The NFL’s overtime rule kills the game early

By Madyson Schliep

Fans are quite disappointed in how the NFL deals with overtime following recent playoff games. 

The NFL transferred to a sudden death overtime system for playoff games in 2010. In this new sudden death format, both teams are offered possession of the ball for 10 minutes unless the team that won the coin toss scores on the initial possession. 

While it seems to be fair to both teams, in the last 12 years since the rule change there has been 12 playoff games that went to overtime. 

Out of those 12 playoff games, seven have ended on the first possession. That is seven games that the other team has not had the option to try and score. 

That hardly seems like a fair rule considering that both teams played the same game and opening possession was determined by a coin toss. 

As a football fan at all levels of the game, I hate to watch these playoff games that end so unfairly. 

While college football is not the perfect system, I think that the NFL could gain a lot from adapting its overtime system. 

In college football, each team is allowed possession of the ball until they score or turn over the ball. 

There is no time limit if they continue to gain first downs. 

But if both teams or neither team has scored at the end of the first overtime, the second overtime chance is offered from the 25-yard line. 

If a team were to score, they would have to attempt a two- point conversion. If neither were to score again, possessions would start from the three-yard line where the team would attempt a two-point conversion. 

This is how all further overtimes would go until someone scores and wins.  

I think that this overtime model is fairer to both teams.

The NFL needs to realize that they are just cheating players and fans out of amazing games by continuing to uphold this overtime rule. 

Changes need to be made to continue to grow with the game and the up-and-coming class of athletes. 

I believe that if the NFL were to make these changes we would get to experience some of the best NFL games in history.