NFL Overtime Rules

The owners passed the new overtime rule today for the NFL playoffs by a 28-4 vote. I for one am impressed that it passes so overwhelmingly. Never before have we voted on a new playoff overtime system, which would lead one to believe that the former system was working just fine. But all of the sudden, not only are we questioning the old system, we are voting in substantial majority to overturn it, on the first attempt (The vote needed 24 owners to change the rule). Was the old system perfect? Certainly not. But it was good enough to last from the beginning of the NFL until now. What happened to render it so obsolete so suddenly?

The statistics have shown trends that the team winning the coin-toss has been winning more overtimes. These trends began when, for the 1994 season, the kick-off was moved back from the 35 yard line to the 30 yard line. Before that, the winner and loser of the coin toss were splitting the games.

If the NFL is really concerned about competition, why wouldn't they change the kick-off spot, and return to a system that they have statistical proof of effectiveness. The NFL thinks they gain more viewers with a more exciting return game, so they will try to adjust other areas to make up for the competition problems it creates.

Now, I am not here to say that this is the worst possible system out there. Perhaps it is better than the current system, considering the changes in results since 1994, as well as the continual rule changes that favor offensive football. It certainly bears more similarity to the college system, which many enjoy. I just don't see what has sparked a such a quick and decisive move for change. Is it possible that the NFL has been looking into the overtime situation for year and finally settled on this? Of course it is. But that is not he vibe that seems to be emanating from this process. I would have thought we would have first seen an increase in team ownership showing disapproval of the current system, then heard about a variety of ideas the NFL was considering to ameliorate the situation, and then finally we would follow the process of the owners picking amongst a few legitimate options that had come to light. This movement simply seems sudden, and somewhat haphazardly gone about from where I sit.

I suppose we should go over the advantages and disadvantages of the new system.

Advantages:

1. No more quick, cheap field goal drives ending a game. The vast majority of overtime games are won by teams settling for field goals once they reach what is considered a highly makeable distance for their kicker. They often times will kick on 3rd down to account for the possibility of a bad snap. This new rule wil force team, IN THE PLAYOFFS, to go for touchdowns on these opening drives, which many of us prefer to see.

2. No one can get beat BY A FG without touching the ball. This is the major reason for the rule. It allows the coin toss loser to get the football, as long as the first team doesn't score a touchdown.

This is really all I can think of as far as positives, but they are significant.

Disadvantages:

1. Teams can still lose without getting the ball. If the first team scores a touchdown, the game is over. Let us not forget that a healthy amount of the time, teams are not being stopped in deep field goals, because of defensive stops. They are simply kicking field goals when they deem it strategically advantageous. So, in a game where offenses are over-powering defenses, there is a certain possibility that the first team will finish the drive, that would have previously voluntarily halted, and score a touchdown.

2. If the first team scores, the second team knows that they can use all 4 downs. Something about this bothers me. I understand that it often comes up at the end of games, but I don't like how it applies in the new overtime. If the first team kicks a FG, the second team has the ablity to drive down the field using all 4 downs and not just tie the game, but possibly score a touchdown to end it. I like that in the original overtime, the teams have to play according to normal football situation, at least until in easy scoring range, where they stop at 3rd down and kick. I know that if I got the ball first and drove using 3 downs per series, working hard for a FG, and the other team drove back on me, a couple times using 4th down to prolong the drive and ended up beating me with a TD, I would be upset with the rule.

3. After each team gets the ball once, it just goes back to the old rule. This will stop the first drive from being a quick decider, but if teams were to trade scores, it would be like starting the old overtime rule. It improves things a little, as it gives the defense a second chance to stop the offense, and that will certainly increase the amount of stops, however it's not fully alleviating the problem of the first team being able to end a game unanswered in an offensive game.

4. If the first team with the ball gives up a defensive touchdown, the games is over. I'm not sure how much of a problem this is, but it was worth mentioning. This would only be a major issue in a game betweeen teams that likely wouldn't be in the playoffs anyway. But say, the Derek Anderson led Cardinals were playing the Brett Favre led Vikings...wouldn't you want both quarterbacks to get a chance to throw the game away, as much as you would want both quarterbacks to get a chance to drive and win it.

5. It only applies to the playoffs. If this systems is thought by a 28-4 vote to be better (not that I'm calling for this situation), then it should be instituted throughout football. The only difference there should ever be between the overtime system of a sport should be the allowance of ties, if the sports sees it fit to award ties. The same goes for a shootout in hockey. If that is the best way to decide games, it should always be.

So looking at the situation, it is certainly a debatable topic. We will have to see how things progress this football season.

I'm very interested to see everyone's opinion on this in the comments, as I've heard many different voices these past few weeks.

-APT