NFL to change OT rule allowing both teams possession for postseason only: Report
NFL owners are meeting this week in Florida and that means rule changes are being discussed. The most notable one of all has to do with overtime rules for the postseason.
Buffalo Bills fans witnessed their team fall to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime this past postseason without Josh Allen getting a chance to lead the drive. There was outrage on social media and it appears the league has officially made a change.
NFL insider Albert Breer was among the reporters to reveal that the league has voted to ensure both teams get possession in overtime during postseason play.
Sources: NFL owners have passed the Indy/Philly overtime proposal allowing for both teams to have a possession for playoffs only.
As Breer mentioned, the new rule was proposed jointly by the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles. Given its passage, gone are the days of a star quarterback not getting a chance to score in overtime in the most important games of the year.
NFL owners pass a popular new overtime rule
NFL insider Ian Rapoport shared how the voting went for this rule change.
The vote was 29-3 twitter.com/rapsheet/statu…
So it was 29 owners in favor, and three against. Those against are likely to be of the belief that the rules in place are fine as the defense still has a chance to stop an offense. However, the reasoning has become a moot point because the new postseason rules are in effect.
The recent Divisional Round game between the Chiefs and Bills appears to have pushed this conversation to the forefront for the owners. Yet it remains intriguing that the Colts and Eagles were the two teams to bring it up. Regardless, the change had so much support that it remains shocking that it took this long to pass.
Now, football fans no longer have to discuss the possibility of a coin toss deciding a playoff game or even a Super Bowl, as they did a few years back between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. Both teams now get a chance to possess the ball and a new strategy comes into play. Teams may now kick to start the overtime period to see what the other team does.