Yesterday the League voted to change its overtime rules for the playoffs. The old rules, which I prefer, first team to score wins. Now:
-There will still be a coin toss to establish possession
-If the team with the first possession scores a touchdown or the opposing team scores a defensive touch down, the game is over. If they kick a field goal, they will kick off to the opposing team, who will get a chance to tie or win the game
-If the opposing team responds with a field goal, they then kick off and sudden death format resumes. If they score a touchdown, do not kick a field goal, or if the team with first possession scores a defensive touchdown, the game is over.
Did you follow all of that FWGNFL Nation? I have a better solution NFL teams. If you want to win the game…DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! You get 60 minutes in regulation of “fair” play. If you can’t beat a team in 60 minutes then maybe you don’t deserve to win? Last year, 53.8% of the teams that won the toss went on to win the game. Hmm…Seems pretty close to 50/50 to me? There is nothing wrong with OT the way it is and there is no need to change anything about it right now…
How about Minnesota voting to keep the rules the same? Their game vs. New Orleans last year is the main reason that this rule change came about and they were the ones burned by it. The one wish I have is that the Vikings get burned by this rule again…Picture it now, they will be the team in the Super Bowl who wins the toss and kicks a FG. Game over? I think not. With the new rule change, the other team gets a shot to score. On the ensuing kickoff the AFC team returns if for a TD. Game over, Favre career over…Well maybe not, but the Vikings get burned for the second year in a row
Will’s Take
What the league is saying is that teams should not have to count on their defense to stop their opponents from picking up 4 first downs, or about 45 yards, with the game on the line. This concept is also based on the assumption that a 35 yard field goal is a gimme; that is re-god-damn-diculous. The talent pool for kickers is extremely shallow, especially outside of 30 yards, and if you add the fact that 6 or the 8 wild-card round teams last year played in outdoor stadiums, a 35 yard boot in a playoff game is anything but a guarantee.
The idea is to have the best team win, not the best offense. This rule change is a slap in the face to every team that still believes that defense is what wins championships. Sorry Pittsburgh, but your 6 Super Bowls won behind some of the best defensive teams ever assembled are less “entertaining” then watching Tom Brady toss the ball around the yard while his defense eats crayons on the back of the short bus.
If you want to change rules, how about taking the skirts off of quarterbacks in this league or maybe figuring out a way to let corners breath on receivers down the field without getting tagged with a PI. Overtime aint broke; you didn’t need to fix it.
