Today the NFL went through with a surprising vote to alter the rules for overtime in the postseason. The final tally was 28-4 to go ahead with the new plan away from sudden death and towards some sort of complicated, conveluted plan that would only apply in postseason games and you need a doctorate in chemistry to figure out. Why all of the fuss and change you might ask?Because it wasn't fair to Brett Favre.
Yes, the changing of the rule is in direct response to the NFL's golden child not getting a chance to touch the ball as the Saints went marching to the Super Bowl.
Did it bother anyone when the same situation happened to Peyton Manning the year before? Eh, not really.
But for the love of God... if Brett Favre is treated injustly then something must happen to make sure such a grave mistake will never happen again.
*Notice all of the camera shots, promo material, highlights, etc. associated with the rule are from this year's NFC Championship Game. Brett Favre solemnly walking off the field without even a chance to touch the ball. THE OUTRAGE! HOW DARE A COIN FLIP DECIDE THE FATE OF THE GREATEST MAN WHO HAS EVER LIVED*
Just don't mention his epic choke job and we'll be ok.
Ok, seriously, let's look at these OT rules and try to put them in layman's terms.
1) If Team A gets the ball first and gets a TD they win.
2) If Team A gets a FG, Team B gets a possession to tie with a FG, or get a TD to win.
3) If both teams remain tied after their first possessions, then we go to sudden death.
Easy right?
Except when you ask tough questions like - what happens in case of an onside kick? Or a special teams score? Or a safety? Or doesn't Team B get an extra down on their possession to match a FG? You know, all those questions that don't appear when it's sudden death.
Call me a traditionalist, but sudden death is the way to go. It adds more drama and the stakes are raised. Especially in the playoffs when an entire can season can hinge on one play. Would the '58 Championship game be the same if it were played under these inane rules? If any change needs to be made, move the kickoff back to the 35 and make teams start from the 20 for OT. Or, if you want to go the fairness route... make it be the first to 6 points wins or have 1 10 minute quarter decide things. You know, a system that doesn't make these guys any more confused...
Yes, I understand the statistics point in this direction, and we're tired of having FG's decide games. But how is this crazy system any better than sudden death? The same arguments apply that one team still might not get a chance to touch the ball if Team A gets a TD. How is that any more or less fair than sudden death? So, really, we're not making any progress here, are we.
Maybe if Favre lost by a TD, the team that got the first possession would need 2 scores to win. That would be better than what exists now.
This OT situation is another example of using a chainsaw to fix something that needed a scalpel at best. Good luck next postseason when you are watching your favorite team in a dramatic OT game... and have no clue what is going on. But hey, at least it'll be fair to Favre... if he plays.
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