NFL Competition Committee to consider "Modified Sudden Death Rule" for OT

[Dpantherman]

Posted by Mike Florio on February 27, 2010 5:00 PM ET

As any of you who routinely visit this address know, we hate the current overtime rule.

Actually, "hate" isn't strong enough. We despise it. We loathe it.

And we recently had become convinced, given the lack of any serious chatter for change after the 2009 NFC title game, that a sudden-victory field goal on the first drive of overtime in a Super Bowl would be the only thing that would prompt a too-little, too-late change to the rule.

But maybe the three-point, one-drive win by the Saints has finally gotten the attention of enough people with enough influence. Peter King of SI.com and NBC reports that the league's Competition Committee will consider a "modified sudden death" rule during the upcoming league meetings in Orlando.

In response, NFL Network's Rich Eisen says via Twitter that "t's coming," explaining that the first team to score six points would get the win. Eisen says he's heard it would be used in the playoffs at first.

Though we still prefer an approach that ensures one possession for each team, the first-to-six rule will make the cries of "just play defense" a little more persuasive. So in the case of a first-drive touchdown, we'd give the other team a chance to match or beat it (via eight points), with the format converting to sudden death if each team scores a touchdown on the first drive.

Then again, if they fix this rule, what else will we be able to bitch about? Oh, right. We've still got tampering, the Rooney Rule, and the Louis Murphy thing.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/02/27/king-competition-committee-will-consider-modified-sudden-death-rule/

Heres the latest Update:

...Here's how the proposal will look, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.

"Both teams would be guaranteed a possession unless first team with the ball scores a touchdown," Aiello tweeted.

"If the first team to get the ball kicks a field goal, the other team gets the ball. If it doesn't score, the game is over. If the second team with the ball ties it with a field goal, the game continues until someone scores."

So the proposal won't be the first team to score six points wins, as we initially thought. You can win on a field goal if you prevent the other team for scoring...

Gregg Rosenthal on February 27, 2010 6:25 PM ET (profootballtalk.com)

[top dawg]

Sounds good to me.

[pantherfan81]

I was just reading this too. I'm all for it. It will make things more interesting.

[Jangler]

This is good, I hope it passes. It would also help teams like the ...*cough**cough Panthers** to decide not to even go into OT!

[jasonluckydog]

Sounds good to me.

[Dpantherman]

Heres the latest Update:

...Here's how the proposal will look, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.

"Both teams would be guaranteed a possession unless first team with the ball scores a touchdown," Aiello tweeted.

"If the first team to get the ball kicks a field goal, the other team gets the ball. If it doesn't score, the game is over. If the second team with the ball ties it with a field goal, the game continues until someone scores."

So the proposal won't be the first team to score six points wins, as we initially thought. You can win on a field goal if you prevent the other team for scoring.

I don't hate the old overtime as much as Florio, but this proposal is an improvement from the current system. It would add excitement, strategy, and some fairness to overtime.

That doesn't mean that the proposal will necessarily pass.

Gregg Rosenthal on February 27, 2010 6:25 PM ET (profootballtalk.com)

[necroplasm]

This is good, I hope it passes. It would also help teams like the ...*cough**cough Panthers** to decide not to even go into OT!

But.. but we love to play conservative!!

[pstall]

Posted by Mike Florio on February 27, 2010 5:00 PM ET

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/02/27/king-competition-committee-will-consider-modified-sudden-death-rule/

Heres the latest Update:

Gregg Rosenthal on February 27, 2010 6:25 PM ET (profootballtalk.com)

This is as fair as it gets. I love this.

[Henne Given Sunday]

i love it

[OneBadassCat]

Just make it to where you can't win by field goal OT or under 2 mins in regulation.

[Lumps]

I like.

[Wither]

Alright, it would make more sense to just say each team gets it once. How hard is that? That's exactly what they are thinking of implementing.

[necroplasm]

Play a 10 min overtime quarter until time runs out, just like basketball. Highest score wins the game.

[beastson]

Play a 10 min overtime quarter until time runs out, just like basketball. Highest score wins the game.

I like that idea much better

To me this is pointless. What if the offense put a great drive together, the team that scored defense will have the advantage and momentum to just stop them and win. Its no different than teams who win the toss having the advantage and momentum to just get close enough for a field goal and win