NFL passes modified sudden death overtime for Playoffs. Owner votes 28-4. Need 24 to pass.
New rules state that both team must have a possession unless the team possessing the ball scores a touchdown on their initial drive. If they score a field goal, the other team is allowed a possession to either score a touchdown and win or score a field goal to tie. After that, it becomes true sudden death with the first team to score winning. If after the first 15 minutes of overtime the game is still tied or the first team possessing the ball uses up all 15 minutes, the game will go into a 2nd overtime or as many needed until the tie is broken. First to break the tie in that case is the winner.
Again, this is only for the postseason, not the regular season.
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By Jason Cole, Yahoo! Sports
INDIANAPOLIS – The NFL is considering a proposal to change the rules for overtime games in the playoffs.
It’s a change that could have impacted who won the Super Bowl this year.
A group of veteran players met with the league’s Competition Committee on Thursday to go over rule and safety issues. The proposed change was discussed at the meeting with players who seemed open to the idea.
“It’s just something the league is looking at to make sure the playoffs go as good as possible,” said Seattle wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who was at the meeting. “I don’t think it’s going to get passed, but they’re thinking about it.”
The change would be subtle and wouldn’t necessarily require that both teams get possession. Any touchdown would still result in a sudden-death result.
However, if the team that got the first possession of overtime scored only a field goal, the other team would get a possession. If the second team scored a touchdown, it would win. If it scored a field goal, the game would continue, whereupon it would revert to simple sudden death.
Also, if the first team to get the ball didn’t score but the second team did, the game would be over immediately.
Again, this would only apply to the playoffs, but two of the 11 playoff games went to overtime this season. The first one between the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers wouldn’t have been impacted because it ended with a touchdown being scored.
However, the NFC Championship Game would have gone longer under this proposed rule because New Orleans scored a field goal to end the game on the first possession of overtime. The Saints drove 39 yards on 10 plays to set up a 40-yarder by Garrett Hartley that sent New Orleans to the Super Bowl, where it won the team’s first championship.
INDIANAPOLIS – The NFL is considering a proposal to change the rules for overtime games in the playoffs.
It’s a change that could have impacted who won the Super Bowl this year.
A group of veteran players met with the league’s Competition Committee on Thursday to go over rule and safety issues. The proposed change was discussed at the meeting with players who seemed open to the idea.
“It’s just something the league is looking at to make sure the playoffs go as good as possible,” said Seattle wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who was at the meeting. “I don’t think it’s going to get passed, but they’re thinking about it.”
The change would be subtle and wouldn’t necessarily require that both teams get possession. Any touchdown would still result in a sudden-death result.
However, if the team that got the first possession of overtime scored only a field goal, the other team would get a possession. If the second team scored a touchdown, it would win. If it scored a field goal, the game would continue, whereupon it would revert to simple sudden death.
Also, if the first team to get the ball didn’t score but the second team did, the game would be over immediately.
Again, this would only apply to the playoffs, but two of the 11 playoff games went to overtime this season. The first one between the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers wouldn’t have been impacted because it ended with a touchdown being scored.
However, the NFC Championship Game would have gone longer under this proposed rule because New Orleans scored a field goal to end the game on the first possession of overtime. The Saints drove 39 yards on 10 plays to set up a 40-yarder by Garrett Hartley that sent New Orleans to the Super Bowl, where it won the team’s first championship.
Love it. Can't be a pansy and only gain 30 yards for a field goal anymore. Go for the touchdown!
