New Overtime Rule for Playoffs

[SHOWTIME15]

I think the team with the ball first has won 4x by TD in the playoffs. Two of those were by the Pats. Wonder why they made this change?!

This is correct. Teams that won the OT toss are 7-2 in the playoffs and score TDs on the opening drive. This was the precipitous for the change. If you are going to favor the offense over the defense in general, it was a necessary change to implement.

 

[Lagaffe_07]

The just changed the rule because one young QB being pimped didn't get the ball in overtime. Meanwhile, in the 4th quarter of that game:


Final drive - Chiefs get the ball on their own 25, with 13 seconds left in the game. The Chiefs then proceed to go from their own 25 to the Bills 31 and kick a field goal, on a drive that was 2 plays long.

But, somehow, it's not fair that Allen didn't get the ball in overtime, and that was the problem.

I don’t get it either. And I don’t get why people think overtime should be fair. If you want fair, win the game in regulation. If you don’t, you expose yourself to some unfairness. I think with this new rule some teams will play for overtime because you get a shot anyway.

 

[Deus Irae]

I don’t get it either. And I don’t get why people think overtime should be fair. If you want fair, win the game in regulation. If you don’t, you expose yourself to some unfairness. I think with this new rule some teams will play for overtime because you get a shot anyway.

Fair doesn't even exist, and the league's not looking for fair anyway. They're looking for even outcomes, regardless of context. That's the root of the problem. I mean, we can see it with the current OT rules for the regular season. It's certainly not fair to get the ball first, have to advance the ball using only 3 downs, and then score a FG, only to then have your defense have to defend 4 downs. And, even if your defense then holds the opponent to a field goal, you then move to sudden death anyway.

It's asinine, but people can't let "good enough" be good enough.

 

[amfootball]

I have never had an issue with sudden death. That is kind of the point with OT to being with IMO. But if there are now going to multiple possessions even if a TD is scored than why not just play a full 15 minute quarter and whoever is ahead at the end wins. If still tied then go to sudden death I guess.

 

[amfootball]

This rule change really is reflective of how the league has really made it impossible to play defense.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I'm guessing that with this new rule change the team that wins the coin toss will now elect to kick off. This way you will know when you get the ball back what you need to do, allowing you to go for it on 4th down, or just play for a FG, etc.

Funny thing is, this decision will come for the first time in a tied playoff game. Good luck to the HC that makes the wrong decision.

 

[Deus Irae]

Mahomes said he doesn’t have a strong preference for how the overtime rule works.

“I’m sure there’ll be moments where you feel like it’s a good decision,” Mahomes said. “But then there will be moments when you score that touchdown first and you feel like it’s a bad one. So you just go out there and play and try to win the game whatever way.”

Patrick Mahomes: No matter what the overtime rules are, your job is to find a way to win - ProFootballTalk

 

[pazrul72]

I despise this rule. The entire point of the rule change away from sudden death was only having to go 30 yards for a FG was a bit cheap and too easy. I agree with that sentiment and found go 75 yards to get a TD to be much fairer. Now team A scores a TD, Team B scores a TD, and viola right back to the FG you didnt want to end it the first time. Stop changing things for the sake of changing things!

 

[Deus Irae]

Fair doesn't even exist, and the league's not looking for fair anyway. They're looking for even outcomes, regardless of context. That's the root of the problem. I mean, we can see it with the current OT rules for the regular season. It's certainly not fair to get the ball first, have to advance the ball using only 3 downs, and then score a FG, only to then have your defense have to defend 4 downs. And, even if your defense then holds the opponent to a field goal, you then move to sudden death anyway.

It's asinine, but people can't let "good enough" be good enough.

And it didn't take long....


John Harbaugh: New overtime doesn't solve the problem, spot and choose does - ProFootballTalk



It didn't even take an overtime game being played.