Digest of Rules Sudden Death
1. The sudden death system of determining the winner shall prevail when score is tied at the end of the regulation playing time of all NFL games. The team scoring first during overtime play shall be the winner and the game automatically ends upon any score (by safety, field goal, or touchdown) or when a score is awarded by Referee for a palpably unfair act.
2. At the end of regulation time the Referee will immediately toss coin at center of field in accordance with rules pertaining to the usual pregame toss. The captain of the visiting team will call the toss prior to the coin being flipped. 3. Following a three-minute intermission after the end of the regulation game, play will be continued in 15-minute periods or until there is a score*. There is a two-minute intermission between subsequent periods. The teams change goals at the start of each period. Each team has three time outs per half and all general timing provisions apply as during a regular game.
Disqualified players are not allowed to return.
*Exception: In preseason and regular season games there shall be a maximum of 15 minutes of sudden death with two time outs instead of three. General provisions that apply for the fourth quarter will prevail. Try not attempted if touchdown scored. If there is no score in the 15 minutes, the game shall end in a tie.
What is your opinion on these rules.
Some of the opinions are as followed. During the coin toss rule:
The refree said, this is heads, this is tails, visiting team call it in the air. ex. Atlanta Falcons’ piece of paper, Detroit Lions shout out loud saying, “heads”.
The controversial started when it was Thanksgiving Day Pittsburgh vs. Detriot. Jerome Bettis said, “tails”, but the refree said, “heads”. The Detroit Lions told the refree that he said, “tails”. The refree disagree with both teams that Jerome Bettis said “heads”. The coin toss rule changed.
I think if we were doing college football overtime rules, it takes a long time for a person to score. The rule in college is one team scores wins and if the other team scores, it the second overtime. The overtime keeps going until someone wins or the other team does not score. The only thing for college football is each team starts at the 30 yard line.
Check out the NFL youtube video I have included below talks about the first ever Sudden Death overtime game in the history of Football:
November 17th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Well after seeing the upset in the eagles bengals game this past week I had to review this rule myself. Not only is the NFL overtime setup rather silly, but it is one sided. 80% of teams who win the coin toss, win the game. So you have two great teams slugging it out all day and the game is decided by a coin. Shouldn’t both teams who have proven their worth all game have one last shot at the ball. I think so. College Football OT rules are the way to go. Much talk has come from the current rules and many teams have lost when they may have scored as well. In time perhaps something will be done, but I wouldnt wait to see it anytime in the near future.
November 20th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
NFL overtime rules should mimick the college rule but each team starts from the 50 yd line.