No Winners With Overtime

The NFL owners are meeting this week and may end up voting on changing the rules for overtime games in the playoffs. Last season raised a concern when the NFC Championship Game ended in a tie during regulation. The Saints got the ball on the ensuing kickoff and went in for a field goal to win the game.

The plan would be to give the other team a chance at scoring if the winner of the coin toss scores a field goal. If the first team scores a TD, the game is over. No changes would be made for regular season.

For years, I have felt that the overtime rules create a no-win situation. The owners and the television networks don't want the games to go any longer than they already do. The current rule of sudden-death was felt as a way to end the game within a reasonable amount of time and not impact the television schedule.

Studies have shown that the team winning the coin toss wins 59.8% of the time. Field position becomes very critical as the filed is shortened to defending against the offense moving in for a field goal.

I have often felt that both teams should get a chance at scoring. On the other hand, Coach Belichick has always stated that the defense is on the field to prevent the offense from scoring points. The only reason the offense is on the field is to score points.

The responsibility rests on the defense to prevent the other team's offense from moving the ball down the field into field goal position. What ever happened to holding an offense to three downs and out? If the defense can't stop an offense, they will most likely lose the game anyhow.

No matter what the outcome of the rule change is, not everyone will be happy.