As NFL considers change to overtime rules, two KC Chiefs games could sway opinions
The NFL’s Competition Committee will meet this week in Indianapolis, and one item reportedly is going to be discussed: the structure of overtime.
NFL.com and the Washington Post reported the Indianapolis Colts have submitted a proposed change to how overtime works in the regular season and in the playoffs.
Under the Colts’ proposal, each team would be guaranteed one possession.
The current rule says the team that wins the coin toss can win the game with a touchdown on its opening possession. But if the team that wins the coin toss kicks a field goal or punts, the other team gets possession with a chance to win or tie the game.
Atlanta Falcons president/CEO Rich McKay is chairman of the NFL Competition Committee and he told NFL.com he expects “some overtime proposals related to playoffs only, while others could include the regular season.”
There was a push to change the overtime rule following the Chiefs’ 37-31 loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game following the 2018 season. New England won the coin toss and scored a touchdown, and the Chiefs never touched the ball despite scoring 24 points in the fourth quarter.
It takes 24 of 32 teams to approve any change, but the owners kept the rule as is after that Chiefs-Patriots game.
Chiefs’ OT games under microscope
A pair of Chiefs games from last month’s postseason could be used by supporters on both sides of the overtime discussion.
In their AFC Divisional playoff game, the Chiefs tied the Bills late in regulation on a Harrison Butker field goal, won the coin toss and drove down the field for a game-winning touchdown.
Over the next few days, there were calls to change the overtime rule based on the Chiefs’ victory. That included Bills general manager Brandon Beane.
“At the end of the day, we lost the game the other night. But of course, we would’ve loved to, I think the TV audience would’ve loved to have seen Josh (Allen) and our offense get it back,” Beane told ESPN. “I would definitely love to see it brought back to the table. I’m not saying I have the exact idea, but I think there’s some ways to do it. Without getting into detail, I think there’s a way you can do it in the regular season that handles that, but let’s do something in the postseason when it’s all on the line.”
The following week, Butker again kicked a field goal and forced overtime. The Chiefs again won the toss, but the Bengals intercepted quarterback Patrick Mahomes and kicked a field goal and won 27-24.
After the Chiefs’ loss to the Bengals, Yahoo Sports columnist Shalise Manza Young said the game was proof that there was no need to change the overtime rules.
“For days, we’ve heard people argue — whether writers, sports talking heads, or fans gathered at their favorite restaurant — that the NFL’s overtime rules had to be changed after the Buffalo Bills and quarterback Josh Allen didn’t get a possession in OT of their epic AFC divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs,” Young wrote.
“But a few of us ... said the rules as they currently stand are fine. And on Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Chiefs 27-24 to win the AFC championship despite losing the overtime coin toss, with Mahomes and Co. getting the ball first.”
The Post’s Mark Maske specifically mentioned the two Chiefs playoff games in his story about the NFL’s planned discussion of overtime rules.
“Potential changes to the overtime format come up regularly in offseason deliberations among the league, its teams and the competition committee,” Maske wrote. ”In this case, the effect of the Bills-Chiefs outcome perhaps was offset a bit when the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Chiefs in the AFC championship game despite the Chiefs having the ball first in overtime.”
This story was originally published February 28, 2022 at 10:07 AM.
