Playoff Questions
Unlike any other sport, football has had the most problems when it comes to overtime. The college game allows both teams a chance to score but effectively removes a giant part of the game (special teams) by removing the kicking and punting parts of the game. Meanwhile, the pro game keeps every aspect of the game intact, but puts way too much of an emphasis on receiving the ball first. A good offense that wins a coin flip is likely to win the game without the other team ever getting a chance.
The truth is that neither of these systems are perfect. Kickoffs and punts should not be removed from the game and no team should ever have the chance to win a tied game without giving their competition an equal opportunity. I don’t care if the statistics show that the coin flip outcome is insignificant, it just isn’t fair to the teams that don’t get a shot to score.
It may seem like there is no good answer to this question, but by using parts from both systems a perfect overtime scenario can be found. Here is my perfect overtime system;
1. Have a coin flip that allows one team to receive and forces the other to kick off.
2. If the team drives the field and scores a touchdown, they win automatically.
3. If a team kicks a field-goal, the other team should get an opportunity to tie or win the game. If the other team fails to score, the game is over and the scoring team wins.
These rules will force teams to use all parts of their team and motivate the offense to try harder than to get into field-goal range. How can it be fair to tell a team they will lose if the other team scores three measly points? This system may not be perfect, but it is a heck of a lot better than watching two teams squabble over getting into kicking range to decide the outcome of a game.