Overtime, Rules, And Poor Sports.

I've always wanted the NFL to make overtime a full period. Other fans complained that the game would take too long, and sited player safety. Then in 2017 there was a rule change to appease fans. And Fans are still not happy, go figure right?

In 2017 the league agreed that kickers had evolved and gotten good enough to where a field goal under 60 yards was too common, so the league decided that if the recieving team could not beat the opposing team's defense and score a touchdown instead of just taking the field goal, then the other team would get the ball back.

(They should've allowed 65 yard field goals or longer by the receiving team to win as those would be league record kicks.)

The NFL also had decided that if the receiving team got safetied, the game was over as the defense scored. Makes sense right, both teams had a chance to score.

Then the Chiefs and Patriots met in the playoffs. The Patriots went down the field and scored a touchdown. They followed the rules beat the chiefs defense. The Chiefs complained they didn't get a chance to score a touchdown. Few years later the Buffalo Bills would lose to the Chiefs in overtime and both fans and teams again want the rule changed.

Let's say the NFL changes the rule, so that the other team gets the ball after the receiving team gets the ball, what happens then? If they score a touchdown and tie it up, they have to kickoff. And now we just had both teams score a touchdown.

Okay so now if the regardless of how, if the receiving team scores they win but there is still going to be opposition. The other team or it's fans are going to complain that their team didn't get the ball back. They didn't get a chance to tie it back up or take the lead. It's going to be a never ending cycle of crying for rule changes because one team lost.

There are three things that can solve the problem. 

One: tell fans and players no and to deal with a loss.

Two: make overtime a full 15 minute quarter. Team with the lead at the end of the quarter wins. Fans dont complain because a team scores as the clock runs in in regulation that they didn't get a chance to tie or come back, so that should in theory make things more understandable.

Three: Treat over time like a hockey shootout. If the receiving team scores, the other team must score, either to tie or to take the lead. If the other team tries it back up, the processes is repeated. If the receiving team fails to score, the opposing team must score or the process gets repeated. Basically to appease fans, the game will never end until the team that does not recieve the ball in overtime's offense fails to tie the game back up or take the lead.

Although I like the rules the way they are, as a sudden death rule, believe that having a full overtime period, or treating overtime like a shootout the way I described are the only ways to settle the fans problems with overtime. I don't see either rule getting implemented.

However, if the NFL just makes it so the other team gets the ball if the receiving team scores a touchdown, I don't see fans and players being happy with that. Because if the receiving team gets the ball back and scores, fans and players will continue to complain that the other team didn't get the ball back for another chance to tie or win if the receiving team kicks a field goal.

At some point the league has to remind fans and teams that there has to be a loser and the if the defense or special teams aren't good enough to stop the other team, maybe the should focus on improving those phases of their team instead of trying to rig the game so they cannot lose.

Maybe the league should tell teams to consinder "stop paying individual players over ten percent of their team's salary so that they have money to spend in other areas."

There was once a phrase "defense wins championships." They don't just win championships in the superbowl, they win them by making key stops during the games leading up to the superbowl. So to the Chiefs and their kingdom, to the Bills and their mafia, yes losing sucks but you lost because your defense got beat. Improve your defense and call better plays.  Better yet, play better in regulation so you don't have to go to overtime.

Good teams don't change the rules so they can win. They don't hang participation banners after losing a conference championship game. They start work on the next game or the next season after a playoff loss. That's the difference between a team staying competitive consistantly and drafting in the top 10 every few years.