NFL – new overtime rules
At the 2010 National Football League Owners’ meetings on March 22nd, the owners overwhelming passed an amendment to the overtime rules. As of now, this change only affects NFL playoff games, but that will likely change to include all NFL games at the owners’ next meeting in May.
What this change does is ensure that both teams get a chance to score if one team kicks a field goal with their first possession. The current overtime rule will still apply if the team that gets the ball in overtime scores a touchdown with their first possession. In that case, the defending team still will not get the ball in overtime.
Statistically speaking, the team that gets the ball first in overtime wins about 60% of the time, and the owners felt that a playoff game which also attracts lots of football betting should not be decided by a coin toss.
The need for this rule came about after the NFC Championship game this past year between the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings. The Saints had the ball to start overtime, and ending up kicking a field goal to win and thus advancing to the Super Bowl. The Vikings defense held the Saints to only a field goal and their offense never had a chance for a tying field goal or a winning touchdown.
This new rule eliminates the exciting sudden death” aspect of the game, at least until both teams get the ball and a chance to score.
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