Oof Bills

[happyandbob]

I am grateful

That either by divine intervention or just random luck

That I was not born or converted into being a Buffalo Bills fan

OMG, that game was c r a z y

I feel for all the Bills fans out there

 

[Lleytonstation]

That is a Cowboys fan life as well.

OT rules got to go.

 

[happyandbob]

That is a Cowboys fan life as well.

OT rules got to go.

Difference is that this is a Bills fan’s life EVERY year

 

[Turbo-87]

I’m a Chiefs fan and that game was incredible. Bills fans have a lot to look forward to since Allen is a beast on the field. His time will come and this will be a rivalry for years. AFC quarterbacks are on the rise with Allen, Mahomes, Burrow, and Herbert.

 

[mikeler]

They need to change OT rules to the way college does it. It robbed us neutral fans of more drama.

 

[Nostradamus]

I am grateful

That either by divine intervention or just random luck

That I was not born or converted into being a Buffalo Bills fan

OMG, that game was c r a z y

I feel for all the Bills fans out there

jessie pagula after watching this game, will probably go down easily to Barty. Barty party time

 

[Lleytonstation]

Difference is that this is a Bills fan’s life EVERY year

Cowboys every year as well. At least the bills win playoff games.

 

[happyandbob]

Cowboys every year as well. At least the bills win playoff games.

No I mean EVERY year. Cowboys have 5 superbowls, I don’t see how that’s even in the same stratosphere of fan suffering.

Two of the Cowboys superbowls are actually wins over the Bills!

 

[Lleytonstation]

No I mean EVERY year. Cowboys have 5 superbowls, I don’t see how that’s even in the same stratosphere of fan suffering.

Two of the Cowboys superbowls are actually wins over the Bills!

I guess. But the past 25 years, basically my entire life has been utterly disastrous. But I guess the bills would be number one then cowboys.

 

[happyandbob]

I guess. But the past 25 years, basically my entire life has been utterly disastrous. But I guess the bills would be number one then cowboys.

I hear ya. But as much as that sucks, there are still 12 teams that have never won a Super Bowl ever. Plus one team that has won exactly 1 Super Bowl is the Jets, and no way Cowboys fans have suffered more than Jets fans.

 

[Lleytonstation]

I hear ya. But as much as that sucks, there are still 12 teams that have never won a Super Bowl ever. Plus one team that has won exactly 1 Super Bowl is the Jets, and no way Cowboys fans have suffered more than Jets fans.

We are the only team in the NFC not to make the NFC championship game in the past 20 years. Jets did it twice.

 

[happyandbob]

We are the only team in the NFC not to make the NFC championship game in the past 20 years. Jets did it twice.

Sorry, I was blinded by the dazzle of the 5 Super Bowl rings on your dad’s cowboy fan resume.

Your suffering is legit. Jerry Jones QED

 

[Technology Ruined Tennis]

I don't get why we all hate a 3-0 punt-fest, but when both offenses walk up and down the field it's "the greatest game ever!!!!" First to 50 games are equally terrible. Sweet spot is like a 24-20 game.

The NFL will never give the defense a chance again. That's the main reason I quit watching, also the whole selective penalty enforcement. (has any playoff game had more than 2 O-line holding flags?)

 

[-NN-]

Was this game even real? That's one of the best games I've ever seen from team sports, with stunning performances on offence from the Bills and the Chiefs. Hoping Trickster Mahomes converts this year.

 

[stringertom]

I hear ya. But as much as that sucks, there are still 12 teams that have never won a Super Bowl ever. Plus one team that has won exactly 1 Super Bowl is the Jets, and no way Cowboys fans have suffered more than Jets fans.

This is true. My NYJs got their ring before Dallas won their first.

There are 12 teams without rings but four weren’t franchises for most of the SB era (Jacksonville, Carolina, Houston and new Cleveland). Their fans gets half pints glasses to cry into. Those fans, whether they cheer for the OG 8 or the newbie Frustrated Four, are the ones with seats in the true Factories of Sadness. Jerry Dome, even with its cockamamie East-West orientation that fuqs with games played in late afternoons, is not a true Factory of Sadness. There are actually young adults that might have seen Dallas win their last chip.

As a Jet fan, I wholeheartedly endorse your sentiment but so do real fans of other solo Lombardi franchises in Philadelphia, New Orleans, Seattle, Chicago and LA/STL/LA. At least the Jets got one, even if it was when Joe Namath had Austin Powers-like charm with the babes instead of now having to rely on his old mug to pitch for Medicare supplemental insurance.

We’re a leg up on the other OGer teams that either haven’t gotten to the dance (Detroit) or are still only runner ups (Buffalo 4x, Minnesota 4x, Cincinnati 2x and onetimers SD/LAC, Houston/Tennessee, StLC/Arizona and Atlanta). Even expansion Carolina has gotten there twice in their shorter history but the other three newbies have never gotten past the Final Four.

Besides the Bears, NYJ are the only other OG to get that chip when Dallas was still relevant as a dynasty. But then Uncle Jerry and his oversized ego got in the way and he had to fire Jimmy J, thus creating the NFL version of the Red Sox’ Curse of the Bambino. Sure, Jimmy’s Boys managed to sneak out another SB under Switzer but they have been doomed since to the results any organization will get when an egomaniacal owner makes personnel decisions.

Until Jerry sells or gets out of the way and lets pros do all the hiring, firing, FA signings and the draft they will continue to be who we think they are…all flash and zero substance. Such a far cry from Landry and Jimmy’s teams. Every now and then even a neutral fan of a faraway AFC team from way back can see that hot mess in North Texas and get sad about that fall from grace but it is all self-inflicted. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid in Jonestown…that’s some deadly stuff.

 

[Turbo-87]

I don't get why we all hate a 3-0 punt-fest, but when both offenses walk up and down the field it's "the greatest game ever!!!!" First to 50 games are equally terrible. Sweet spot is like a 24-20 game.

The NFL will never give the defense a chance again. That's the main reason I quit watching, also the whole selective penalty enforcement. (has any playoff game had more than 2 O-line holding flags?)

Well, this game highlighted just how potent Allen, Mahomes, and their weapons are. The Bills had the #1 defense in the NFL and the Chiefs weren't that far behind yet both QB's were able to just shred the defenses to pieces. That is what was so awesome about this game.

 

[stringertom]

Well, this game highlighted just how potent Allen, Mahomes, and their weapons are. The Bills had the #1 defense in the NFL and the Chiefs weren't that far behind yet both QB's were able to just shred the defenses to pieces. That is what was so awesome about this game.

Bills coaching was classically bad. McDumbott is who we thought he was. A squib kick would have taken one Chief offensive play away; a 2-man rush with 9 in pass coverage would have taken the lane away that Mahomes penetrated deep enough to allow the tying kick.

 

[T1000]

That is a Cowboys fan life as well.

OT rules got to go.

They should give each team a possession in the post season but keep it the way it is for the regular season. The real tragedy from yesterday was the woman and kid beater getting to be a hero

 

[stringertom]

I’m not into turning either the NFL or the NHL postseasons into contests decided by FIFA style tiebreakers or the newer even more ludicrous NCAA OT gambit where a 2-yard Russian roulette format determines a winner. If your team loses the toss, play good “D” and you get a shot to win the game with a simple kick from just inside midfield.

Only adolescent crybabies whine when their team loses because they didn’t get the ball. KC didn’t cry three seasons ago when NE won in the exact same situation.

 

[Kevin T]

They should give each team a possession in the post season but keep it the way it is for the regular season. The real tragedy from yesterday was the woman and kid beater getting to be a hero

Totally agree. I think each team should get a possession and if both score, then sudden death from there. Or a defined 8-10 minute overtime and if still tied, then go sudden death. That game was a joy to watch. Not a fan of either team but really wanted more drama and great QB play. Overall, an amazing 4-pack of games this weekend.

1. SF straight-up stole that game. Bad conditions but Rogers lays another egg in the post season.
2. He's great and all but how is Kupp that wide open to put LA in field goal range?
3. See number 2. Why do the Bills rush 4 and leave Hill that free to get into FG range and even the game and send into overtime? Why kick the ball into the end zone and not limit Mahomes' time on the field?

 

[happyandbob]

I’m not into turning either the NFL or the NHL postseasons into contests decided by FIFA style tiebreakers or the newer even more ludicrous NCAA OT gambit where a 2-yard Russian roulette format determines a winner. If your team loses the toss, play good “D” and you get a shot to win the game with a simple kick from just inside midfield.

Only adolescent crybabies whine when their team loses because they didn’t get the ball. KC didn’t cry three seasons ago when NE won in the exact same situation.

I understand what you're saying, but I think it's a bit more fair to ensure each team has at least 1 possession. It's the playoffs. I don't see the harm in giving the second team a chance to tie in the event the first team marches down the field and scores a TD. If the NFL is giving a chance at a possession if the first team kicks a FG, doesn't seem like too big of a cost to extend that to TD for the playoffs.

my $0.02

 

[Harry_Wild]

Stephen A. on ESPN First Take rants 10 minutes about how Bill defensive in 13 seconds left could not stop Chiefs and Tyrell Hill #10 go 50 yards. Before that, it was the Tyrell Hill that move the ball to help Chief score the previous touchdown.

 

[hoodjem]

Packers fan here.
Feel gutted.

 

[stringertom]

I understand what you're saying, but I think it's a bit more fair to ensure each team has at least 1 possession. It's the playoffs. I don't see the harm in giving the second team a chance to tie in the event the first team marches down the field and scores a TD. If the NFL is giving a chance at a possession if the first team kicks a FG, doesn't seem like too big of a cost to extend that to TD for the playoffs.

my $0.02

All the social platforms are clogged with whiners but the real truth spoken by NFL savvy commentators like Louis Riddick is simple: Nobody would be talking about revising OT rules if McDumbott coached better. Squib the kickoff with 13 seconds left, rush only two and drop nine to cover the seams and Butker never gets on the field to tie the game.

Likewise, maybe call a TO after Mahomes rips you for 40 yards on the first sets of OT downs. Maybe the Chiefs gag like they did in regulation with that idiotic option play and then settle for a FG. Each team gets three TOs per quarter of OT. Use one. They don’t carry over. Nobody collects unused TOs.

That’s what we should be talking about but instead it’s, “Poor Josh Allen didn’t get a chance to counter.” Totally sour grapes from Bills fans. KC got over it in 2019. Atlanta got over it after SB LI. How about Pittsburgh when Tebow to Thomas happened on the first play of OT? Those are the rules. Coach better and smarter next time..

The other thing to consider is how the NFLPA and Player Safety committee would view the potential for injury during another possession. If the second team ties it up then there will be two extra possessions. That’s a lot of extra wear and tear and could affect the winning team in their next round, especially if a key player goes down.

Both the union and the safety committee were in favor of reducing regular season OT to 10 minutes because players get hurt more often when fatigued. Are they going to sign off on the “no matter what” revision?

My deux centimes.

 

[happyandbob]

All the social platforms are clogged with whiners but the real truth spoken by NFL savvy commentators like Louis Riddick is simple: Nobody would be talking about revising OT rules if McDumbott coached better. Squib the kickoff with 13 seconds left, rush only two and drop nine to cover the seams and Butker never gets on the field to tie the game.

Likewise, maybe call a TO after Mahomes rips you for 40 yards on the first sets of OT downs. Maybe the Chiefs gag like they did in regulation with that idiotic option play and then settle for a FG. Each team gets three TOs per quarter of OT. Use one. They don’t carry over. Nobody collects unused TOs.

That’s what we should be talking about but instead it’s, “Poor Josh Allen didn’t get a chance to counter.” Totally sour grapes from Bills fans. KC got over it in 2019. Atlanta got over it after SB LI. How about Pittsburgh when Tebow to Thomas happened on the first play of OT? Those are the rules. Coach better and smarter next time..

The other thing to consider is how the NFLPA and Player Safety committee would view the potential for injury during another possession. If the second team ties it up then there will be two extra possessions. That’s a lot of extra wear and tear and could affect the winning team in their next round, especially if a key player goes down.

Both the union and the safety committee were in favor of reducing regular season OT to 10 minutes because players get hurt more often when fatigued. Are they going to sign off on the “no matter what” revision?

My deux centimes.

I agree that McDermott coached terribly, but just to clarify, my opinion doesn't derive from this specific situation it's coming more from an overall fairness standpoint. Jumping from 60 minutes of football to next TD wins just seems so abrupt to me. I can see both sides though.

 

[socallefty]

It might have been the most exciting NFL playoff weekend ever with all four games coming down to the final play. I don’t recall that happening before.

I liked the old overtime rule where the first team to score wins even if it is a field goal. It is sudden death with normal rules and not some artificial rules created just for overtime. You have to play defense also to win games. I hate the college overtime rules in particular as it doesn’t resemble a real game at all and is like a soccer penalty kick shootout.

 

[Kevin T]

The NFL already has different rules for OT in the regular season (10 minutes with a tie awarded if still even at completion) vs playoffs (15 minutes). If still tied after 15 minutes, you have another OT...and if necessary, another...and if necessary, another. Shouldn't the same rules apply across the board? Allow both teams the ball, because a great game decided by a coin flip is stupid at this level. Give each team the ball at least one possession and make them go for 2, not the extra point.

 

[catskillthunder]

Cover 2 deep, with some sort of quarters zone is almost a joke on that play to Kelce. There is not a single coverage you can play that is worse then what they ran there. There is no reason to rush 4 as the time is limited and getting to the QB is not essential at all. Playing 2 deep quarter zone is basically saying, "hey Mahomes, Kelce is your biggest weapon, we'll let you throw the ball to him, but we'll make sure Tyreek doesnt bust a long one on us." if you watch the play over again, one of the nickel backs is responsible for the RB in the backfield. IF the RB stays into block, he then drops back into coverage. IF the RB runs a pass pattern, his job is to pick up that RB. The error made in coverage was that the nickel guy was far too late in his read and didnt get into the passing lane to obstruct the window where Mahomes was throwing to Kelce. Overall just a bad play defensively.

 

[catskillthunder]

I am on the fence with changing the OT rules. IF that was my Cowboys on the losing end, I would probably be screaming holy hell today about a change. However, tweaking it a few years back so that a FG on the initial possession didnt win the game was a step in the right direction. I think there should at least be talks about how to make the OT fair for both teams to ensure they have equal opportunities. Having a team score right off the bat and leaving the other offense on the sideline does kind of suck.

 

[Kevin T]

Interesting bit on DraftKings:

Under the current overtime rules the win-loss record for teams that win the coin toss is 86-67-10, per NFL Research. There is an advantage to winning the coin toss, but just at 52.8%. But, and this is an interesting but, if you just look at playoff games, the team that wins the coin flip has won 10 out of 11 games.

Or, as Jay Busbee wrote on Yahoo today:

"A game like Sunday night’s should have – probably would have – gone on forever, as unsafe as that would have been for the players. But if it had to come to an end, it should have been with both teams emptying their arsenals. Ending brilliance like Chiefs-Bills with an NFL overtime is like ending a pristine performance of Mozart's Symphony No. 39 with a loud fart."

 

[stringertom]

Interesting bit on DraftKings:

Under the current overtime rules the win-loss record for teams that win the coin toss is 86-67-10, per NFL Research. There is an advantage to winning the coin toss, but just at 52.8%. But, and this is an interesting but, if you just look at playoff games, the team that wins the coin flip has won 10 out of 11 games.

Or, as Jay Busbee wrote on Yahoo today:

"A game like Sunday night’s should have – probably would have – gone on forever, as unsafe as that would have been for the players. But if it had to come to an end, it should have been with both teams emptying their arsenals. Ending brilliance like Chiefs-Bills with an NFL overtime is like ending a pristine performance of Mozart's Symphony No. 39 with a loud fart."

Busbee is right about the player safety factor, especially if his prediction of going on forever turned out to be accurate. The nature of the playoff system demands a winner to be determined so that’s why sudden death was created. Now everyone wants to change it to lingering death and that’s not fair to even the winner unless it’s the SB. Fatigue and/or injury could cloud the outcome of the next round for the survivor.

The NCAA saw that danger and first tweaked their OT to require the 2-PAT try after two stalemates and then went further by going for two after the first stalemate from the 25-yard line. Experience proved that system wasn’t foolproof either so now they do this cockamamie dueling 2-PATs after the second stalemate. Who thinks it was fair that Bama got to the title game this season by beating Auburn in the Iron Bowl because they execute the deuce batter than their in -state rival? I certainly don’t. It’s one of the more important reasons I have jettisoned the sport from my viewing schedule. All you need now to guarantee not losing is to line up in a jumbo package and rugby scrum the pile ahead across the goal line. Watching paint drying is more exciting.

Any system is not going to be thoroughly fair to all parties but sudden death (with the one tweak to eliminate rewarding the teams with a mega leg kicker) has gotten along fine since 1958. That’s when the very first game I remember going to OT was played. It is still referred to as the game that made the NFL when NBC offered national coverage of the Baltimore Colts beating the NY Giants on an Alan Ameche run up the gut into the Yankee Stadium end zone. I guess Weeb Ewbank didn’t trust his kicker that day as much as he did Unitas, Moore, Berry, Ameche and his OL. The Giants won that OT coin toss, chose to receive, didn’t score, punted and Unitas then led that historic TD drive. The camera from the end line told it all: Ameche running through a wide hole and stumbling over the goal line for the 1-yard score and a championship. That dive through the A-gap was equivalent to Armstrong’s “one small step” as pro football leaped ahead of baseball as the national sport beginning with that game. Now the softies want to pillage that tradition in the name of “fairness.” Life ain’t fair sometimes and a bit of good luck can lead to success. Win the toss and score the TD or play some “D” and turn the ball over to your offense; or score yourself as the Packers famously did when goofball Matt Hasselbeck gifted them a pick-6:

 

[nba.nfl.man]

Fix overtime rules

 

[Technology Ruined Tennis]

I’m not into turning either the NFL or the NHL postseasons into contests decided by FIFA style tiebreakers or the newer even more ludicrous NCAA OT gambit where a 2-yard Russian roulette format determines a winner. If your team loses the toss, play good “D” and you get a shot to win the game with a simple kick from just inside midfield.

Only adolescent crybabies whine when their team loses because they didn’t get the ball. KC didn’t cry three seasons ago when NE won in the exact same situation.

They absolutely did, even brought up a vote to change the rules.

My OT format.

None in the regular season, could be hidden under the guise of player safety. It's mostly cause I like ties, plus it would add some more chaos to the end of game + playoff seeding. (and we know entertainment is priority 1 for this league.)

In the post-season, only change would be no coin toss. Visiting team automatically 'wins' and gets to choose. That's their reward for staying even in a hostile environment. This would make the home team much more aggressive at the end of the game.

(also since every defensive penalty is automatic first down, then every equivalent offensive penalty should be loss of down, right? crickets)

 

[Kevin T]

I think the consensus is that there's no perfect OT system but something needs to change. Current rules favor the offense anyway (QB protection, what goes for pass interference, etc..). What if tennis, instead of a tiebreak, flipped a coin at 6-6 and the guy that won the toss for the pivotal game was named Pete Sampras? That's what you get with Mahomes (or Allen, for that matter).

 

[Technology Ruined Tennis]

Interesting bit on DraftKings:

Under the current overtime rules the win-loss record for teams that win the coin toss is 86-67-10, per NFL Research. There is an advantage to winning the coin toss, but just at 52.8%. But, and this is an interesting but, if you just look at playoff games, the team that wins the coin flip has won 10 out of 11 games.

Or, as Jay Busbee wrote on Yahoo today:

"A game like Sunday night’s should have – probably would have – gone on forever, as unsafe as that would have been for the players. But if it had to come to an end, it should have been with both teams emptying their arsenals. Ending brilliance like Chiefs-Bills with an NFL overtime is like ending a pristine performance of Mozart's Symphony No. 39 with a loud fart."

It would be interesting to see how many penalties are called in the reg v post season OT? If you're not going to call o-line for holding, an already tired defense is pretty much helpless.

 

[Kevin T]

They absolutely did, even brought up a vote to change the rules.

My OT format.

None in the regular season, could be hidden under the guise of player safety. It's mostly cause I like ties, plus it would add some more chaos to the end of game + playoff seeding. (and we know entertainment is priority 1 for this league.)

In the post-season, only change would be no coin toss. Visiting team automatically 'wins' and gets to choose. That's their reward for staying even in a hostile environment. This would make the home team much more aggressive at the end of the game.

(also since every defensive penalty is automatic first down, then every equivalent offensive penalty should be loss of down, right? crickets)

I like the way you think!

The same Busbee article I mentioned has quotes from Kelce following that game. They did complain but said it's the rule, so what can you do? Well, you can vote to change it.

 

[Kevin T]

It would be interesting to see how many penalties are called in the reg v post season OT? If you're not going to call o-line for holding, an already tired defense is pretty much helpless.

Agreed. You saw that yesterday with Bucs/Rams. Mike Evans straight up beat probably the best corner in the league in Jalen Ramsey when it mattered most for that clutch TD. Rams D was gassed after the Bucs had dominated time of possession late in the 2nd half.

 

[stringertom]

I think the consensus is that there's no perfect OT system but something needs to change. Current rules favor the offense anyway (QB protection, what goes for pass interference, etc..). What if tennis, instead of a tiebreak, flipped a coin at 6-6 and the guy that won the toss for the pivotal game was named Pete Sampras? That's what you get with Mahomes (or Allen, for that matter).

But why is it an issue now? Steelers lost to Tebow/Thomas on the very first play of OT in 2012; the Falcons finished their choke vs the Patriots in SB LI; KC lost to the Pats in the AFCCG in 2019. That’s four just off the top of my head in a dozen seasons. But now it’s time to change a 63-year old tradition. And will it appeal to new fans when a change is made to accurately call the system’s name to Lingering Death? It doesn’t make any sense because if the second offensive drive scores a TD then it’s another stalemate so they would have to play on. Mahomes and Allen would have been milking a score every drive out of sheer fatigue on the “D” side.

Come on, Kevin! You’re suggesting caving and look what it’s done to the NCAA. Once one change is made it becomes easier to modify again and again. Pretty soon the process will probably more resemble football (soccer) with their penalty kicks or regular season NHL with 4-on-4 for 5 minutes followed by their shootouts being the TBs. Maybe they should vote to have QBs throw the pigskin into those practice camp nets that AR12 nails from 50 yards. No real physical danger or fatigue. If you want danger make it tomahawk throws like the State Farm commercial.

I know I’m suggesting farcical solutions but it’s because making a knee jerk suggestion to change a six decade old system is farcical when it’s just because we had another very dramatic conclusion to an important game. Where was the outrage when Tebow knocked Pittsburgh, at the time the most successful franchise in postseason history, out of the tournament before most Steeler fans had finished p1ssing their Iron City rental out after regulation? I mean, it cheated Big Ben out of a chance for a third ring and elevation to the Aikman/Brady (at the time for TB) fraternity, one behind the holy tandem of Montana and Bradshaw. Do-over!

 

[Kevin T]

But why is it an issue now? Steelers lost to Tebow/Thomas on the very first play of OT in 2012; the Falcons finished their choke vs the Patriots in SB LI; KC lost to the Pats in the AFCCG in 2019. That’s four just off the top of my head in a dozen seasons. But now it’s time to change a 63-year old tradition. And will it appeal to new fans when a change is made to accurately call the system’s name to Lingering Death? It doesn’t make any sense because if the second offensive drive scores a TD then it’s another stalemate so they would have to play on. Mahomes and Allen would have been milking a score every drive out of sheer fatigue on the “D” side.

Come on, Kevin! You’re suggesting caving and look what it’s done to the NCAA. Once one change is made it becomes easier to modify again and again. Pretty soon the process will probably more resemble football (soccer) with their penalty kicks or regular season NHL with 4-on-4 for 5 minutes followed by their shootouts being the TBs. Maybe they should vote to have QBs throw the pigskin into those practice camp nets that AR12 nails from 50 yards. No real physical danger or fatigue. If you want danger make it tomahawk throws like the State Farm commercial.

I know I’m suggesting farcical solutions but it’s because making a knee jerk suggestion to change a six decade old system is farcical when it’s just because we had another very dramatic conclusion to an important game. Where was the outrage when Tebow knocked Pittsburgh, at the time the most successful franchise in postseason history, out of the tournament before most Steeler fans had finished p1ssing their Iron City rental out after regulation? I mean, it cheated Big Ben out of a chance for a third ring and elevation to the Aikman/Brady (at the time for TB) fraternity, one behind the holy tandem of Montana and Bradshaw. Do-over!

I'm not afraid of changing tradition. There's a saying: "Tradition is but the rust of memory and often a disease". That's what's wrong with MLB and why less than 7% of regular fans/viewers are under 18 yo.

There's always been outrage. TechnologyRuinedTennis mentioned it with the Chiefs a few years ago. Players complained after the loss. The team supported rules changes. It's always been an issue for me and most fans. There have been multiple fan surveys going back 10+ years and the numbers typically show high 60's to 70% of fans want the rules changed. Why can't you let both teams at least get one possession each? The NFL already extended OT to 15 minutes in the playoffs. That's plenty of time for 4-5 possessions, if needed. If both teams score the same points on the their possession, then you have sudden death. At least both offenses and defenses get a crack at it. No OT rule will be perfect in any sport but no other sport's OT is determined by the flip of a coin.

MLB=play until one team wins
NBA=play until one team wins
NHL and MLS=OT followed by PK's if no winner
NFL = let's flip a coin

 

[happyandbob]

NHL and MLS=OT followed by PK's if no winner

one clarification, NHL playoffs = play until one team wins

Football games are by far the most physical so I can understand what motivates the NFL to avoid extending the games, but it seems to me they can come up with a fairer way to do it. By the time OT rolls around, defenses are gassed so offenses have a huge advantage. It's small sample size, but playoff OT results are so skewed toward the coin flip winner that it makes sense to try something different.

If I were commissioner, the two approaches I'd consider are:

1) both teams guaranteed one possession, only 2 pt conversion no PAT
2) coin flip winner gets to pick the yardline where the offense takes possession of the ball, coin flip loser decides who gets possession (e.g. flip winner picks 5 yard line, flip loser says fine you get the ball)

 

[stringertom]

I'm not afraid of changing tradition. There's a saying: "Tradition is but the rust of memory and often a disease". That's what's wrong with MLB and why less than 7% of regular fans/viewers are under 18 yo.

There's always been outrage. TechnologyRuinedTennis mentioned it with the Chiefs a few years ago. Players complained after the loss. The team supported rules changes. It's always been an issue for me and most fans. There have been multiple fan surveys going back 10+ years and the numbers typically show high 60's to 70% of fans want the rules changed. Why can't you let both teams at least get one possession each? The NFL already extended OT to 15 minutes in the playoffs. That's plenty of time for 4-5 possessions, if needed. If both teams score the same points on the their possession, then you have sudden death. At least both offenses and defenses get a crack at it. No OT rule will be perfect in any sport but no other sport's OT is determined by the flip of a coin.

MLB=play until one team wins
NBA=play until one team wins
NHL and MLS=OT followed by PK's if no winner
NFL = let's flip a coin

How many times do I have to explain? It’s not just one possession they will be facing if the second team is successful! What will you do after that happens in your Lingering Death scenario???

You’re a doctor; you should understand simple English!

 

[stringertom]

one clarification, NHL playoffs = play until one team wins

Football games are by far the most physical so I can understand what motivates the NFL to avoid extending the games, but it seems to me they can come up with a fairer way to do it. By the time OT rolls around, defenses are gassed so offenses have a huge advantage. It's small sample size, but playoff OT results are so skewed toward the coin flip winner that it makes sense to try something different.

If I were commissioner, the two approaches I'd consider are:

1) both teams guaranteed one possession, only 2 pt conversion no PAT
2) coin flip winner gets to pick the yardline where the offense takes possession of the ball, coin flip loser decides who gets possession (e.g. flip winner picks 5 yard line, flip loser says fine you get the ball)

Great! Let’s make the NFL into the joke that college footbal has become.

Maybe the simplest thing is the smart thing: extend the break between regulation and OT to a regular halftime length. Then the gassed defenses will have a chance to recharge and stop an offense on an opening series.

 

[happyandbob]

Maybe the simplest thing is the smart thing: extend the break between regulation and OT to a regular halftime length. Then the gassed defenses will have a chance to recharge and stop an offense on an opening series.

I'd be in support of that

 

[happyandbob]

Great! Let’s make the NFL into the joke that college footbal has become.

That doesn't need to go the way of college football. Both teams guaranteed one possession, if still tied, next score wins.

 

[stringertom]

I'd be in support of that

And the competitive field in OT is more level than made out to be; while it is true that the team winning the coin toss since the rule change is 10-1, the defense has stopped the opening drive in four of those 10 losses and logically stopped the offense in the lone win. The most recent first drive stop was by the same Bills (in 2019) who got punked on Sunday. Sadly, Josh Allen wasn’t up to his current level then and couldn’t get into FG range so they punted back to Houston and the Texans were able to kick the FG on their second OT drive FTW.

Right now it seems it’s just a 6-5 advantage for “first drivers” since a TD had been required FTW. That’s as close to parity as can be achieved and the sample size is large enough to be reliable.

So, I ask in all sincerity and hope for an honest answer: if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

 

[Kevin T]

How many times do I have to explain? It’s not just one possession they will be facing if the second team is successful! What will you do after that happens in your Lingering Death scenario???

You’re a doctor; you should understand simple English!

I'm not sure why you're getting so excited, Tom. It's all there in simple English. happyandbob gets it.

Quote:

"That doesn't need to go the way of college football. Both teams guaranteed one possession, if still tied, next score wins."

Exactly what I said. Each team gets one possession, so both offenses get their hands on the ball. Each team must go for 2. If both teams score 8 or 3, then sudden death. OT is already 15 minutes. Essentially the same rules with the exception that both teams get a possession. Is that really such a massive change?

 

[Kevin T]

And the competitive field in OT is more level than made out to be; while it is true that the team winning the coin toss since the rule change is 10-1, the defense has stopped the opening drive in four of those 10 losses and logically stopped the offense in the lone win. The most recent first drive stop was by the same Bills (in 2019) who got punked on Sunday. Sadly, Josh Allen wasn’t up to his current level then and couldn’t get into FG range so they punted back to Houston and the Texans were able to kick the FG on their second OT drive FTW.

Right now it seems it’s just a 6-5 advantage for “first drivers” since a TD had been required FTW. That’s as close to parity as can be achieved and the sample size is large enough to be reliable.

So, I ask in all sincerity and hope for an honest answer: if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

Many think it is broken. Players think it's broken and 70% of fans think it's broken. The NFL and teams have tried to or have changed OT rules at least 6 times since 2010:

NFL overtime rules: A timeline of every failed NFL team proposal to change OT format since 2010

The NFL's overtime rules have changed a few times since 2010, and a few teams have attempted to make even bigger changes to how the league does overtime.

www.sportingnews.com

I would need to see convincing data that 5-10 more minutes of OT leads to significantly more injuries. The NFL has data that longer seasons (going from 14 to 16 and now likely to 17 games) increases not just the overall number but injuries per game and that Thursday night games have more injuries, likely due to shorter time off. Of course, the NFL could care less because the changes are huge $$$ makers.

 

[stringertom]

Many think it is broken. Players think it's broken and 70% of fans think it's broken. The NFL and teams have tried to or have changed OT rules at least 6 times since 2010:

NFL overtime rules: A timeline of every failed NFL team proposal to change OT format since 2010

The NFL's overtime rules have changed a few times since 2010, and a few teams have attempted to make even bigger changes to how the league does overtime.

www.sportingnews.com

I would need to see convincing data that 5-10 more minutes of OT leads to significantly more injuries. The NFL has data that longer seasons (going from 14 to 16 and now likely to 17 games) increases not just the overall number but injuries per game and that Thursday night games have more injuries, likely due to shorter time off. Of course, the NFL could care less because the changes are huge $$$ makers.

Sporting News also detailed the 11 games going to OT since the original rule change with the first instance being the Tebow/Thomas catch and run. My post above details the coin toss winner seems to have a big advantage (10-1) but in reality it’s just 6-5 for them on unanswered drives. Four of the 10 wins came on second possessions or later. With the lone loss that’s 6-5 for the lucky toss winner. How’s that for a level playing field?

My recommendation is a simple one: add in a longer time break for the teams to regroup between regulation and OT so defenses are better rested. I’m confident that might put the “unlucky loser” of the coin toss above .500. Then the NFL won’t have to go to Lingering Death (brought to you by Metastasizing Cancer) to fix something that isn’t really broken.

I’m sorry to see that such a large majority of thrill addicted viewers go into mass hysteria every time a first drive TD wins and then call for a fix of a system that really isn’t broken. They are hoodwinked to believe when their team loses without touching the ball that both teams need a chance at the ball artificially without thinking of how to get out of the corner they would paint themselves into when both teams score and score and score. Is that when the PK-style TB kicks in?

I asked once before but you dodged my question: do you really want the NFL to go down the same rabbit hole the NCAA ventured into? Those smarty pants have gone through rule change after rule change since the mid-90s to the point that it is now down to who doesn’t convert a 2-PAT after only one duel from the 25-yard line (kick XPs allowed), one more duel from the 25-yard line (2-PAT required) and then the looney bin dueling 2-PATs. Let me know if that meets your endorsement because that’s where this need to tweak something that isn’t really broken will take the league. It’s not hard to imagine a SB win in the future, maybe by Jacksonville over Detroit, in a ninth OT (seventh dueling 2-PAT) like last year’s Illinois vs Penn State “contest.”

 

[Kevin T]

Sporting News also detailed the 11 games going to OT since the original rule change with the first instance being the Tebow/Thomas catch and run. My post above details the coin toss winner seems to have a big advantage (10-1) but in reality it’s just 6-5 for them on unanswered drives. Four of the 10 wins came on second possessions or later. With the lone loss that’s 6-5 for the lucky toss winner. How’s that for a level playing field?

My recommendation is a simple one: add in a longer time break for the teams to regroup between regulation and OT so defenses are better rested. I’m confident that might put the “unlucky loser” of the coin toss above .500. Then the NFL won’t have to go to Lingering Death (brought to you by Metastasizing Cancer) to fix something that isn’t really broken.

I’m sorry to see that such a large majority of thrill addicted viewers go into mass hysteria every time a first drive TD wins and then call for a fix of a system that really isn’t broken. They are hoodwinked to believe when their team loses without touching the ball that both teams need a chance at the ball artificially without thinking of how to get out of the corner they would paint themselves into when both teams score and score and score. Is that when the PK-style TB kicks in?

I asked once before but you dodged my question: do you really want the NFL to go down the same rabbit hole the NCAA ventured into? Those smarty pants have gone through rule change after rule change since the mid-90s to the point that it is now down to who doesn’t convert a 2-PAT after only one duel from the 25-yard line (kick XPs allowed), one more duel from the 25-yard line (2-PAT required) and then the looney bin dueling 2-PATs. Let me know if that meets your endorsement because that’s where this need to tweak something that isn’t really broken will take the league. It’s not hard to imagine a SB win in the future, maybe by Jacksonville over Detroit, in a ninth OT (seventh dueling 2-PAT) like last year’s Illinois vs Penn State “contest.”

I didn't dodge the question because there's no rabbit hole. I've never argued for college OT rules in the NFL. What about the 2010 rule change that only a touchdown on the first possession would end the extra period? Is that a positive, thoughtful change or a rabbit hole?

"The new rule was passed by a vote of 28-4, and it was recommended by the NFL's competition committee at a 6-2 clip. The main reason was the team that won the overtime coin toss won the game nearly 60 percent of the time and 34.4 percent of the time on the first possession."

Again in 2017, the NFL shortened regular season OT to 10 minutes:

"In the five years prior to the rule change, there had been 83 overtime games played in the NFL. Only 22 of them (26.5 percent) lasted at least 10 minutes into overtime. Thus, the league shortened the overtime period to prevent injuries and extra plays from occurring, at the cost of slightly more frequent ties."

Rabbit hole or positive, thoughtful change?

Per Ian Rappaport:

In the playoffs, team that win the coin toss have a 10-1 record (we've already discussed this)
Only team to lose was the Saints in 2018
7 of those 10 winning teams scored a TD on the opening drive to win the game

70% chance of a TD on the opening drive (guaranteeing the win) if I win the toss? I'll take those odds.

The big differences between OT in the regular season vs the playoffs:

1. There is no next week. Let it all hang out.
2. The best teams are there and likely the best QBs, as well.

 

[Mr.Lob]

jessie pagula after watching this game, will probably go down easily to Barty. Barty party time

Good call. It's like you can see into the future or something.