New NFL Overtime Rule: Far From Perfect, But Step In The Right Direction

March 25, 2010   ·   Peter Lomuscio   ·   Jump to comments

The NFL has passed a new rule altering the overtime format exclusively for the playoffs. The proposal passed through the owners rather comfortably with a 28-4 vote.
 
This new format will assure the team that kicks off to start overtime a possession if they hold their opponent to a field goal on the initial possession. If the receiving team scores a touchdown the game is over.
 
There is no denying that this is clearly an improvement to the overtime rule that was in place, but at the same time the rule is far from perfect.
 
Traditionalists usually are opposed to big time changes in the sport, but even they supported a fairer overtime scenario like the new rule put in place. Since 1994 about 60 percent of teams that won the coin toss won the overtime game. This was a statistic that couldn’t be ignored any longer.
 
Unfortunately the NFL didn’t have the courage to go all out to fix this issue in one shot. The w...

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