NFL overtime rules just don't make sense to me.

[soybean]

I can't be the only one that doesn't understand the NFL rationale about both teams not getting a possesion in overtime. I'm not an especially big Packer fan but it bugged me last night when Green Bay never got an offensive possesion in order to determine who was the better team on the field. A coin flip shouldn't matter that much. IMHO the college game has it right and the NFL doesn't.

 

[Herkmeister]

I can't be the only one that doesn't understand the NFL rationale about both teams not getting a possesion in overtime. I'm not an especially big Packer fan but it bugged me last night when Green Bay never got an offensive possesion in order to determine who was the better team on the field. A coin flip shouldn't matter that much. IMHO the college game has it right and the NFL doesn't.

I agree Soy. The NFL System seems to be as much about luck as fairness. The college game has it right for sure. The NFL should change.

 

[Funky Bunch]

It might not be perfect, but it is still much better than it used to be when all you had to do was kick a FG.

 

[artradley]

I actually prefer the pro rules. It resembles regular football, unlike college which seems closer to a soccer or hockey shoot out.

Knowing that a TD is the only thing that ends it immediately adds drama. I don't see a big advantage to winning the coin toss, but maybe there are some stats out there that say otherwise?

 

[Funky Bunch]

If a TD doesn't end it, that gives the loser of the coin toss a nice advantage in OT. The first team to have it would punt on 4th down if not in FG range. If a team gets the ball after giving up a TD, every point on the field is 4 down territory.

The winner of the first OT in college has a similar advantage, but loses that advantage the next series.

Edit: The winner of the coin toss would choose to kick in order to gain this advantage

 

[JordanChase]

I can't be the only one that doesn't understand the NFL rationale about both teams not getting a possesion in overtime. I'm not an especially big Packer fan but it bugged me last night when Green Bay never got an offensive possesion in order to determine who was the better team on the field. A coin flip shouldn't matter that much. IMHO the college game has it right and the NFL doesn't.

You realize that they can still play defense, right?

This would be the perfect set-up for the majority of KF teams that had a strong D and special teams but questionable O. Kickoff, play D, get the ball back with a short field, game over.

The flaw in the college system is that you're basically automatically guaranteed a FG and leads to too many multiple-OT games where neither defense can get off the field. As noted above, the results of a college OT game are generally far more random and much closer to a hockey or soccer shootout than in actually reflecting who is the better team and more worthy of winning the game.

The perfect way to do it, which will never happen for a multitude of reasons, would be to play an entire quarter or half and see who's ahead at the end of extra time, like association football (soccer).

 

[soybean]

You realize that they can still play defense, right?

This would be the perfect set-up for the majority of KF teams that had a strong D and special teams but questionable O. Kickoff, play D, get the ball back with a short field, game over.

The flaw in the college system is that you're basically automatically guaranteed a FG and leads to too many multiple-OT games where neither defense can get off the field. As noted above, the results of a college OT game are generally far more random and much closer to a hockey or soccer shootout than in actually reflecting who is the better team and more worthy of winning the game.

The perfect way to do it, which will never happen for a multitude of reasons, would be to play an entire quarter or half and see who's ahead at the end of extra time, like association football (soccer).

Yeah, so? What about that fact makes it a fair way to decide which team is better overall?

BTW - I do like your idea about playing an extra qtr...that would make some sense.

 

[JordanChase]

Yeah, so? What about that fact makes it a fair way to decide which team is better overall?

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........hold them, get the ball back, score, win the game.

How much football do you even watch?

 

[soybean]

At least with the college rules both teams get to play both offense and defensive, and potentially the kicking game to, instead of it devolving into essentially a coin toss event.

 

[StonesCat]

The way it was forever and ever is still the best way. You go to OT, you give up your "fairness". You had 4 quarters to prove you were better. Before long fairness will mean playing another whole game.

 

[soybean]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.........hold them, get the ball back, score, win the game.

How much football do you even watch?

 

[JordanChase]

At least with the college rules both teams get to play both offense and defensive, and potentially the kicking game to, instead of it devolving into essentially a coin toss event.

Except that you still have to kickoff, play defense, and try to score, all of which occurs after the supposedly deterministic coin toss.

College games are either FG fests or 5 OT "thrillers" where already overmatched defenses are so gassed that they can barely stand up at the end.

 

[soybean]

The way it was forever and ever is still the best way. You go to OT, you give up your "fairness". You had 4 quarters to prove you were better. Before long fairness will mean playing another whole game.

You understand that "fairness" is not always a bad concept, right? If we can't have fair sporting events then what is the point in watching? Last I heard the NFL isn't the WWF.

 

[soybean]

Except that you still have to kickoff, play defense, and try to score, all of which occurs after the supposedly deterministic coin toss.

College games are either FG fests or 5 OT "thrillers" where already overmatched defenses are so gassed that they can barely stand up at the end.

So what you are really saying is that we should have the coin toss and whoever calls it correctly wins?

 

[JordanChase]

You understand that "fairness" is not always a bad concept, right? If we can't have fair sporting events then what is the point in watching? Last I heard the NFL isn't the WWF.

You clearly did not catch the Bengals/Steelers Wild Card game.

 

[JordanChase]

So what you are really saying is that we should have the coin toss and whoever calls it correctly wins?

No, that's what you are implying, dumbass. That the coin flip winner is somehow guaranteed to be the victor, and that whatever occurs following the flip is completely random and meaningless.

 

[soybean]

You clearly did not catch the Bengals/Steelers Wild Card game.

Touche'

 

[B1GDeal]

No, that's what you are implying, dumbass. That the coin flip winner is somehow guaranteed to be the victor, and that whatever occurs following the flip is completely random and meaningless.

I've always hated the NFL OT rule and the slight change didn'tdo much to change my opinion. The college OT is better, but I would move ball back 10 yards to make the FG attempt more difficult if they don't move ball much versus it being fairly routine for the kicker.

 

[ANYCHawk]

Last I heard the NFL isn't the WWF.

 

[Mattski]

You understand that "fairness" is not always a bad concept, right? If we can't have fair sporting events then what is the point in watching? Last I heard the NFL isn't the WWF.

57% of the time since the new OT rules went into effect the coin toss winner has won the game. Hardly one sided enough to not call the system unfair. Good troll job though.

 

[Mattski]

57% of the time since the new OT rules went into effect the coin toss winner has won the game. Hardly one sided enough to call the system unfair. Good troll job though.

Edit, unintentional double negative. meant hardly one sided enough to call it unfair.

 

[soybean]

Edit, unintentional double negative. meant hardly one sided enough to call it unfair.

You had one job...

 

[ANYCHawk]

You had one job...

 

[cjnoles9399]

I never liked the old SDOT format and think the new one is a little better. But what doesn't make a lot of sense is how the new PAT rules don't factor into the overtime scoring. It was an impactful change to the regular season. An overtime TD wins it but now the longer point after try isn't a factor. Both teams should get a possession and then sudden death if there is a tie after two possessions. I would actually prefer a 7:30 quarter in the playoffs with no 2 minute warning and then go to sudden death in the event of a tie.

 

[anon_snp6dc585nnj4]

What about 5 minute periods? When time runs out, whom ever has the lead wins. That way it isn't a whole extra quarter (well unless you hit 3).

 

[ANYCHawk]

What about 5 minute periods? When time runs out, whom ever has the lead wins. That way it isn't a whole extra quarter (well unless you hit 3).

5 minutes how is that any different than now or previous?

Team could easily run out the clock, kick a field goal with 7 seconds left and win.

 

[anon_snp6dc585nnj4]

5 minutes how is that any different than now or previous?

Team could easily run out the clock, kick a field goal with 7 seconds left and win.

Teams can do that all game to. Why not continue playing just with shorter quarters. I get what you're saying too, but if a team is better than make a stop.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I'm not a fan of either the college or pro OT rules but the college rules are more fair imo. Perhaps the college rules could be improved upon by making the rule after the 3rd OT apply right away. That is to just ignore FG and force teams to go for the TD. That removes any advantage from going first or last as well as removes gimme FGs. I would also say if both teams are tied after 3 OTs then just accept the tie unless it's a championship game, playoff game, or bowl game.

 

[cjnoles9399]

I like a half quarter of game clock because it should give both teams a shot or at least if the first defensive team can't get the offense off the field in almost 8 minutes they don't really have an argument for not getting a chance.

All teams have their "4 minute offense" and you would likely see that on display in a shortened period. Or at least if the first offensive team scored the next team could run a 2 minute drill.

 

[JordanChase]

57% of the time since the new OT rules went into effect the coin toss winner has won the game. Hardly one sided enough to not call the system unfair. Good troll job though.

But the coin flip determines EVERYTHING!

 

[soybean]

But the coin flip determines EVERYTHING!

When is 57-43 not consequental? If you want to agrue that the coin flip isn't the primary factor in determining the winner, fine, I agree. But to claim it isn't a significant factor is just plain silly.

 

[artradley]

When is 57-43 not consequental? If you want to agrue that the coin flip isn't the primary factor in determining the winner, fine, I agree. But to claim it isn't a significant factor is just plain silly.

I would guess that the college team to take offense last has a similar advantage. Again, somebody with the statistics could help, possibly resolve, this.

 

[Rustys Dad]

I would like to see each team get a possession ...

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I would guess that the college team to take offense last has a similar advantage. Again, somebody with the statistics could help, possibly resolve, this.

And that's why my Idea would work best. College rules but no field goals allowed. You must score a TD. The only advantage having the ball last gives you is on the off chance that the opposing coach decides to go for 2 for some reason. An occurrence so rare that it basically removes any advantage at all.

 

[JordanChase]

When is 57-43 not consequental? If you want to agrue that the coin flip isn't the primary factor in determining the winner, fine, I agree. But to claim it isn't a significant factor is just plain silly.

Show me the stats for college then, or STFU.

You realize that the coin flip gives one team a distinct advantage there, too, right?

I'd imagine that it's a few percent higher than 50, leaving a negligible difference of a few measly percent separating the two systems.

Also, there are far fewer games, and thus OT games, played in the NFL than there is across all of college football, so one data point either way will have a more significant impact on the overall statistics, meaning that you should see two competing outcomes farther apart than 50/50 than you will for a larger data pool like CFB, and it's only very specious and tortured logic that would lead one to conclude that the coin flip has a statistically larger impact on the overall outcome of a professional overtime contest than a collegiate one.

Thus endeth the lesson, nimrod.

 

[unsubstantiated]

College rules put the offense just outside the red zone, pretty much handing them a 40 yd FG attempt. In the NFL the offense/kick return has to go 80-100 yards to score. If you give up 80 yds worth of first downs and a TD- oh well, too bad, you had your chance.....

 

[Accipiter]

In the NFL, the overtime rules are never going to be about what's better or fairer; it's about fitting the game into its T.V. slot. That's where the money is.

 

[uniFIGHTuniFIGHT]

I'd rather it be like college OT, only instead of starting in FG range you start at your own 40. You'd have to move the ball at least 20 yards to have a realistic shot at a field goal.

 

[Hawk and Awe]

In the NFL, the overtime rules are never going to be about what's better or fairer; it's about fitting the game into its T.V. slot. That's where the money is.

That's the owners view, but the players have reason to support the current rules too. When they made the change there was a lot of concern arohnd lengthening the game

 

[HallofFame]

College rules put the offense just outside the red zone, pretty much handing them a 40 yd FG attempt. In the NFL the offense/kick return has to go 80-100 yards to score. If you give up 80 yds worth of first downs and a TD- oh well, too bad, you had your chance.....

That's the equivalent of in the top 10th inning you give up a run and game over sorry your pitcher gave up a run. Play a full quarter or everything else is a farce.