News
NEW YORK (AP) - NFL owners will vote next week whether to allow
each team a possession in overtime in the playoffs if the team
winning the OT coin toss kicks a field goal on the first series.
Previously, the game would end whenever either side scores, as
happened in the NFC championship game in January, with New Orleans
beating Minnesota on Garrett Hartley's kick. But NFL competition
committee chairman Rich McKay says a trend has developed showing
too strong an advantage for teams winning the coin toss to start
overtime.
If the team that falls behind by three points on the first
series also kicks a field goal, then the game would continue under
current sudden death rules.
The proposal is only for the postseason.
"Statistically, it is pretty clear there has been a change,"
McKay said. "When sudden death was put in for 1974, it clearly
worked very well and was a good system. It brought excitement and
effectively broke ties. From '74-'93 you had a 50-50 (breakdown) in
who would win between those who won toss and who lost the toss.
"Changes occurred over time, and the numbers have changed to
59.8 percent winning the coin toss and winning the game. The team
that loses the coin toss wins 38.5 percent.
"We are trying to put in a system that emphasizes more skill
and strategy as opposed to the randomness of the coin flip."
McKay credited the advancements in field goal accuracy and
skills of return teams for the hefty switch in statistics. The
competition committee found that since 1994, when the kickoff was
moved back 5 yards to the 30, teams winning the OT coin toss won
34.4 percent of the games on the first series. They kicked field
goals 26.2 percent of those times, an increase from 17.9 percent in
15 years.
"I would say this is something that's been on our radar for a
number of years and been talked about a lot," he said. "In the
last four or five years, we have not proposed anything because we
thought if there weren't enough votes (among the 32 owners), we
should not propose it. This year, the statistics are so compelling
we need to get the discussion going."
Rest assured there will be plenty of discussion; 24 votes are
needed to adopt the change.
The players union strongly has supported the current overtime
setup because it fears another system could lead to more injuries.
McKay said the competition committee has "not spent a lot of time
with them" on this proposal, but will make the players association
aware of the recommendation.
Another recommendation to the owners, who will hold their
meetings in Orlando, Fla., beginning Sunday, centers on expanding
protection for defenseless players, most notably receivers. McKay
said a recent rule change helped, but there are cases where
receivers already have made a catch and still are defenseless when
they get hit in the head area.
The proposal will offer those players protection from hits to
the head until after the catch is made and the receiver has an
opportunity to protect himself.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
each team a possession in overtime in the playoffs if the team
winning the OT coin toss kicks a field goal on the first series.
Previously, the game would end whenever either side scores, as
happened in the NFC championship game in January, with New Orleans
beating Minnesota on Garrett Hartley's kick. But NFL competition
committee chairman Rich McKay says a trend has developed showing
too strong an advantage for teams winning the coin toss to start
overtime.
If the team that falls behind by three points on the first
series also kicks a field goal, then the game would continue under
current sudden death rules.
The proposal is only for the postseason.
"Statistically, it is pretty clear there has been a change,"
McKay said. "When sudden death was put in for 1974, it clearly
worked very well and was a good system. It brought excitement and
effectively broke ties. From '74-'93 you had a 50-50 (breakdown) in
who would win between those who won toss and who lost the toss.
"Changes occurred over time, and the numbers have changed to
59.8 percent winning the coin toss and winning the game. The team
that loses the coin toss wins 38.5 percent.
"We are trying to put in a system that emphasizes more skill
and strategy as opposed to the randomness of the coin flip."
McKay credited the advancements in field goal accuracy and
skills of return teams for the hefty switch in statistics. The
competition committee found that since 1994, when the kickoff was
moved back 5 yards to the 30, teams winning the OT coin toss won
34.4 percent of the games on the first series. They kicked field
goals 26.2 percent of those times, an increase from 17.9 percent in
15 years.
"I would say this is something that's been on our radar for a
number of years and been talked about a lot," he said. "In the
last four or five years, we have not proposed anything because we
thought if there weren't enough votes (among the 32 owners), we
should not propose it. This year, the statistics are so compelling
we need to get the discussion going."
Rest assured there will be plenty of discussion; 24 votes are
needed to adopt the change.
The players union strongly has supported the current overtime
setup because it fears another system could lead to more injuries.
McKay said the competition committee has "not spent a lot of time
with them" on this proposal, but will make the players association
aware of the recommendation.
Another recommendation to the owners, who will hold their
meetings in Orlando, Fla., beginning Sunday, centers on expanding
protection for defenseless players, most notably receivers. McKay
said a recent rule change helped, but there are cases where
receivers already have made a catch and still are defenseless when
they get hit in the head area.
The proposal will offer those players protection from hits to
the head until after the catch is made and the receiver has an
opportunity to protect himself.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
