NFL Looks At Overtime Rule Change

NFL News - February 28th, 2010 - Written by Scott Mills

Overtime in NFL games has always been under debate regarding the way it is conducted. Under current rules, the first team to score wins and if no team scores in the 15 minutes allotted for overtime, the game ends in a tie. In half of the games that result in overtime, the first team that gets the ball winds up scoring firstt which in turn does not give the other team an opportunity to score. It appears as though this rule could possibly change, at least for playoff games.

The competition committee meets in Orlando, Fl on March 21-24 and will discuss a proposed change with players and teams. At least two thirds of the teams must agree to the change in order for it to pass. Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesman, announced the rule change possibility on Saturday.

The new rule change that is being proposed is as follows...both teams will get the ball in overtime, unless the first team to score does via touchdown. However, if the first team scores by field goal, the other team will get a chance to either tie the game or win by scoring a touchdown. Ideas of how to change the overtime format to become more fair have been discussed for years, but it does appear that this one could be a reality.

"There have been various concepts that have been discussed in recent years, but this one has never been proposed," Aiello said.

On Thursday during the NFL combine in Indianapolis, the player's union and players met with the competition committee. The discussion continued on Friday as the competition committee met with the general manager's advisory committee. The proposed change has become more of a discussion since the NFC championship game in which New Orleans beat Minnesota by a field goal in overtime. The Vikings never got a chance with the ball, as the Saints kicked a field goal on the opening possession in overtime to win 31-28.

This rule change could be big for sports bettors in regards to over/under totals and point spreads. There is no telling how many wagers have been lost due to a game going into overtime and the other team not getting a chance to either tie or win the game. Whatever the outcome is, this a subject that could be debated for a long period of time with no resolve. The important thing to keep in mind is that the NFL seems to be looking at an option to make games that go into overtime a little more fair for both teams involved.