Overtime ruules

[Chucktownsteeler]

Hopefully this isn't a knee jerk reaction but with the events yesterday I'd like to see the rules for overtime in the NFL changed.

A couple of thoughts I had was "first team the scores wins".

Or, if the present format is kept, go back to a full 15 minute time frame.

Any other thoughts?

[LPMAN]

Go to College OT format.... except for playoffs. Kinda like NHL has a shootout after condensed OT in regular season but regular OT for playoffs.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Basically, it IS first team that scores wins... with one exception. If you take the opening kickoff and get a FG, the other team gets a chance to match that.

Having said that, I never understood why they went to 10 minutes instead of 15

[Chucktownsteeler]

Basically, it IS first team that scores wins... with one exception. If you take the opening kickoff and get a FG, the other team gets a chance to match that.

Having said that, I never understood why they went to 10 minutes instead of 15

Correct, maybe I wasn't clear. First score wins: field goal, TD, safety. I don't care. First score of any type wins. Period.

[WindyCitySteel]

Go to College OT format.... except for playoffs. Kinda like NHL has a shootout after condensed OT in regular season but regular OT for playoffs.

The old college format, not the new one, hopefully.

I say play 15 minutes of football, if it's still tied, it's a tie.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Correct, maybe I wasn't clear. First score wins: field goal, TD, safety. I don't care. First score of any type wins. Period.

i think the problem was that the winner of the coin toss kicked a FG to win on opening drive like 80% of the time (or something absurdly high). Basically, it became a game decided by a coin toss.

[feltdizz]

Only issue is the time. Should be 15 minutes.

[Chucktownsteeler]

i think the problem was that the winner of the coin toss kicked a FG to win on opening drive like 80% of the time (or something absurdly high). Basically, it became a game decided by a coin toss.

Likewise, if both teams drive and kick the FG you just about have the same scenario. I like first team scores - wins - period.

[T.Ferguson]

I hate everything about OT now, I much prefer how it was originally, sudden death first team to score wins. If teams don't like that then don't go to OT, there is a reason it was called sudden death, it's no longer regulation. The weird thing is NFL seems to adjust rules like moving the extra point back to entice teams to gamble on 2 point conversions and take chances but the OT rules entices teams to do the opposite since it's now a safer option vs. how OT rules originally were. There should not be an incentive to go to OT.

A big issue with the current rule is since it's only 10 minutes long (why?) and both teams can stay alive with FG's it increases the odds of a tie which is not something the league should be doing. Think about it, if both teams drive for a FG how much time is left? Probably not much.

I think the only reason it was changed is because Peyton was bellyaching about it after an OT loss, Mr. NFL royalty.

[papillon]

The old college format, not the new one, hopefully.

I say play 15 minutes of football, if it's still tied, it's a tie.

There it is, just keep playing as if its the end of a quarter, don't reset anything (maybe give each team a TO). If you had the ball, keep the ball with the same down and distance and play the full 15 minutes so its a football game sand not something resembling a football game. If its tied, then its tied, so be it.

Pappy

[flippy]

I think we should change. I’d turn the clock off. No more TOs. And no K or P in OT after the initial KO.

Just be the 1st team to go get a TD.

Even if you go 4 and out on your side of the field, your opponent still has to score a TD so I think this would balance things out and make it a fair game.

Would also be interesting to see who receives and who defers based on their ability. Everyone wouldn’t always automatically take the kickoff.

[Northern_Blitz]

Hopefully this isn't a knee jerk reaction but with the events yesterday I'd like to see the rules for overtime in the NFL changed.

A couple of thoughts I had was "first team the scores wins".

Or, if the present format is kept, go back to a full 15 minute time frame.

Any other thoughts?

I thought it never should have changed.

Felt like the only reason it did was because Payton lost without touching the ball in OT.

Who cares? If you're good enough, win it in regulation.

Now everybody, get off my lawn!

[Northern_Blitz]

i think the problem was that the winner of the coin toss kicked a FG to win on opening drive like 80% of the time (or something absurdly high). Basically, it became a game decided by a coin toss.

I didn't look it up, but I thought it was more like a 55 / 45 split?

[snarky]

I agree that the rules could be improved. The new quasi sudden-death combined with the ten minute overtime really encourages ties. And ties seem to really piss everyone off for some reason.

The problem with the old way was that the coin toss for first possession in OT had a disproportionate effect on the outcome. So all they need to do is eliminate the coin toss. I'm aware of two ways to do so...

1) Captains come out after half time and the ref starts offering home team (or visitors -- whichever) the ball at the one yard line. If they decline, he offers the other team the ball at the two yard line. Basically the offer keeps increasing until one team takes the ball. The team that doesn't get the ball then decides which end zone they want to defend. Doing it this way gives each team an equal chance at the ball.

2) Which ever team has possession at the end of regulation or would have had possession on the ensuing kickoff if regulation ended with a score has the option of beginning overtime from their 20 yard line or letting the other team have it at their 20. This would put the team tying the game late at an intentional disadvantage and may cause some coaches to go for two points at the end of regulation which would further reduce the likelihood of ties.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Likewise, if both teams drive and kick the FG you just about have the same scenario. I like first team scores - wins - period.

except it's not close to the same as being decided by a coin toss at that point.
Sometime, the next team gets a TD. Sometimes they don't score at all.
Sometimes the first team gets the ball back and doesn't score. Sometimes they get a TD... turnovers... etc, etc