The NFL’s overtime rule, decried by many as unfairly weighted to the team that wins the overtime coin flip, could be changing.
NFL owners meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., this week are set to consider two rules proposals that would alter overtime. The Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles submitted a proposal that would ensure both teams possess the ball in overtime. If the score were to remain tied after each team had an overtime possession, the game would continue in a sudden-death format.
The Tennessee Titans submitted a proposal that would allow both teams to possess the ball unless the team with the ball first scores a touchdown and two-point conversion.
At least 24 of the 32 league owners must vote in favor of any rules change.
Speaking to the media at the owners meeting on March 28, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said the Ravens would vote against both proposals.
“I’m not for them. I don’t think adding plays to the end of the game is the answer,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t think extending games is the answer. Player safety is important. These guys play a lot of plays. They play a 17-game season. The wear and tear on their bodies is dramatic and traumatic enough as it is.”
“I’m a sudden-death guy,” Harbaugh added.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin suggested the Steelers would also vote against the rule, according to media who covered his news conference.
The NFL’s overtime system drew increased scrutiny again this past postseason after a thrilling divisional-round game won by the Kansas City Chiefs, 42-36, in overtime. The Chiefs won the overtime coin flip and proceeded to march 75 yards in eight plays for the game-winning score. The Bills never had a chance to answer.
That led to clamor — which has resurfaced after postseason overtime games in previous years as well — to change the overtime rules to reduce the importance of winning the coin flip.
The league last altered overtime for the 2010 playoffs, stipulating that if the team that got the ball first in overtime kicked a field goal, the other team would get a possession. The rule was added for regular-season games in 2012.
According to NFL Research, under the current overtime format, the team winning the overtime coin flip has gone 10-2 in playoff games, with seven of those teams winning on the opening possession of overtime.
This past season, the Chiefs added to both sides of that ledger: They beat the Bills that way, but then lost the AFC championship game in overtime despite winning the coin toss. Patrick Mahomes threw an interception on the opening possession of overtime, and the Bengals won on a field goal nine plays later.
Some critics have called for a college-type overtime format in which each team begins a possession at the opposing 25-yard line.
The proposal put forth by the Colts and Eagles maintains the NFL overtime structure but allows for both teams to possess the ball. The only exception would be in the regular season if one team had the ball for the entire 10-minute overtime period; in that case, the game would end after 10 minutes. In playoff games, possession would be guaranteed for both teams.
The Ravens this past year played four overtime games, going 2-2. They began and ended the season with overtime losses — to Las Vegas in Week 1 and to Pittsburgh in Week 18 — and beat Indianapolis and Minnesota in overtime.
In two other games, the Ravens attempted two-point conversions in the closing seconds when trailing by one, trying to play for the win and to avoid overtime. In both games — against Pittsburgh and Green Bay — the Ravens threw incomplete passes on the conversion attempt and lost by one point.
Those losses loomed large as the Ravens finished the season at 8-9, just their second losing season in Harbaugh’s 14-year tenure.
“I’d like to stay out of overtime as much as possible next year,” Harbaugh said, “preferably with a lead at the end of the game.”
“We were in a few too many overtimes last year. I stayed out of two and unfortunately we didn’t convert the two-point conversions twice or we would have won those games.”
Last year, the Ravens proposed an alternative overtime format called “spot and choose” which would maintain the sudden-death structure. Under that proposal, one team would choose where to spot the ball to begin overtime, and the other team would choose whether to begin on offense or defense. (Harbaugh, in explaining that proposal, likened it to the age-old dilemma of two children splitting a cookie in half. One makes the cut, and the other gets the first choice of pieces.)
The “spot and choose” proposal was defeated by the owners last year and is not being proposed this year.
Update: NFL owners voted to give both teams a chance to possess the ball in overtime during the playoffs, but regular-season rules remain the same.
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