NFL Overtime is inherently flawed. The league has tried several fruitless formats to no avail, and fans have grown restless at the unfairness, inconsistency, and illogical rules of the league’s newest revision, adopted in 2012.
I’ve researched and analyzed hundreds of ideas and concepts for what overtime should be. The following details my solution for fixing NFL Overtime.
THE FIX, GENERALLY:
Each team gets FIVE tries at a 2-point conversion from the 2-yard line. The team with the most successful conversions out of 5 attempts wins.
It’s basically a SOCCER PENALTY KICK SHOOTOUT, but with 2-point conversion attempts instead of PKs.
ANCILLARY RULES:
First, the teams alternate their offensive attempts at opposite end zones in order to prevent wasting the time it takes to have each offense/defense run on and off the field between plays to allow the opposing offense/defense try their attempt. In other words, the Saints offense and Rams defense are set up at one end zone, while the Rams offense and Saints defense are set up at the OTHER end zone, so the teams can alternate attempts quickly and efficiently. There would be a 40 second play clock (just like in the real game) that starts after each attempt.
Second, if the teams are still tied at the end of 5 attempts, teams alternate attempts until one converts and the other fails (again, this is the same as PK shootouts in soccer).
Third, there’s NO coin toss. The team that forced OT (whichever team scored last) has to go first.
Fourth, for purposes of stat-keeping and scoring, each successful attempt counts as 1 point (reasoning below).
Fifth, each team gets 1 time out, and all challenges and scoring plays are booth reviews.
Sixth, a play/attempt is ruled dead on a turnover, but turnovers do not end the game.
REASONS THIS CONCEPT WORKS BEST:
1. Guarantees every single play in overtime is exciting, just like soccer PK shootouts.
2. Doesn’t prolong an already longgggg game. It’s only 10 plays, and it’s a fast-paced format.
3. PROMOTES PLAYER SAFETY (again, only 10 plays), which is necessary for NFL to consider this format.
4. No coin toss equals more fairness.
5. Easy-to-understand format with very simple rules.
6. Doesn’t mess up statistics and scoring. This is critical – the College Football format, a popularly mentioned alternative, compromises player statistics, individual records, and scoring over/unders – for example, the LSU/Texas A&M ruins fantasy football that week and greatly skews yearly player stats, and thus league records. Stats, scoring, player records, Fantasy Football, and Vegas are all too prevalent in the NFL for the league to ever consider adopting the CFB system. This is also why each successful conversion should be limited to awarding the team 1 point on the scoreboard, instead of 2.
7. No kicking allowed – games won’t be determined by kicks.
8. NO MORE TIES, even during the regular season!
9. More consistency: the same OT rules can apply for both regular season and playoff games.
10. Perhaps most importantly, EACH TEAM GETS A CHANCE TO POSSESS THE BALL! Furthermore, each team gets an identical, equal opportunity to win the game.
Feedback is welcome and appreciated, whether it’s questions, criticism, or complimentary.
Categories: Quick Slants
Tags: best over time system, best overtime ideas NFL, best overtime NFL, fixing nfl overtime, new overtime NFL, NFL overtime, NFL overtime flawed, NFLovertime, overtime, overtime NFL, overtimeNFL
