The NFL’s Overtime Rule Is Under Attack After a Coin Flip Decided a Classic(wsj.com)
wsj.com
The NFL’s Overtime Rule Is Under Attack After a Coin Flip Decided a Classic
https://www.wsj.com/articles/chiefs-bills-nfl-overtime-rules-josh-allen-patrick-mahomes-11643042561
2 comments
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[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1dp2ZKi0cc
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyXnCPbK6NI
The article points out that, after the 2010 playoffs, the NFL relaxed the sudden death rules of overtime by allowing overtime to continue if the first drive leads to a field goal but not a touchdown. I suspect that, in the near future, the NFL will relax the sudden death rules again by always allowing overtime to continue past the first drive, so both offenses and both defenses get to play in overtime.
That said, for the overtime game this past weekend, I think a decision on a kickoff prior to the end of regulation made as big a difference as the subsequent coin flip. NFL’s current rules make you want to avoid overtime if at all possible. Both teams knew that going in and the losing quarterback was right to say simply: “The rules are what they are.”