The NFL introduced new postseason overtime rules during the 2023 playoffs, and coaches who win the toss now have an interesting decision to make. They will likely consider the option of kicking off to the opponent in overtime as the league changed its overtime rules during the 2022 offseason, largely due to the ending of the Bills-Chiefs divisional round game. In that game, the Chiefs won 42-36 after winning the coin toss in overtime and scoring first, without the Bills offense ever touching the ball.
The new rule ensures that both teams must have the opportunity to possess the ball, eliminating the days of winning the toss and scoring a touchdown to end the game. This change will significantly affect a coach’s approach to strategy, as being guaranteed an offensive possession in overtime should lead coaches to have their captain defer should he win the overtime coin toss.
Kicking off to the opponent allows the toss-winning team to know exactly what it needs to win or extend the game. It also provides the opportunity to end the game with a defensive score and potentially better starting field position. This approach is commonly taken in college football, where the starting offensive possession is guaranteed at the 25-yard line. In the NFL, winning and kicking in overtime would give the toss-winning team the advantage of improved starting field position over the opponent.
The league used statistics to back up the changes in overtime rules, citing that the team winning the coin toss were 10-2 in 12 overtime playoff games since 2010, with only seven of those teams winning on their first possession without the other team possessing the ball.
Despite these statistics, there has not been a case where a team won the overtime coin toss and elected to kick to its opponent. This strategy was only used once in a regular-season game in 2019, when Mike Tomlin opted to kick to the Ravens in a game against the Steelers. Although the decision was strategic, the game ultimately ended with the Ravens making the game-winning field goal.
The new playoff overtime rules include 15-minute periods and offer both teams three timeouts per period. If the team that got the ball first doesn’t score a touchdown, or if the score is tied after each team has possessed the ball, the next score would win. There would be no coaches’ challenges allowed in overtime.
Considering the recent increase of overtime games, these rules are expected to have a significant impact on postseason games. The NFL witnessed the most games decided by six or fewer points as well as those within one score in the fourth quarter. This makes it highly probable for these overtime rules to come into play during the postseason.
Source link
