OT: NFL overtime rules

[McLovin]

It’s time to adopt a system (at least for the playoffs) similar to college where both teams are guaranteed a shot.

Stupid a game like that comes down to a coin toss.

What an epic weekend of football.

 

[Wildgopher]

Best weekend of football I have ever seen.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

One of the dumber rules in sports. The team that wins the coin toss wins about 60% of the time. Huge statistical advantage based on pure luck.

 

[Scoe]

I kind of like it the way they have it you give up a TD you don’t deserve to win, give up the fg and you got a chance.

 

[Scoe]

One of the dumber rules in sports. The team that wins the coin toss wins about 60% of the time. Huge statistical advantage based on pure luck.

You always go heads on the coin toss.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Just for comparison, there is no statistically significant advantage to the team that wins the opening coin toss.

 

[Kitaman]

Is the rule that the coin toss winner must score a TD to win the game? In other words a field goal allows the other team an opportunity to tie or win.

Either way its still an injustice. The defense is spent after 4 quarters, so the advantage obviously goes to the coin flip winner.

 

[navery12]

Is the rule that the coin toss winner must score a TD to win the game? In other words a field goal allows the other team an opportunity to tie or win.

Either way its still an injustice. The defense is spent after 4 quarters, so the advantage obviously goes to the coin flip winner.

Yes, FG means the other team gets a possession and then it becomes sudden death after that if it's still tied

 

[JB75]

Is the rule that the coin toss winner must score a TD to win the game? In other words a field goal allows the other team an opportunity to tie or win.

Either way its still an injustice. The defense is spent after 4 quarters, so the advantage obviously goes to the coin flip winner.

Agreed. Ridiculous. Sorry I posted this on the bills thread but josh Allen should of had a chance to answer when kc scored. Understandable for regular season but that rule is dumb for the playoffs. Based off something as meaningless as the flip of a coin. Dumb

 

[superjohn]

Is the rule that the coin toss winner must score a TD to win the game? In other words a field goal allows the other team an opportunity to tie or win.

Either way its still an injustice. The defense is spent after 4 quarters, so the advantage obviously goes to the coin flip winner.

Yes. Touchdown ends it, field goal fives thr other team a chance.

 

[DFW HOYA]

Play a full 5th quarter. The problem is, TV likes he sudden-death angle.

 

[McLovin]

Play a full 5th quarter. The problem is, TV likes he sudden-death angle.

I’m sure TV would gladly welcome the extra free quarter. I’d personally welcome it.

But I think the hesitation with that is player safety. A full extra 15 minutes would be tough for a gassed team. But what if it’s tied after that? A full 30 extra minutes would be insanity to put those guys through (from an injury standpoint).

Maybe could experiment with 8 or 10 minute periods.

My preferred OT would be to start each team on their own 45 and do college rules (without all the dumb 2point conversion stuff they’ve put in).

Teams would have to get at least 1 first down to get into long field goal range. But start close enough to the end zone that drives should be 10 or less plays.

 

[mauconnfan]

And when the team that wins the coin toss only gets a FG the other team now has an advantage of sorts. I mean theres no reason to think about punting so you get 4 downs every time to get a first down. Make it strategical especially for the playoffs. Full quarter whether it’s 10,12 or 15 minutes play it out.

Neither of those QBs deserves to lose, never mind not get his hands on the ball again with a chance!

 

[jleves]

It’s time to adopt a system (at least for the playoffs) similar to college where both teams are guaranteed a shot.

Stupid a game like that comes down to a coin toss.

What an epic weekend of football.

Well you could well get this:

 

[Deepster]

It’s time to adopt a system (at least for the playoffs) similar to college where both teams are guaranteed a shot.

Stupid a game like that comes down to a coin toss.

What an epic weekend of football.

I disagree. All the Bills had to do was:

a) Not let them go 50 yards in 14 seconds or
b) Not let them march right down and score an OT TD immediately.

Their defense, mainly their safeties, failed them in the last 2 minutes and OT. They deserved to lose.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I disagree. All the Bills had to do was:

a) Not let them go 50 yards in 14 seconds or
b) Not let them march right down and score an OT TD immediately.

Their defense, mainly their safeties, failed them in the last 2 minutes and OT. They deserved to lose.

1) they deserved to lose, and 2) the OT rules are stupid and bring way too much pure luck into play, are not mutually exclusive thoughts.

 

[McLovin]

I disagree. All the Bills had to do was:

a) Not let them go 50 yards in 14 seconds or
b) Not let them march right down and score an OT TD immediately.

Their defense, mainly their safeties, failed them in the last 2 minutes and OT. They deserved to lose.

I agree they deserve to lose because they made a lot of dumb mistakes to let them get to OT to begin with.

But teams who win the toss are 10-1 in last 11 playoff OT games.

I keep hearing people say “if you want to win, all you have to do is stop them from getting a TD and get your QB the ball back.”

Yeah… game 19 of the season, in freezing temps after 60 minutes of back and forth football where the defenses essentially sprinted up and down the field all game.

Guys are GASSED at that point. It’s not even remotely close to trying to stop a team from marching down the opening kick off of the game.

 

[Deepster]

I agree they deserve to lose because they made a lot of dumb mistakes to let them get to OT to begin with.

But teams who win the toss are 10-1 in last 11 playoff OT games.

I keep hearing people say “if you want to win, all you have to do is stop them from getting a TD and get your QB the ball back.”

Yeah… game 19 of the season, in freezing temps after 60 minutes of back and forth football where the defenses essentially sprinted up and down the field all game.

Guys are GASSED at that point. It’s not even remotely close to trying to stop a team from marching down the opening kick off of the game.

Okay. So guys are so gassed and they're in Game 19, freezing temps. And the answer is have them continue playing and scoring TD's for another 15 minutes of game time? Doesn't that even further water down that factor that they're even MORE tired after a few times up and down the field in OT?

 

[the Q]

Go to College style but start at the 50. You still need a first down to get into reasonable fg range

 

[McLovin]

Okay. So guys are so gassed and they're in Game 19, freezing temps. And the answer is have them continue playing and scoring TD's for another 15 minutes of game time? Doesn't that even further water down that factor that they're even MORE tired after a few times up and down the field in OT?

The root of the problem is that the coin toss decides who is going to win because that team historically just marches down the field and scores. 10 out of the last 11 times in the playoffs that has happened.

Let’s go to college rules where each team get the ball (at the 50 or own 45, outside of FG range) and give each team a shot.

I’m not sure playing a whole extra period is the best idea, especially since there is the risk that it’s still tied after that.

But a 10 of 11 isn’t statistically insignificant to ignore and keep going as is.

 

[LoboDays]

All you need to do is let both teams get a chance. Just eliminate the “touchdown and you win” rule at the beginning of OT.

 

[Deepster]

The root of the problem is that the coin toss decides who is going to win because that team historically just marches down the field and scores. 10 out of the last 11 times in the playoffs that has happened.

Let’s go to college rules where each team get the ball (at the 50 or own 45, outside of FG range) and give each team a shot.

I’m not sure playing a whole extra period is the best idea, especially since there is the risk that it’s still tied after that.

But a 10 of 11 isn’t statistically insignificant to ignore and keep going as is.

It's not really 10 of 11 though.

"Including the postseason, there have been 163 overtime games under the current NFL overtime rules. Teams that won the coin toss have a record of 86-67-10 (52.8%)."

In 163 games, there were only 9 times the team that lost the coin toss ended up losing the game.

 

[McLovin]

It's not really 10 of 11 though.

"Including the postseason, there have been 163 overtime games under the current NFL overtime rules. Teams that won the coin toss have a record of 86-67-10 (52.8%)."

In 163 games, there were only 9 times the team that lost the coin toss ended up losing the game.

Ummmm no. If the team that won the toss went on to win 86 games of 163 games, then that would mean the team that lost the toss went on to loss 86 games (not "only" 9) of 163. I don't think you understand the point you're trying to make.

P.S. here is the same article you took that stat from, which advocates for changing the OT rules for the playoffs

Here’s how the overtime NFL playoff game between the Chiefs and Bills could have been even better

Sunday's Chiefs-Bills playoff game might have been the best 60-minutes-plus of football we'll see for the next 10 years. But even though fans saw a master class in entertainment and perseverance, they can also feel as though they got robbed.

www.seattletimes.com

 

[Chin Diesel]

 

[SubbaBub]

Meh, recency bias. You lose the toss and want the ball back, then don't let them score a TD, then you have the advantage. The old rule was stupid and college has become a joke.