out what the Bills could have done to avoid being victim to said rule. If the game was straight declared on a coin flip you'd say the other team had a chance to not let it come to that in regulation.

 

[sieken]

The fact the Bills NEVER should have given up a score with just 13 seconds left after taking the lead has nothing to do with the overtime rule that's in place today-- which doesn't allow fairness.

My point being, it's incredibly difficult to score a touchdown in that situation. If they were giving the winning team of the coin toss the ball on the 25 or mid-field, then I would agree that it's skewed towards that team. They have to drive the field and score a touchdown. I would think the percentages of teams that have won the way the Chiefs did last night is probably around 1 or 2 percent.

 

[Lempface]

My point being, it's incredibly difficult to score a touchdown in that situation. If they were giving the winning team of the coin toss the ball on the 25 or mid-field, then I would agree that it's skewed towards that team. They have to drive the field and score a touchdown. I would think the percentages of teams that have won the way the Chiefs did last night is probably around 1 or 2 percent.

The team that wins the toss scores a TD ~50% of the time bit 1-2.

 

[vhcat70]

Great arguments here for having a winner w/o need for OT.

 

[sieken]

The team that wins the toss scores a TD ~50% of the time bit 1-2.

I would be totally surprised by that percentage. Not saying it isn't so, but, where can I find that? I would like to see it.

 

[Lempface]

I would be totally surprised by that percentage. Not saying it isn't so, but, where can I find that? I would like to see it.

I read an analysis from 2019 and can't find it. I believe it was exactly 50% split between the coin toss winner as far as who won. Around 46% who scored first won, and 39% scored. a TD on the first possession. There aren't that many OT games sine the rule chance so you could run the numbers yourself for exacts.

 

[sieken]

I read an analysis from 2019 and can't find it. I believe it was exactly 50% split between the coin toss winner as far as who won. Around 46% who scored first won, and 39% scored. a TD on the first possession. There aren't that many OT games sine the rule chance so you could run the numbers yourself for exacts.

But that was under different rules wasn't it? Until this year, didn't a field goal win it? That's the only reason I don't think the OT Rules as they stand are not that bad. Driving for a touchdown against a team that you are obviously pretty evenly matched with, is not that easy to do.

 

[Lempface]

But that was under different rules wasn't it? Until this year, didn't a field goal win it? That's the only reason I don't think the OT Rules as they stand are not that bad. Driving for a touchdown against a team that you are obviously pretty evenly matched with, is not that easy to do.

No that rule was changed 2011-2012.

 

[sieken]

No that rule was changed 2011-2012.

Didn't realize it was that far back, thanks. This guy did the research a couple of years back.

Link

 

[bthaunert]

If the NFL is opposed to doing at least 1 possession per team, I propose the following, which I have seen before:

The team that wins the coin toss chooses where the offensive team will start with the ball. (i.e. they could choose the defensive teams 20 yard line, the 50 yard line, the offensive teams 40 yard, line, etc.). The other team then chooses if they want to play offense or defense. The rest of the rules stay the same.

 

[KingOfBBN]

The Saints/Vikings NFC title game was what got the OT rule changed. I could absolutely see this making a change.

Why is it difficult to simply just play a 10-minute quarter? If it's still tied then go to a shoot out type system which is what college ball is.

Don't give me the "players safety" BS argument when you just added a 17th game and an extra playoff game for monetary purposes .

 

[Lempface]

The other interesting thing I heard was to just do away with the coin toss. The game continues from the point just as in a change from Q1 to Q2 and Q3 to Q4, so the Bills would have gotten the ball first since the Chiefs just scored and then the OT rules play like normal.

This is a decent proposal but I still think the college rules or a variation there of are better.

 

[Jtf2217]

The only caveat to that, which I didn’t realize until last night, was that a safety on the first possession will also win it for the defense. Obviously not a high probability of that happening but at least there is a chance for the defense to win as well on the first possession.

Well yeah, if it's a tie game on the first possesion and the defense gets a satfey they get 2 points and the ball. There is no need for them to score because they're winning at that point so game is over.

 

[NavyCat88]

I'm sorry sportsfans-- No sympathy for the Bills. According to the radio hacks this morning, the Bills have (had) the top ranked D in the league statistically, and they (1) couldn't hold a 13 second drive for FG starting at the KC 25 at the end of regulation and (2) failed to stop the KC 75-yard TD drive in OT.

Bills didn't deserve the ball, didn't deserve another chance, and didn't deserve the win.

GBB!
GO BENGALS!

 

[Girthang]

Lol. We are all such sheep when it comes down to it. I'm guilty as well. There's nothing wrong with the rule. Everyone plays under the same rule.

Don't like it?

DON'T LET THE OPPONENT DRIVE 50 YARDS IN 13 SECONDS FOR A FG! FFS!

Buffalo left it up to a coin toss. Why do that? As a friend pointed out a little while ago-

"Buffalo had the ball in their hands and kicked off instead of trying an onside kick. No reason to feel sorry for them. They didn't earn the right to be given the ball again."

I like the college rules better just like some others do, but at some point you have to accept that one team has to lose and shut up about it.

 

[vhcat70]

Alternate plays, Teams A/B, B/A, from the 2-yd line till score/not difference. No need to drag out. Already played 60 minutes.

 

[rucker4]

The team that wins the toss scores a TD ~50% of the time bit 1-2.

College Overtime Rules Still Fairer Than NFL
Since the NFL instituted new overtime rules in 2012 the team winning the overtime coin toss has won 64 games, lost 52 with 8 ties. The winning percentage, including ties is 54.83%.
Over the same period in overtime games involving NCAA teams, the team that won the overtime toss have won 515 and lost 496. The winning percentage is 50.94%.

 

[Lempface]

College Overtime Rules Still Fairer Than NFL
Since the NFL instituted new overtime rules in 2012 the team winning the overtime coin toss has won 64 games, lost 52 with 8 ties. The winning percentage, including ties is 54.83%.
Over the same period in overtime games involving NCAA teams, the team that won the overtime toss have won 515 and lost 496. The winning percentage is 50.94%.

I still don't think pure winning percentage is a good metric. That can be balanced without the actual rule set being fair.