OT Rule Change in the NFL is Definitely Needed (Opinion)

Before you claim that I'm just another "sour grapes" Bills fan who after losing on Sunday night wants to see the overtime rules changed in the NFL, let me say, I've always hated OT in the NFL.

I'm sure you're aware of the finish, but in case you're not the current rules are that the team who wins the coin flip, can score a touchdown on their opening drive and win the game. That's what the Kansas City Chiefs did on Sunday and after one of the greatest offensive playoff performances in history by both teams, the game ended when the Chiefs scored an easy TD, and Josh Allen never got the chance to even touch the ball.

I get it, everybody knew the rules going in and the Bills lost fair and square. I just think in the future, this rule has to change in the NFL. No game in the future, no matter which team is involved, should lose this way with so much riding on the coin-toss.

I'm sure I'm not alone when during Sunday's game Allen lost the toss, I knew that was the game. Anybody could have called it based on the way that neither team's defense had a solution to the other teams's QB.

The Chiefs lost the very same way to Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship back in 2019. After the coin flip, Brady marched down the field to score a touchdown and the game was over. Patrick Mahomes never got to touch the ball. After that game, the Chiefs proposed a rule change and the NFL didn't budge.

The problem with overtime in the NFL has been around since there's been OT in the league, dating back to 1974 when it was first instituted. Prior to that, games ended in a tie and after '74, OT was only played in the playoffs and it was even worse then, because the winner of the coin-flip only had to kick a field goal to win the game.

In 2010, the NFL set out to fix the overtime issue which is when they instituted the rules we enjoy today. I feel the Chiefs had it right back in 2019 when they proposed a solution that would guarantee both teams at least 1 possession. Apply that simple rule change and leave everything else the same and last night after Mahomes scored a touchdown, Josh Allen would have gotten one try to tie the game, or take the lead. If he was able to tie, the game would then move to sudden death. Under the "guaranteed one possession" rule, the winner of the coin flip would most likely choose to kick-off, so in OT they would have the final chance to score in order to tie or possibly win with a successful 2-point conversion. We would probably see more attempts to score a 2-point conversion under these rules, which in my opinion would make things even more riveting.

I realize the situation we saw last night with 2 unbelievably well-performing quarterbacks was probably unique. One has to think that in this game, whichever team won the toss probably would have marched down the field and scored a touchdown. I just think that's wrong because it allows the coin-toss to basically determine the outcome of a game like this one.

As for those who think I'm just a sore losing Bills fan, let's be honest...the Bills special teams and defense with a lead and 13-seconds left had the perfect opportunity to control their own destiny on Sunday night. Had they done their job, a squib kick and decent pass defense, Buffalo would be playing for the AFC Championship at home this coming Sunday night.

Let's hope after this, one of the best playoff games I've ever seen, the NFL will consider a rule adjustment during the off-season.