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NFL to consider changing rules for overtime games

MichiganMichigan Posts: 4,942 ✭
in Sports Talk
TAMPA, Fla. - If new rules being considered go into effect, the Bears might not be winning overtime games on early kicks by Robbie Gould any longer.

Commissioner Roger Goodell, at his state of the league address Friday, said the NFL will consider preventing teams from winning on a first-drive field goal in overtime. The Bears did so twice this past season, when Gould hit 35- and 38-yard field goals to sink New Orleans and Green Bay in consecutive weeks in December as the Bears won both games less than four minutes into the extra session.

Goodell said it is an issue the Competition Committee needs to look at in the offseason, as the percentage of teams that have won the coin flip and gone on to win on the first drive of overtime has risen from 30 to 47, a product in his mind related to more accurate kickers these days.

"That's significant,'' Goodell said. ''That is a danger.''

A number of ideas could be explored, including college overtime rules or giving the team that wins the coin toss the ball on its own 20-yard line to begin.

Comments

  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,039 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Won't be any changes.
  • iamthegreatcornholioiamthegreatcornholio Posts: 3,366
    The most original idea I've heard regarding NFL OT is to have both team's captains "bid" on their own starting field position. Whoever picked the deepest in their own territory, gets the ball at that spot to start OT.

    The simplest rule change would be to move the kickoff spot back to the 40 yard line.
  • mickeymantle24mickeymantle24 Posts: 2,768 ✭✭✭
    They should of already changed it, then the Colts would be playing today.
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,039 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>The simplest rule change would be to move the kickoff spot back to the 40 yard line. >>



    That might happen but for sure the NFL isn't gonna make it anything "complicated" with any "radical" changes.
  • calaban7calaban7 Posts: 3,003 ✭✭✭
    A couple of rules I'd love to see , is that every time a team gets the ball , they score. Every game would end in a tie . At the end of the year , all the teams would get an award for participation in the Lombardi award. We could make sure every team had government mandated quotas , complete with ethnic and cultural diversity , moral diversity and most important intellectually diversity.

    No one would be dissapointed, no team would lose and all teams would win the superbowl.

    We would all be "winner" and could forever more live in harmony and happiness, although mandated.
    " In a time of universal deceit , telling the truth is a revolutionary act " --- George Orwell
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,039 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>A couple of rules I'd love to see , is that every time a team gets the ball , they score. Every game would end in a tie . At the end of the year , all the teams would get an award for participation in the Lombardi award. We could make sure every team had government mandated quotas , complete with ethnic and cultural diversity , moral diversity and most important intellectually diversity.

    No one would be dissapointed, no team would lose and all teams would win the superbowl.

    We would all be "winner" and could forever more live in harmony and happiness, although mandated. >>



    Obama just promised free houses and free cars to everyone...if he throws in free Eagles tickets even I'll vote for him next time. LOL
  • Mercury10cMercury10c Posts: 2,958
    Simple fix: Just play a whole quarter. Why is that so hard?
    Alternatively, let each team have one possession.
    If it's still a tie....FIELD GOAL SHOOTOUT!! image
  • BoopottsBoopotts Posts: 6,784 ✭✭
    The best idea I've heard is that the first team to score 6 pts. in overtime wins.

  • calaban7calaban7 Posts: 3,003 ✭✭✭


    << <i>The best idea I've heard is that the first team to score 6 pts. in overtime wins. >>



    Not a bad idea at all !!
    " In a time of universal deceit , telling the truth is a revolutionary act " --- George Orwell
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,696 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The best idea I've heard is that the first team to score 6 pts. in overtime wins.

    I like that idea a lot...if you score a TD you win...if you kick a FG, you have to hope the other team doesn't score a TD to beat you, or you'll need to kick at least another FG to win..

    It'll also change the dynamics of the bets on those OT games where the favorite is favored by 3.5 to 8.5 points, as those bets will be kept alive a little longer with this system should the favored team kick the first FG in OT..


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  • mickeymantle24mickeymantle24 Posts: 2,768 ✭✭✭
    I say they need to play the whole quarter
  • MeteoriteGuyMeteoriteGuy Posts: 7,140 ✭✭


    << <i> The best idea I've heard is that the first team to score 6 pts. in overtime wins.

    I like that idea a lot...if you score a TD you win...if you kick a FG, you have to hope the other team doesn't score a TD to beat you, or you'll need to kick at least another FG to win..

    It'll also change the dynamics of the bets on those OT games where the favorite is favored by 3.5 to 8.5 points, as those bets will be kept alive a little longer with this system should the favored team kick the first FG in OT.. >>



    I agree. Before I opened this thread I was thinking, who cares. I guess you do if your team lost and OT game this year, but really. They both have an equal shot and getting the ball and have to do something, but that is kind of annoying at times, like this year with a personal foul followed by field goal in OT decided what three games?
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  • BarndogBarndog Posts: 20,492 ✭✭✭✭✭
    why is it a problem that needs to be addressed when the team LOSING the coin flip wins the game 53% of the time? Did the commissioner's favorite teams not make the playoffs?
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  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,039 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>why is it a problem that needs to be addressed when the team LOSING the coin flip wins the game 53% of the time? Did the commissioner's favorite teams not make the playoffs? >>



    That 47% meant winning on the opening drive...the percentage would of course be much higher than 47% for the team getting the opening kickoff.
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,039 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wow - speaking of a possible overtime scenario?
  • hobart4281hobart4281 Posts: 376 ✭


    << <i>The best idea I've heard is that the first team to score 6 pts. in overtime wins. >>



    I like that scenario...
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  • MorgothMorgoth Posts: 3,950 ✭✭✭
    The other scenario I would say is that both teams get the ball at least 1 time in OT. If the team scores on their opening possession they have to play one series on D. It would at least be fair at that point.
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  • jdip9jdip9 Posts: 1,894 ✭✭✭
    <<<The best idea I've heard is that the first team to score 6 pts. in overtime wins.>>>

    I like that one a lot, definitely better then the college-style playoff....we'd probably end up with a few more ties each season, but it's better than the current system.
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,039 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>The best idea I've heard is that the first team to score 6 pts. in overtime wins. >>



    It's a terrible idea, and will never happen. It's already a brutal 16 game schedule, and then wanting to see the tired players at the end of the game exert themselves more leading to increased injuries? Doesn't make sense. The "sudden death" is exciting and that's the way it should be. Ya lose the coin flip, well then too bad...that's the way the coin bounces.
  • jdip9jdip9 Posts: 1,894 ✭✭✭
    Each team probably plays no more than 1 or 2 overtime games per year, so playing a little longer shouldn't be that big of a deal.

    But if they are going to leave the coin flip...then the team that wins the coin flip should start at the 20, with no kickoff. At least then, they'd have to drive 50 yards for a makeable field goal, which gives the defense 2 or 3 series to try and stop them before they get a first down.

    That might be as fair as it is going to get.
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