NFL changes overtime format for playoffs

[muggins]

I've posted it dozens of times, but if you look at the real statistics the winner of the coin toss in NFL has less of an advantage as the winner of the coin toss in NCAA. Play defense and win, not a hard concept.

[metallicatz]

I really think it has to be a system that assures both teams touch the ball once. The NFL has created this controversey with all the rule changes they've implemented in recent years. Because of these rules the officials have played a large part in driving the field for the winning teams in playoff OT because of calls that leave themselves open for interpretation. Two recent examples would be the 2008 OT between the Colts and Chargers. And then there was the 2009 Saints-Vikes game. In both games calls by the officials helped drive the winning team into scoring position....either by FG or by TD.

With all these new rules the officials play a far larger active part of every game than they ever did before. You must balance it out by assuring both teams a posession.......or (my preference) do away with all the ridiculous rule changes and let football be football again.

[Cardot]

Quote: Originally Posted by King_B_Mack

It's like saying that hockey should change it's overtime rules if a team wins a faceoff, goes up the ice and scores without the other team ever touching the puck.

The big difference there is that the team won the face off. It was not determined by coin flip. Another cross sport analogy would be to make baseball extra innings sudden death. If a team scores in the top of the inning, the game is over.

[Cardot]

Quote: Originally Posted by elgreazy1

I can't recall the exact stat but teams that win the coin toss only go on to win 54% of the games. That's very marginal, IMO, and shows that the coin toss means nothing.

Yet teams that win the coin toss always take the ball.

[slickdtc]

Ew, CFB OT is stupid.

Why do people want to give each offense a free chance? Every team has a defensive unit last time I checked. Use it! Everyone cries about the NFL babying the offense, this would just be another step in that direction.

The coin toss does suck, though. Maybe they should find a better way to determine who gets the ball first?

[shotgun styles]

Quote: Originally Posted by muggins

I've posted it dozens of times, but if you look at the real statistics the winner of the coin toss in NFL has less of an advantage as the winner of the coin toss in NCAA. Play defense and win, not a hard concept.

Quote: Originally Posted by ThaShark28_316

Here's a novel idea: Play defense. Give me a break, NFL. Leave Overtime alone, there is NOTHING wrong with it. If you fail at stopping the other team, stop crying, you FAILED. Peace.

This would work if the rules were fair. They're not, they greatly favor offense and passing. "Just play defense" puts your team in the weakest position. Add to that how much harder it is to play defense when you are fatigued than it is to play offense and you really have an uncompetitive balance.

[metallicatz]

And what happens if the defense is popped with a phantom PI call that gives the offense a free 15 yards? Saying that "teams should just play defense" totally ignores the modern reality that officials play a much larger part in a game than they used to. That line might've been legit in the 80's and 90's. But it no longer applies today.

[shotgun styles]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cardot

Yet teams that win the coin toss always take the ball.

I remember that stat as 54% that win the toss WIN ON THE FIRST POSSESSION, and something like 70% of teams that win the toss win the game at some point in overtime.