The NFL’s overtime rules have been a topic of conversation for a long time. They used to be sudden death, with the first score of any time winning the game, which many complained put too much emphasis on the coin toss. That led to an update to the rule that made it so the team that got possession first only won if they scored a touchdown, with the other team getting a chance at striking back after a field goal — and it being sudden death from there.
That still puts a heavy advantage on winning the coin toss, and has led to some frustrations, particularly for teams that lose in overtime in the postseason without a chance to have the ball. The argument against changing the rule is that defense is part of the game and while a disadvantage to lose the toss, you still have the opportunity to get a stop and get a win, but many teams still see it as unfair, particularly given the offensive explosion around the NFL.
The Bills’ loss to the Chiefs in the playoffs this year is the most recent example of a team losing without getting the ball in overtime, and it led to a proposal from the Colts and Eagles to change the overtime rules to allow both teams possession. Ultimately, a compromise was reached to change the rule for the playoffs, but keep it as it was for the regular season.
Approved 2022 Playing Rules and Resolutions https://t.co/79ea5Mh1zU pic.twitter.com/rJDhEMOKD3
— NFL345 (@NFL345) March 29, 2022
This will at the very least lead to less controversy after overtime finishes in the postseason, which seems like a positive development and should produce more drama as teams will have the chance to answer a touchdown in an extra period.