NFL Overtime Rules Need to Change
For the first time since 1973, teams have tied in back to back weeks to start the NFL season. And honestly, it’s a travesty. Tying is one of the most bittersweet moments in sports. You haven’t won, but you also have loss. And yet, in some ways, it feels worse than a loss. One point, one play, and you get to feel the thrill of victory. The NFL needs to get rid of ties. There’s always someone who’s the better team and that needs to be reflected in the final results. And honestly, the current rules just aren’t exciting.
I have a couple games in mind that did not benefit from the current overtime rules. The first game I think of is yesterday’s Packers-Vikings game. The Packers’ strong suit is Aaron Rodgers. And yet, he only got one shot with the ball in overtime. If you’re an NFL fan, you want to see Aaron Rodgers get as many shots as the other team because he is such a game changer. Seeing him touch the ball once in ten minutes is a shame. The other game I think of is Super Bowl 51. Again, the Falcons strong suit that season was their offense. As was the Patriots. It’s disappointing that we never even got to see the Falcons’ high octane offense take the field in that overtime. And it would’ve been a shame if the Falcons got the ball and we never got to see the Patriots with the ball.
So what’s the solution? The NFL needs to implement a college-like overtime. For those unfamiliar, in college, both teams get a possession that starts from the 25 yard line. Teams go back and forth, with the team that goes second given a chance at a rebuttal, until one team wins. This would be amazing to see. Imagine Super Bowl 51 coming down to Tom Brady and Matt Ryan trading touchdowns until someone makes a mistake. It would’ve made an already incredible Super Bowl even better. Or imagine Aaron Rodgers getting the ball over and over again, needing to match or put pressure on Kirk Cousins. It just makes football more exciting. The only thing I’d change is that teams should start from the 40 yard line for NFL overtimes rather than the 25. I don’t see the NFL changing this anytime soon. But if they did, NFL overtimes would be the most exciting moment in sports.
-Stephen Brown III (@sbtrey23)
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