Sudden Death in NFL overtime

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OOBradm

Golden Member
May 21, 2001
1,730
1
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Originally posted by: AMDZen
Originally posted by: Anubis
there used to be ties

we could always bring them back

Thats a good point, I change my opinion on the previous post. OT should consist of roughly half another period (7 or 8 mins) and then if its still tied after the OT period then the game is a tie

Ties wouldn't exactly work in a playoff game
 

silverpig

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
27,703
12
81
Originally posted by: Anubis
Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Originally posted by: Anubis
Sudden Death in any and all sports is a bad idea and should be changed

No way! It is perfect in Hockey and even Soccer, but in a game like Football it just doesn't work. They definitely need to change it.

KT

actually its fucking horrid in soccer the "golden goal" was crap i know they dont do it in the EUROS anymore IDK about the WC 2 OTs + PKs is infinitly better

Hockey should not be SD either

Shootouts are the absolute worst way to end any game.

Hmm, you guys tied your soccer game, so let's go play something else to determine the winner.

Hockey has it pretty good now. Short OT + shootouts in the regular season, but when the playoffs come in it really matters, just let them play.
 
Nov 7, 2000
16,403
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i dont see a problem with ties, except in playoff games
ideal would be similar to college...
team A kicks off, team B gets one drive
at the end of the drive, regardless of field pos, team B then kicks off to team A and they get a chance. repeat until someone scores and the other doesnt. can shorten the field if taking too long.
 

Drakkon

Diamond Member
Aug 14, 2001
8,401
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I say bring XFL rules into the mix...mad dash to the ball on the 50 yd line from each end zone. He who grabs it their team gets the ball. Screw this coin toss crap.

Then 5 minute with 1 30 second TO "sub-quarter" in which at the end of 5 minutes whoever is up wins. Redo if still tied.
 

SP33Demon

Lifer
Jun 22, 2001
27,928
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Originally posted by: OOBradm
29% of the time the team that wins the toss drives down and scores without the other team touching the ball. Overall, however, the coin toss winner only wins 52% of the time. It seems fair but these numbers are somewhat misleading because in 1994 a rule changed moved the kickoff back 5 yards to the 30 yard line (those numbers were based on data from 1973-2003). Since then, it's been about 60%. Prior to the rule change, the coin toss had no predictive value for deciding who would eventually win the game. Since 1994, the coin flip winner has a clear advantage.
And statistically speaking since 1994 there hasn't been >1000 overtimes, I guarantee you. Sample group is too small, have you ever taken stat 101 and done the coin flip experiment?

Even assuming 3 OT's a week since 1994, that would only = 672. Not a large enough sample to make a conclusion.
 

AMDZen

Lifer
Apr 15, 2004
12,589
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Originally posted by: OOBradm
Originally posted by: AMDZen
Originally posted by: Anubis
there used to be ties

we could always bring them back

Thats a good point, I change my opinion on the previous post. OT should consist of roughly half another period (7 or 8 mins) and then if its still tied after the OT period then the game is a tie

Ties wouldn't exactly work in a playoff game

In the playoffs it would be different, then you would have the SD after the initial OT period. Personally I think most games that end in a tie after regulation would probably not remain as such after another 7-8 minute period. I'd say give it a try for one year at least and see what happens. Personally I think any change to this rule will be a good one, I just don't like the way it is now.
 

ZetaEpyon

Golden Member
Jun 13, 2000
1,118
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I'd like to see a time-limited overtime; 10 minutes, 15 minutes, whatever.
Score at the end of overtime is the final score during the regular season, ties allowed. Playoffs could have multiple overtimes.
 

torpid

Lifer
Sep 14, 2003
11,631
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Originally posted by: ducci
Originally posted by: torpid
I think it should be that whoever had the ball at the end of regulation gets to keep the ball.

That completely removes all pressure to score at the end of the 4th quarter with the game tied.

Not completely. If they were at the 8 yard line about to score, they would be better off going for the score since OT would have them back at their own 20 or so once the opponent kicks off to them.

 

summit

Platinum Member
Sep 27, 2001
2,097
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Originally posted by: ZetaEpyon
I'd like to see a time-limited overtime; 10 minutes, 15 minutes, whatever.
Score at the end of overtime is the final score during the regular season, ties allowed. Playoffs could have multiple overtimes.

yeah this is the best 1 extended quarter of 15 minutes. coin flip determines ball and field as the regular game. this way the other team has a chance at getting the ball back.
 

Babbles

Diamond Member
Jan 4, 2001
8,253
14
81
Originally posted by: MIKEMIKE
It needs to be more like college, but from the 40 yard line, that way a FG from the beginning is a very difficult unless you move the ball..

I agree. I hate the idea of sudden death in football.
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
I would love to see the NFL adopt some variant of the college rule. I think it's more fair to fans, and as an offensive player I'd rather have a crack at it instead leaving it entirely in the hands of the defense.

How much do you think do you think it' burned Peytons ass last week to watch Sproles light up the defense and not have a turn of his own?
 

Garet Jax

Diamond Member
Feb 21, 2000
6,369
0
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The biggest argument against SD is the team that didn't get the ball in OT didn't have a chance to win. Last time I checked, there are three majors parts to a football team:

1) Offense
2) Defense
3) Special Teams

With this said, if your defense can't stop their offense then your football "team" isn't very good and probably should lose. They did have a chance to win - it is just that their defense wasn't good enough to do it.

The only part of Sudden Death I don't like is the coin toss. The team that scored last (to tie the game) should not get the ball. That way they have to choose to go for a TD (vs a FG) or a 2 point conversion (vs a PAT) to win the game or to tie it and give the ball to the opposition.
 

BeauJangles

Lifer
Aug 26, 2001
13,941
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Originally posted by: vi edit
I would love to see the NFL adopt some variant of the college rule. I think it's more fair to fans, and as an offensive player I'd rather have a crack at it instead leaving it entirely in the hands of the defense.

How much do you think do you think it' burned Peytons ass last week to watch Sproles light up the defense and not have a turn of his own?

Well, Peyton should have converted that 3rd and 2 if he didn't want to leave it up to his defense.
 

Xed

Golden Member
Nov 15, 2003
1,452
0
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Win the game in regulation then you have nothing to worry about. OT rules don't bother me
 

oznerol

Platinum Member
Apr 29, 2002
2,476
0
76
www.lorenzoisawesome.com
Does anyone know of an instance where the team that won the coin flip chose to kick?

Even defense-oriented teams like the Bears and Ravens would choose to receive.

It's a definite advantage. Imagine 2 with terrible defenses, tied something like 56-56, going into overtime. The team that wins the toss has the edge.

When more well-rounded teams are involved, it's less of an issue. A great defense will beat out a great offense.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,685
6,568
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I think the NFL system is fine and should stay the way it is.

I think college OT is a joke and sucks.
 

SP33Demon

Lifer
Jun 22, 2001
27,928
143
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Originally posted by: ducci
Does anyone know of an instance where the team that won the coin flip chose to kick?

Even defense-oriented teams like the Bears and Ravens would choose to receive.

It's a definite advantage. Imagine 2 with terrible defenses, tied something like 56-56, going into overtime. The team that wins the toss has the edge.

When more well-rounded teams are involved, it's less of an issue. A great defense will beat out a great offense.
Since the quickest way to win is to score, why would a team ever choose to defend? That's a no-brainer. OT tests the defense of the team that loses the coin toss. If they choke under pressure, too bad.

 

dbk

Lifer
Apr 23, 2004
17,685
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Leave it the way it is. It's just that college defense is so crap that they have to have their system. In the pro's - starting possession does not guarantee a score - i think it's definitely under 50% (forgot the link)
 

oznerol

Platinum Member
Apr 29, 2002
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www.lorenzoisawesome.com
Originally posted by: SP33Demon
Originally posted by: ducci
Does anyone know of an instance where the team that won the coin flip chose to kick?

Even defense-oriented teams like the Bears and Ravens would choose to receive.

It's a definite advantage. Imagine 2 with terrible defenses, tied something like 56-56, going into overtime. The team that wins the toss has the edge.

When more well-rounded teams are involved, it's less of an issue. A great defense will beat out a great offense.
Since the quickest way to win is to score, why would a team ever choose to defend? That's a no-brainer. OT tests the defense of the team that loses the coin toss. If they choke under pressure, too bad.

Well, like I said - defense-oriented teams.

The Bears had (have) a god-awful offense, but their defense got them to a Super Bowl. If given the option, I wonder if they would trust the defense to score rather than the offense.
 

Insomniator

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2002
6,294
171
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It is NOT an advantage to receive the ball first. On the radio yesterday I heard that out of 25 overtime playoff games, only 12 teams that chose to receive won the game. LESS than half. The regular season is not much different, they didn't have the numbers but I'm sure it is less than 55/45 for the receiving team.

The college system is retarded, the nfl system is fine. So what if one team has an amazing offense, its still your job to stop them.
 

AstroManLuca

Lifer
Jun 24, 2004
15,628
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The advantage to kicking off to start OT is that, if your defense can force the other team to go three and out, you can get better field position.

Think about it. The receiving team gets a kickoff, which will put them more or less at their own 20. If they are stopped around their own 30, they'll punt and the other team will get it somewhere around their own 35, with a chance to get 10 or more yards (or even a TD) on the punt return. And then even if they also go three and out, they'll be able to pin the other team really deep in their own territory.

I still wouldn't elect to kick if I was the coach, but it's not as big of a disadvantage as many people think it is.

FYI, for those who are asking, college overtime rules work sort of like a shootout, like so:

1. Winner of the coin flip elects to go on offense or defense first. Defense is the better choice because each team gets one offensive possession per OT period regardless of what happens.
2. Team 1 goes on offense, starting from their opponent's 25 yard line. Once that team scores or turns the ball over, they give it to team 2.
3. Team 2 then goes on offense, with the goal of scoring more points than Team 1 did. If they score the same number, it goes to a second overtime period.
4. Starting with the third overtime period, if you score a touchdown, you must try for a 2-point conversion.
5. There is no limit to how many overtime periods are played.

Turnovers are basically fatal since each team starts within field goal range.
 

BeauJangles

Lifer
Aug 26, 2001
13,941
1
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Originally posted by: ducci
Does anyone know of an instance where the team that won the coin flip chose to kick?

Even defense-oriented teams like the Bears and Ravens would choose to receive.

It's a definite advantage. Imagine 2 with terrible defenses, tied something like 56-56, going into overtime. The team that wins the toss has the edge.

When more well-rounded teams are involved, it's less of an issue. A great defense will beat out a great offense.

Yeah it's happened a few times. I believe the Bears or the Ravens have won the toss and chosen to kick.

Like I said above, despite the controversy, the team that wins the toss only goes on to win 51% of the time.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,926
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Change it. But maybe not to the same format as NCAA, though I do like that OT.
 

anxi80

Lifer
Jul 7, 2002
12,294
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Originally posted by: ducci
Does anyone know of an instance where the team that won the coin flip chose to kick?

marty mornhinweg. situation was his lions won the toss but he elected to kick off because he wanted the wind to be in their favor. the bears promptly stormed downfield, kicked the field goal and won the game. it was hilarious.