Every year several NFL games trickle beyond the traditional 60 minutes and spill into the most anxious period of time in the history of this planet—overtime. It’s already happened twice this postseason (Texans vs Bills, Saints vs Vikings), and it’s a mainstay of football this time of year. Overtime in the NFL is a fast-paced, rage-inducing shootout that rarely ever makes it the full 10 minutes. Often, it leaves fans disgusted by the fact that their team didn’t even get a chance to score.
That’s because, for some reason that I still don’t entirely understand, the team who wins the coin toss gets way too much power. The other team only gets a chance if they’re held to three points or less. This has games being determined by a coin toss. Sure, you can say that a team just has to get a stop and it doesn’t matter. However, in some instances, it’s clear that whoever won the coin toss would’ve been the team to win.
Last year’s AFC Championship game featured two unstoppable offenses. In all likelihood, either would’ve scored if given the opportunity in overtime. However, only one team can win the toss, and the Patriots were the beneficiary. They didn’t even have to try to stop Patrick Mahomes and the historic Kansas City Chiefs’ offense. Fans across the country were upset (as they usually are this time of year). I, as an innocent Broncos fan, honestly had to agree with them. The NFL overtime rule needs change. However, the change I’m going to propose is going to be one that’s unconventional and possibly unpopular. Overall, though, this option is more realistic based on what the league wants.
DON’T Just Give Both Teams the Ball
This is everyone’s easy fix. Both teams should get the ball. Let them go back-and-forth like they do in college until somebody scores while also forcing a stop. Often, this leads to high-scoring affairs that, in my opinion, hurt the integrity of the initial game that took place. Take a look at the historic game last season between LSU and Texas A&M.
Yes, that reads Texas A&M 74, LSU 72. The scariest part? This game went to overtime tied at 31. Now, I don’t know what the over/under was set at in Vegas, but imagine if it were set at 70. After 60 minutes, that was at 62 points. It finished at 146. Now, you might not care about how the NFL impacts Vegas, but the league certainly does and would draw complaints from them. I’m sure.
This could be just as big of an injury or TV nightmare as it would for Vegas. Networks hate games that run way over the intended 3 hours, and the league is doing everything in their power to prevent injuries (extended periods of fatigued football do not) The NFL has shown that they’re clearly not in favor of this format after years of shutting it down. There has to be another way. Again, a coin toss determining a game is not the best way. There has to be a better fix to the NFL overtime rule.
Here It is…
Yes, it still involves a coin toss (you have to determine things somehow), and yes, the team who wins the toss gets to determine if they want the ball or not, but there’s a cost. If you choose to receive the ball and fail to score, you lose. A field goal would give the other team a chance to match or one-up with a touchdown. However, a failure to score altogether ends the game. With that being said, a first-drive touchdown would still end the game, but there’s more pressure on the offense. And certainly more pressure on kickers being trusted to extend game.
Typically, in overtime, the team who wins the toss has all of the power. Of course, you’d take the ball. If you don’t score, you’d punt, but your defense still has a chance to bail you get and get the football back. With this rule, some teams would hesitate to take the ball so quickly. Coaches may shift in the opposite direction and march their elite defenses onto the field, putting all of the pressure on the opposing side. I certainly think it’d make some matchups more interesting. While this wouldn’t change the outcome of some of the aforementioned games, the NFL overtime rule is still in need of change.
This proposal puts just as much emphasis on defense as offense and helps to balance the power created by a damn coin. It is not a perfect idea but one that I believe is moving in the right direction. Decision making would be different, and the overall result of games would change with this slight fix.
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