Philoscifi

Does the NFL’s overtime rule need to be changed? Every time that a big game is decided on the first possession of OT, this debate reignites. Both sides have merit, but I side with leaving the rules as is. There is no perfect solution, and people are used to the current rule.

One popular proposal is to give each team a possession in overtime. Sounds fair, but it has problems. First, Team 2 has 4 downs to work; Team 1 only has 3 downs (4th might need to be punted). Second, it’s still not “fair” because if Team 1 scores, it will always get the chance to stay ahead of Team 2. The killer, though, is what happens if the two teams are still tied at the end of OT? Another similar OT? Games could last forever then.

Love it or hate it, everyone knows the rule and the statistics. The best teams will win games in regulation and not take the chance of losing in OT. If you can’t get it done in 60 minutes, well, then you might as well have your fate decided by a coin flip. It’s not great, but at least you have a 50-50 shot.

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