Should the NFL adopt the NCAA method of Overtime or continue to flip a coin for possession and have sudden death?

You may have noticed this new poll in our right side bar regarding NFL's overtime rules comparing the NFL's way of handling overtime with that of the NCAA.

Please take a moment to vote in the poll as we would like to know how you feel about the topic.

Times have changed but the NFL rule on this hasn't. Is the NFL's way the best way to decide the winner of a game or does the NCAA have this right? The NCAA's rules on a tie game are different. Instead of the preverbal coin toss to see how get's the ball first in a first score wins sudden death overtime, they give each team the ball on a shortened field, the opponent's 25 yard line, giving them an equal number of possessions. If team ‘A' scores a TD, field goal or does not score, team ‘B' gets a chance to better that or match it and start the process over again. This process often inflates statistics and game scores often leads to three, four or even five overtime periods.

Which one of these rules is better?

We addressed this topic on the site briefly before the Super Bowl but we've presented in a more comprehensive way here in an attempt to support our poll.

Before voting, I suggest that you read this entire article as you may find some history or interesting statistic that you were previously unaware of which may skew / change your opinion on the topic; I know I did.

NFL Overtime - "Sudden Victory"

On August 28, 1955 the first Sudden Death was played in the NFL and in 1974 the rule was adopted fully. Since then there have been 17 games end in a tie. In 1997 there were actually two games that ended in a tie as the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens played to a 10 - 10 tie and the New York Giants and Washington Redskins played to a 7 - 7 tie.

The term "Sudden Death" in sports means that the first person or team to score wins the match or game. In more violent sporting events it is referred to as "Sudden Victory".

This variant became one of announcers Curt Gowdy's idiosyncrasies in 1970 during the AFC divisional championship game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. (Yes, Kansas City was a great team at one time) In the NFL when a game results in a tie after 4 quarters of football are played the two teams play what is called Sudden Death Overtime. Here are the rules:

Possession is determined at the beginning of overtime by a coin flip, similar in fashion to the coin flip at the beginning of the game. The visiting team gets the chance to make the call. If a touchdown is scored in overtime, the extra point is not attempted.

In overtime, teams receive additional timeouts and cannot carry over any additional timeouts if they had remaining unused ones from regulation. Challenges are used in the same fashion as they are in normal game play.

Games in the preseason and the regular season operate under the same sudden-death system as postseason games. However, the overtime is limited to one extra quarter of play. If no team scores by the end of that quarter, the game ends as a tie.

Since there is a maximum of only one quarter of overtime, the overtime period operates under the timing rules of the fourth quarter. Each team receives two timeouts to use during the period.

Playoff games cannot end in ties, since teams need to advance and be eliminated. Therefore NFL postseason games that go into overtime last until a team scores, however long that may be. Since there is a possibility of extended play beyond one quarter, the overtime period(s) are operated under the normal timing rules of a game.

Each team receives three timeouts per half. Additionally, the teams change sides of the field after each quarter as they would during regulation. Although two overtime periods are known as a half, there is no "halftime" or extended break if the game should extend beyond two overtime periods. There is a two-minute break between all overtime periods, regardless of how many take place.

In some ways the current system is quite convoluted. Some of the players don't even understand the way it works. On Nov 16, 2008 Philadelphia vs. Cincinnati ended the overtime period in a 13-13 tie. This was the NFL's first game to end in a tie since 2002.

That night Donavan McNabb said in a post game interview "I've never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book." and then continued to say "I guess I am aware of it now." I guess he is... and so are the rest of the Eagles that didn't know the overtime rule. When asked if he would have played the 4th quarter any differently had he known the rule McNabb said, "Yes!"

NCAA Overtime

Overtime was instituted by the NCAA Football Rules Committee in 1996. The tie game was eliminated in Division I-A under rules that went into effect with the 1996 regular season. The system, already used in other divisions, had been installed for postseason play in 1995 and first was used in the Las Vegas Bowl, where Toledo edged Nevada 40-37 in overtime.

In college football, an overtime procedure ensures that each team has equal opportunity to score.  Both teams are granted possession of the ball at their opponents' 25 yard-line in succession.

A coin flip takes place, with the winning team having the option either:

1) to declare that they will take the ball first or second {choose offense or defense first}, or 
2) to decide on which end of the field the series will occur (both teams' series occur on the same end of the field).

The losing team will have the first option in any subsequent even-numbered overtime.

In the first overtime, the team with first series attempts to score either a touchdown or a field goal; their possession ends when either a touchdown or a field goal have been scored, they turn the ball over via a fumble or an interception, or they fail to gain a first down.

After a touchdown, a team may attempt either an extra-point field goal or a two-point conversion scrimmage play by run or pass. (However, if the team on defense during the first series recovers a fumble and returns it for a touchdown, or returns an interception for a touchdown, the defensive team wins the game. This is the only way for a college overtime game to end without both teams having possession.)

Regardless of the outcome of the first team's series (be it touchdown, field goal, or turnover), the other team begins their series.

If the score remains tied after both teams have completed a series, a second overtime begins. If the score remains tied after two overtimes, teams scoring touchdowns are required to attempt a two-point conversion from the third overtime on.

Just as in regulation, if a defensive team recovers a fumble/returns an interception to the end zone during a two-point conversion attempt, they will receive two points.

Under NCAA rules, if the defensive team advances the ball the length of the field into the other end zone on the try, for example by an interception or a fumble recovery, it receives two points. This is officially recorded as a touchdown scored by the defense. The NCAA adopted this rule in 1988 that gave the defensive team 2 points for returning a blocked kick or an intercepted pass to the opponent's end zone during a conversion attempt. In 1992 this was extended to include a fumble return from any spot outside the end zone.

Examples:

BLOCKED FIELD GOAL

1. PLAY: On the first series, Team A's field goal attempt is tipped behind the neutral zone. Team B attempts to catch the kick in Team B's end zone and muffs the ball. Team B picks up the ball just short of Team B's end line and advances the length of the field across Team A's goal line. RULING: Touchdown. The game is over. Team B wins.

2.PLAY: On the first series, Team B gains possession (interception fumble or blocked field goal) and advances for an apparent touchdown. Team A fouls during the down. RULING: Game over. Team B wins, foul declined by rule.

NFL Overtime Statistics

Factually speaking, over the past decade, there were 158 OT games, including playoff games. There were 2 ties, and there was 1 game in which the coin flip winner chose to defend a side of the field rather than choosing to receive. (They lost.) In 96 of the 158 OTs, or 61%, the coin flip winner won the game.

One of the most reasonable changes to the OT rules I've heard that may appease those who feel the current arrangement is not fair that likely would not offend traditionalists who do not like change is to return the OT kick-off spot to the 35-yard line. While this wouldn't seem like a big deal to some, this is a modest change that will greatly increase touchbacks, forcing offenses to start at the 20. For those of you that are really into the game, you know that "hidden yardage" on special teams is vitally important to the game. If you return a kick-off to your 40-yard line, statistically, your chances of scoring points are dramatically different than if you start at your own 20.

Moving the kickoff line back to the 35, where it was when the current OT format was instituted, might go a long way toward equalizing the chances of the coin flip winner and loser. Unfortunately, that's only half the problem. Over one third of OT games result in one team losing the game without ever touching the ball. I think that's the bigger issue to many people.

Those who argue that each team should have an equal number of possessions in OT have a whole in their argument that they either don't realize or don't care to give any credence to and that is the team with the second possession would have an even bigger advantage than the coin-flip winner has now.

Knowing whether or not it needs a TD, FG, or can afford to punt, the second team can adjust its strategy accordingly, using its 4th downs to move the ball when necessary. The current college OT format has this problem, which is mitigated to some degree because teams alternate 'going first' on successive rounds.

A look to baseball's approach to the situation may ultimately be the wisest solution. The NFL could simply keep the current sudden death format, but award the first OT possession to the home team. While this would simply be "home field advantage" during a regular season game, home field advantage comes in all kinds of ways in sports and is a universally accepted 'edge.' There literally is no reasonable solution to that aspect as the notion of playing all regular season games at neutral sites seems silly.

With this arrangement in the playoffs, it would be easier to accept what happened to a visiting team like the Vikings. We would say, "While their offense didn't get a chance, the Saints did earn the right to the first possession by winning home field during the season." The assumption here is that it is better that a team earns a break than has it granted by the flip of a coin.

Lastly, I'd like to address a statistic mentioned at the beginning of this article that is always quoted by proponents of the current rules, however I believe this is widely misunderstood if not misquoted statistic.

In 2009 there happened to be only 13 OT games, and the coin flip winner won 7 (54%). In 6 of the 13 (46%), the loser never touched the ball. This proves nothing really other than a sample size for any single year is too small for a reasonable estimate of the true numbers. However, don't be tricked by people that say "only 61% of coin flip winners traditionally win the game."

If you agree 50% would be the fairest rate, you might think 61% isn't very far from 50%. But that's not the right way to look at it. The NY Times recently correctly pointed out that the correct comparison is 61% vs. 39% for the respective winning percentages of the coin flip winner and loser, not 61% vs. 50%. An advantage of over 3:2 is no small advantage.

Personally, I am in favor of the NCAA's method as philosophically I just think that equal possessions from the same spot of the field is the fairest way to go. However, while this is my preference, I don't see the NFL making any DRASTIC changes, therefore I think the next best option would be giving the first possession in OT to the home team rather than flipping a coin. I do think that a change needs to be made and this seems like the fairest, most reasonable solution.

We'd like to hear how you feel about this topic. Please vote in our polls to the right and feel free to comment below.- Bob Bearden

Bob is a regular guest contributor on sports talk radio in the Southeastern United States. Bob's views and opinions on professional and college sporting events can now be found right here on the MC3 Sports Media's family of websites.

If you haven't voted in our polls on the site yet please do so. We are trying to get a feel for how our readers are looking at Football so we can write about things they want to hear. The poll questions are:

"Do you think the NCAA should have a Playoff to determine the National Champion rather than the BCS / Bowl System?"

and

"Should the NFL adopt the NCAA method of Overtime or continue to flip a coin for possession and have sudden death?"

Have a Fantasy Football or Rotisserie baseball question? Want to know who to pick up, who to activate and who the hot prospects are? Ask Dr. Roto. Let Dr. Roto guide your team to a league championship.

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