.jpg)
The New Orleans Saints clinched their spot in the Super Bowl with a field goal in overtime. Is it fair?
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
After winning the coin flip in the overtime session in the NFC Championship game, the New Orleans Saints held on to the ball for 4:45 and moved the ball 39 yards to set up an NFC clinching field goal. The Saints' 40 yard field goal on the first possession of the overtime knocked the Minnesota Vikings out of contention for a Super Bowl bid, but also lit the fire on one of the classic debates in the football world.
Should the NFL adopt the NCAA overtime rules?
Had the NFC Championship game yesterday been played by college rules the Saints would have started the extra quarter at the 25-yard line. After the possession was completed, whether by score or turnover, the Vikings would then be given a chance to score to tie or win the game. Each team would be given a chance to win the game by each having an equal number of possessions before determining the winner.
Most will tell you that it is long overdue that the top football league in the world review its overtime structure and adopt the college games overtime rules. Critics of the NFL overtime rules, such as Brian Burke of Advanced NFL Stats writes in the appropriately and ironically named The Fifth Quarter (The New York Times NFL Blog) and JJ Cooper of FanHouse, will tell you that the system in place simply is not fair for the sake of competition. Allowing a winner to be determined without equal opportunity for both teams is, at first glance, bizarre. What other sport could get away with it?
In baseball they play a top and bottom of each extra inning. The NBA plays a full five minutes. The NHL ends with the first goal in overtime but rarely does a team score on the first possession of the bonus hockey. Even the shoot-out gives each team an equal number of tries. But in the NFL, the first to score wins no matter what. It can end on a kickoff return, a touchdown pass on the first play, or on a field goal after ten plays.
The NFL system is not without faults perhaps, but is the NCAA system really that much better?
I am of the opinion that the NCAA overtime rules are fun when it happens, but it has taken away form the suspense of a game. Before the institution of the overtime in college football games could end in a tie. Back then there was much more riding on the importance, and rarity, of the two-point conversion. The two-point conversion was implemented to give the college game more suspense as it could put an end to tie games. Would a coach risk roll the dice in favor of an impressive victory or play it safe by getting out of a game without a loss? This was the biggest question before the days of overtime in college football, and to some the game has lost a bit of luster because of overtime.
But today fans generally embrace the college overtime, especially compared to the NFL system. But the question remains; should the NFL adopt the college overtime rules?
As much as I love college football, my answer may surprise you.
There is no reason that will convince me that the NFL should revise their overtime rules to be similar to the college game. None. Zero.
If the biggest concern fans have is being fair, then they should realize that this is not amateur sports. The NFL is supposed to be bigger, faster, and tougher than any other level of football. Any revision to the overtime rules in the NFL would be a step backward in difficulty on the top football league in the world. How would this benefit the league? I, as a college football enthusiast, like that the NFL has different rules and has a higher degree of competition. Teams are given 60 minutes to win and if they can not get the job done in that time, then they run the risk of not getting one more chance to win.
I want to make it clear. I like the NCAA overtime rules, but I would never want to see them installed in the NFL. But what about you? Leave a vote in the poll below on which overtime system you prefer, and then leave a comment down below with your thoughts on both set of rules. I have a feeling I know how this poll will end, but perhaps you will surprise me.
For the latest college football discussion be sure to subscribe for updates via e-mail up above. Just click on the Subscribe button at the top of this post! Also be sure to follow Kevin McGuire on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook!
Follow me on Twitter
Comments
Are they crying because their team didn't win? The Saints won fair and square. Favre lost and is crying along with his fans. Grow up people. You made the rules now live by them.
It's not about the Saints or Favre. It is about keeping the game interesting. Sudden Death takes away the anything-is-possible feeling and replaces it with it-could-end-stupidly-any-second feeling.
Each team should get a possession from the 50 yard line and let the best team win. Tie? Do it again. You will get more cliff hangers than you could ever belive and the networks will get more viewers than they would know what to do with.
I like the NCAA rules and I don't think it would take away from the suspense of an NFL game and I do think the NFL should be held to a higher standard as professionals. As a suggestion to modify the rules creating more suspense throughout the game the team that comes from behind to just tie should really lose. NFL teams should be forced to "go for 2" instead of tie with a 1 point conversion or risk defeat because it took them longer to score. (Also applied to game tieing field goals) This would put urgency on the need to score more quickly and the suspense of that "4th quarter waining seconds of the game" drive would be there THROUGHOUT the game.
This is a discussion about the rules, not a particular game Leslie. The overtime coin toss randomly gives unfair advantage to one team in the to possess the ball and score. Think about it. If you could choose whether to play offense or defense in a sudden death overtime, wouldn't the choice be obvious? I would rather have a game decided completely by the abilities and actions of the teams rather than giving such a weighted advantage to one team or the other with a random coin toss. If by the columnist's reasoning the importance of difficulty should outweigh fairness, then why not extend the idea by flipping a coin at the beginning of the each quarter to see who gets the ball? There are plenty ways to keep the NFL game more difficult than the NCAA without sacrificing fairness. So why should it be necessary to sacrifice it in overtime? After all, a game decided solely by the actions of the teams (vs. a coin toss) ascribes MORE toughness and legitimacy to the victor.
NFL overtime is much better than college overtime. College overtime is a joke. The NFL should implement a full period of overtime for playoffs, and if teams are still tied after that, then a sudden death overtime with the team with the most yardage gained in the first overtime having the choice to kickoff or receive in the sudden death overtime. Teams should leave the field for 10 minutes after regulation before overtime starts since it's a full period.
College football doesn't need overtime for the regular season. College football was much better and more balanced with ties. College football also should revert to the rules it had before the 2006 season. (like the clock stopping on out of bounds and the old 25 second play clock that the referees started when they spotted the ball)
College football should implement an overtime format only for conference championship games and bowl games, consisting of two 10 minute overtime halves, like the old CFL (Canadian) had years ago.
There's a time and place for everything and it's called college. Click here and see the real College Rules! Watch my free video clips at collegerules.info
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!