OT rule needs a flipping change

[Cntrygal]

Imagine if the seventh game of the NBA Finals went to overtime, and Kobe Bryant sat on the bench the entire five minutes. Or if the Yankees lost a decisive World Series game in extra innings, without getting to bat in the 10th.

That’s the folly of the NFL’s outdated overtime format, which allows the winner of a coin flip the chance to win without giving the opposing offense a chance to respond. Defenders of the system say it’s fine the way it is. They say it makes the NFL unique. I call it stupid.

original article (http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/columns/story/540381.html)
linked article and more (http://www.billszone.com/)

[THATHURMANATOR]

They shouldn't change OT.

[northernbillfan]

They should look at the college system or the CFL's system. Each team has a possesion and a chance to score. Makes it fair for all around.

[Coach Sal]

They should look at the college system or the CFL's system. Each team has a possesion and a chance to score. Makes it fair for all around.

I wouldn't want the NFL to adopt the college system because:
1. It's way too easy to kick a field goal in the NFL if you give a team the ball at the opponents' 25.
2. I believe taking away a big portion of the game - special teams - is wrong (and even a disadvantage for teams good it at). There is no kickoff and no punting in the college OT. So, 60-minute games are played and those areas are big factors, but then they eliminate them for the OT.

I like Sully's idea. One full 15-minute quarter. End of quarter who's ahead wins.

OR.....how about first team to six points wins?! That way, you can't win on a field goal. You can still win on first possession, but only if you score a TD.

[BlackMetalNinja]

I wouldn't want the NFL to adopt the college system because:
1. It's way too easy to kick a field goal in the NFL if you give a team the ball at the opponents' 25.
2. I believe taking away a big portion of the game - special teams - is wrong (and even a disadvantage for teams good it at). There is no kickoff and no punting in the college OT. So, 60-minute games are played and those areas are big factors, but then they eliminate them for the OT.

I like Sully's idea. One full 15-minute quarter. End of quarter who's ahead wins.

OR.....how about first team to six points wins?! That way, you can't win on a field goal. You can still win on first possession, but only if you score a TD.

College changes the basics of football too much for their OT. The full 15 minute quarter is an interesting prospect, probably the best of the ideas I've seen... But really, if you don't get the ball, shouldn't you expect your defense to be able to stop the other team when you need them to?

[madness]

I'm sorry but the college OT format gets me pumped up more than any other. If I could automatically record every game that goes in OT, I would.

I'm not saying the NFL should definitely adopt that format but I think it's definitely the most exciting to watch. If it wasn't for the BCS, I'd be into college football harcore.

[MikeInRoch]

I like the "no kicking" idea. In OT, no FGs or punts.

[ParanoidAndroid]

I like the "first to six" idea. If the team that wins the coin toss fails to score a TD and kicks a field goal, the opposing offense gets a shot. A field goal ties it back up and a TD wins it, but in my version, no score loses the game. I was also thinking if the first offense scores a FG, the opposing offense must score a TD or lose right there...no FG to tie. That would be high drama and the pressure would still be on the first team to defend.

[SeatownBillsFan21]

Each team should get at least 1 shot.Games should never end in ties

[cablesabres68]

what i think they should do is play another 15 minute quarter and the winner of the quarter at the end of the 15 minutes wins the game if it is tied in the regular season it ends in a tie but if it is a playoff game it keeps going the team would have to use the whole field same rules as the other 4 quarters it would make it more exciting because the teams need to drive the whole field to score or special teams could win it for you or w/e i think that would be awesome

[Night Train]

Both teams should get a shot in OT.

Put the ball at their own 40, instead of 25 yards from the endzone. Forces them to go 60 yards for a TD or even get a couple 1st downs, just for a long FG attempt. Ban punting, which forces another offensive play on 4th down.

Think about it. The D and O both come out looking good for the winner. They earned the win, rather than lucking out over a coin flip.

[imbondz]

why not just let it end in a tie? if it's the playoffs, then both teams advance.

[Typ0]

the current format is the best it could be. teams aren't getting "screwed" by losing a coin flip in OT they are getting "screwed" by their inability to win the game in regulation.

[Mr. Pink]

the current format is the best it could be. teams aren't getting "screwed" by losing a coin flip in OT they are getting "screwed" by their inability to win the game in regulation.


Or their inability to stop another team's offense.

Just because you get the ball first in OT, in the playoffs, doesn't mean you'll win.

Ask the 1986 Browns about that one in the AFC Championship game.

[PECKERWOOD]

Ok, Sullivan knocked the ball out of the park on this one, he made some very good analogies, I'm 100% convinced.

[Oaf]

College needs NFL playoffs, NFL needs college OT. :idunno:

[Typ0]

College needs NFL playoffs, NFL needs college OT. :idunno:


it's just something else for people to ***** about really...if it's not that it would be something else. The logistics of both of those things are near impossible hence things are the way they are. People don't think about the things that make them prohibitive though they just want to *****.

[madness]

People don't think about the things that make them prohibitive though they just want to *****.

Politics... making sure things stay the way the are and not how they should be... unless there is an opportunity for everyone to buy pants with bigger pockets.

[Typ0]

Politics... making sure things stay the way the are and not how they should be... unless there is an opportunity for everyone to buy pants with bigger pockets.

not sure what you mean...

[EricStratton]

Teams pay defensive players for a reason, if you force a 3 and out in the current format your team is set up for a win.

Keep it the way it is, it works but if there is ever a change the chasing 6 points seems to be the best alternative.

[madness]

not sure what you mean...

The only reason we are stuck with the current BCS format is because of how the money is distributed but hey, as the official BCS website stated in an article disputing the popular opinion of a playoff format... "trust the process and we will get it right 80 percent of the time."

[Typ0]

The only reason we are stuck with the current BCS format is because of how the money is distributed but hey, as the official BCS website stated in an article disputing the popular opinion of a playoff format... "trust the process and we will get it right 80 percent of the time."

and what I was saying is that a college playoff format is logistically & financially prohibitive so it won't happen. For example, there is no forum to play the games unless they do it at a time when school is not in session ... well that would never work.

[CuseJetsFan83]

if your team makes it to ot and suddenly can't stop the opposing team that is your fault..... you deserve losing

while i do think it wouldn't be a bad idea to attempt the 1 possession rule, who's to say it wouldn't turn into college...

anyways the current format is fine, and honestly, they should get rid of ties in regular season

[THE END OF ALL DAYS]

if game ends in a tie, the cheerleaders meet at the center of the field and mudwrestle for it.

[Buffalogic]

I would hate the college OT rule adopted into the NFL and for a few reasons..

Each team just had an equal chance of winning the game in the hour already provided. Both teams failed at doing so, so the game is extended until it finishes. That doesn't mean scrap the entire football format to 'let everyone have a try'. Sorry, you already have a try, and it's on defense, so play some or lose!!

OT rule changes to accommodate teams with ****ty defenses would truly be sad!! Football isn't all about whose offense is the best, so neither should OT be.

How many games per year or even per week finish with both teams in the single digits?? Scoring isn't always as easy as some make it out to be. It's a lot more common than most would choose to believe, but OT games don't always end on the first possession, lol.

People act like the team who loses the coin toss is powerless to affect the outcome of the overtime session and that's just not true.