N.F.L. to Change Postseason Overtime Rule After Bills’ Playoff Loss

PALM BEACH, Fla. — The N.F.L.’s 32 golf equipment handed a rule change on Tuesday to make sure that each groups would possess the ball at the very least as soon as in time beyond regulation of postseason video games. The measure comes months after Kansas Metropolis gained a divisional spherical playoff recreation in opposition to the Buffalo Payments, who weren’t given an opportunity to attain in time beyond regulation.

The change within the league’s time beyond regulation guidelines was their first since 2010, when golf equipment voted to permit groups that scored a landing on the opening possession of time beyond regulation in a playoff recreation to win. (Earlier than that, the staff that scored first in any method in time beyond regulation gained.) The rule, which by its nature gave a bonus to the staff that gained the time beyond regulation coin toss, was prolonged to the common season in 2012.

Since 2010, there have been 12 postseason time beyond regulation video games, and the staff that gained the coin toss previous time beyond regulation went on to win 10 of these 12 video games. Seven of these 10 wins got here on a first-drive landing.

The sport between Kansas Metropolis and Buffalo in January may need been essentially the most dramatic of all such video games. The 2 groups’ high-powered offenses scored a complete of 4 touchdowns within the closing two minutes of regulation, and Kansas Metropolis gained, 42-36, by scoring a landing on the primary possession of time beyond regulation.

Within the aftermath, commentators, followers and soccer executives lamented that viewers didn’t get to see the Payments and quarterback Josh Allen attempt to rating in time beyond regulation, too, a furor that catalyzed the league to undertake the brand new rule.

“There must be the newest instance for change, and that was the final straw that now, hey, we have to transfer ahead and do that,” stated Payments Coach Sean McDermott, who referred to as the rule change “bittersweet.” “It’s the precise factor for the sport.”

Each groups will now be assured at the very least one possession, whatever the clock. If each groups rating a landing on their opening drives, then the staff that scores subsequent wins.

The unique proposal for the rule change, which was made by employees members of the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles, would have lined each the 2022 common season and postseason. McDermott stated there was robust assist for making this transformation just for the postseason, explaining, “That’s the place we have been going to start out.”

The rule change, nonetheless, will lengthen video games. Some coaches, together with John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, flagged it as a participant security concern, a purpose for limiting it to the postseason, when groups’ seasons are on the road.

Kansas Metropolis proposed time beyond regulation modifications after the 2018 season that might have given each groups a possession, after it misplaced the A.F.C. championship recreation to the New England Patriots, who scored on a first-drive landing.

McDermott stated the Payments’ playoff recreation in opposition to Kansas Metropolis was cited a number of occasions within the assembly as groups mentioned the rule change.

“It’s doubtlessly the best 20 to half-hour of soccer that I’ve ever seen,” stated Wealthy McKay, the Atlanta Falcons’ president and the chairman of the N.F.L.’s competitors committee. “And to assume it ended that method positively introduced up the concept of, hey, does that work for everyone?”