You know what I like? When NFL rules are the same in the regular season and the playoffs.
Well, that’s now the case with overtime. Now, both teams should get possession of the ball before we have a final result.
Overtime has come a long way in the NFL. At the start of the century, it was pretty easy for a team to win the game in overtime if it won the coin toss. All the team needed to do from there was go down the field far enough to kick a field goal. If the kick was good, the game was over and the losing team was out of luck.
The first big change was when the type of scoring play required to win the game was adjusted. Instead of a field goal on the first possession of overtime getting the job done, only a touchdown on the first possession would end the game without the other team also getting the ball. If the team that got the ball first only kicked a field goal, the other team would get a chance to answer. If that team also kicked a field goal, the next score won the game.
The new rule change is actually something we have seen before and is only new to the regular season.
When the Chiefs and 49ers went to overtime in Super Bowl 58, Kansas City famously was very excited when San Francisco elected to receive the kickoff. That’s because these rule changes came into effect just for that game, and most 49ers players weren’t aware of it.
Super Bowl 58 was the first game that used the overtime rules which will go into effect this season. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
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Both teams are now guaranteed to get at least one possession in overtime. If the team that gets the ball first scores a touchdown, that will not end the game. The opposing team will still get a chance to respond.
That is how that Super Bowl went down. There is one noteworthy change from that game, though.
Overtime periods in the regular season will remain 10 minutes. In the Super Bowl, the game went beyond the initial 10-minute overtime period.
In the regular season, the game will not go beyond that 10-minute period. The game will end in a tie if there is not a winner or the team with the lead will win the game.
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