Overtime Football...

[baggio248]

I think the NFL overtime rule is stupid. I'd much rather see it be like college football, where they each get at least once chance to score. Most the time who ever wins the toss wins the game. I realize that's not always the case but I think it would be more entertaining.

[sbp]

I agree it should be like college.

[bachviet]

It's fine the way it's right now.

BTW the Cowboys won the game.

[gear02]

It's really not fine. It's easier to go 50 yards for a FG than to stop them before they hit field goal territory. Thus, the coin toss makes all the difference. I would like to see some sort of parity, but the college system makes for shootouts, particularly in the NFL, and will be overkill.

[bachviet]

Originally posted by gear02
It's really not fine. It's easier to go 50 yards for a FG than to stop them before they hit field goal territory. Thus, the coin toss makes all the difference. I would like to see some sort of parity, but the college system makes for shootouts, particularly in the NFL, and will be overkill.
It's not easy to drive 50 yards for a field goal. Luck (coin toss) is part of pro sport.

[Nija]

it should be like College. Each team should have an offensive chance with the ball.

[Cantacuzene]

College style shoot outs are the way to go. Nothing is more exciting and its about as fair as it can get.

[ray]

The problem i have with the college system is that every 2 series, they switch sides of the field and the team that played defense second, has to play the third time around...therefore giving the offensive team the upper hand.

[Jihforce]

I'd leave it the way it is. If I wanted to watch college style NFL, i'd watch college football.

[attgig]

I like the college style, but needs to be modified..
I don't want a game going to 3/4/5 overtimes...

give each team one chance....
whoever scores more wins... (6 or 8 points)

game cannot be decided by a kicker =P

[coleslaw]

I really do like the college football format because it gives the offense and defense of both teams a chance to win the game. In the NFL, the defense can falter on one play and the game is over. This is not the case in college.

Switching sides and switching order in consecutive overtimes does not really create that much of a an advantage for either team because they are not driving the entire length of the field. The ball is at the 25 yard line, so a maximum of 12 plays is required to for the offense to score. Granted, that's going to 4th down three times and not gaining more than 10 yards at a time. A defense should not be drained that much by such a short drive; I would not agree with reversing the order if a kick-off was involved because then the defense would be on the field for 2 complete drives, which puts them at more of a disadvantage.

A perfect example of the excitement that the college-football overtime format brings to the game is last year's Fiesta Bowl. That was one of the best games that I have ever seen, and part of that is because of the intense overtime.

[attgig]

gotta force the teams to go for two.... can't let it go on forever.

[TofuNinja]

If there is a one possession score in OT I think the other team should get a chance to tie or win, if both teams touch the ball like in the NYG Dal game its all good.

[whitak24]

i do not like the NFL system, nor do i like the current NCAA system.

the problem with the NFL system:
i saw a stat last year that (over the last 5 years or something) somewhere around 75% of the teams that won the coin toss to start overtime ended up winning the game. most of these victories, i imagine, came on the initial possession.

basically decide games based on the luck of a coin toss is crazy. might as well just have the coin toss and whoever wins it gets the win.

the problem with college:
i don't like putting the ball at the 25-yard line and then having teams try to punch it in. it's like deciding a soccer game with a shootout (another tie-breaking practice that i don't like). it's not the real game. it's a bastardization. (although i agree with those who posted above saying that it makes for EXTREMELY exciting finishes).

my solution:
have a kick-off, have teams drive the length of the field. if the team to take the first kickoff scores, then the other team will automatically get a possession.

once both teams have had the ball once, then it's anyone's game.

this solution increases the total possessions (thereby reducing the impact of the luck of winning the coin toss) without greatly changing the character of the game.

it would also force teams to play more agressively in overtime, rather than just trying to move within field-goal range and kick it.