Sudden death to suddenly die?

The NFL wildcard weekend just wrapped up, and wild it was. Close games, blowouts, upsets, and even an overtime contest kept fans on the edge of their seats, but it was that overtime game between San Diego and Indianapolis that has got people talking.

It was the 25th overtime game in NFL playoff history, and the rules state that in this situation, it basically is a new game, with 15 minute quarters, three time-outs per team, and a coin toss to begin with. The sudden death rule means the first team to score wins the game.

This final rule has been the source of some discussion from in-game commentators as well as internet bloggers in recent years. Is this the fairest way to decide a football game?

The NFL has never been afraid to change in order to improve the game, but how do you improve sudden death?

Some say that the current setup is not fair to both teams. The team that wins the coin toss has a great advantage, only needing to drive the ball far enough to kick a field goal and the game is over. Some speculate that giving both teams a chance on offense would make a more balanced overtime.

Would this kind of change really remove the excitement of a sudden death atmosphere? If the first team scores on their opening drive, the added pressure to match or exceed that score would definitely be a source of heightened emotions. If the team doesn’t score, a sudden death opportunity for the opposing team’s offense would be re-introduced.

The next problem some have with the current format is that it is too easy for one team to score on their first drive. In most cases, the team who wins the coin toss has to drive the ball less than 40 yards to get within field goal range. If they’re doing well, they can get deeper into enemy territory, going for a touchdown, knowing they can rely on that field goal if they fail at the TD drive. The pressure on the defense to do more than just stop the drive and to cause a turnover is almost insurmountable.

What if field goals were disallowed in overtime?

This might be the best option for a change. It is a small change with a huge effect on how the game is played. Offenses would be pressured to drive further, going for that extra yard on every play, while defenses would be given something of a reprieve from the pressure of no-mistake football. Excitement is in the offense anyway, why should the defense be expected to be perfect?

By eliminating the field goal in overtime, the NFL would be able to maintain that sudden death feeling while adding the excitement of requiring teams to have a major score to win the game. Picture a 30-yard bomb to the end zone. Imagine a goal line rushing play.

There is nothing wrong with the setup of playoff football in the NFL, but if a change were to happen, they would need to be careful not to lose the excitement that exists with the current format. Just don’t expect it to happen anytime soon.