Earlier this week, the NFL announced the new rules that were proposed for overtime play. The new playoff overtime rules were passed with a 28-4 vote with the only teams voting against the rules being the Bills, Ravens, Vikings and Bengals. For now the rule has only been passed for the playoffs, but could make it's way to regular season play as well.
New NFL Overtime Rules (Playoffs)
The new rules would push teams to go for six as opposed to kicking field goals, but still has that sudden death element while still giving both teams an equal opportunity to win the game, not just leaving it up to the coin toss.
1. A coin toss will still decide first possession.
2. If the first team to score, scores a touchdown, the game is over.
3. If the team that get's the ball on the opening kickoff scores by way of field goal, the other team will have an opportunity to receive the ball and score as well. If the second team scores a touchdown, they win.
4. If both teams kick field goals, the game goes back to sudden death and the next team to score wins.
Let us know what you think of the new rules for overtime in the playoffs and whether or not you think they should also adopt it for regular season play in 2010.
Thanks to fragilebreath for the picture of the NFL logo.
I am very happy with the changes and hope they will use them in regular season play too. I hated that a game could be decided by winning or losing a coin toss. At least the new rules make it more challenging.
I agree that giving the second team an opportunity to win if the receiving team kicks a field goal makes it more exciting and could also make the play calling and aggressiveness change. I like it.
Like the changes, but would rather see it more similar to NCAA. Regardless of whether the first team scores a Field Goal or a Touchdown, the other team should get a chance to match…but this is a step in the right direction. Unless you are Zygi Wilf – apparently Minny likes how they lost!
I don’t like the idea of the college overtime system for the NFL. inside the 30 driving doesn’t make it very difficult to score for any NFL team. It would still end with a team either making or missing a 2 PT. conversion and just take a lot longer to get the same result.