NFL

Week 11 in the NFL provided us with the first tie game in 6 years between the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals. Neither team could do anything in the overtime period thus resulting in the very unsatisfying tie game. I think it is time to change the NFL overtime rules. First off I would eliminate the first team to score wins the game rule, no more sudden death.

I don’t like the fact that a kicker who had little to do with the hard fought game can come in and kick a 30 yard field goal and get the glory when the real work was done by the defensive/offensive lineman, wide receivers, running backs, and the QB. College football has the right idea giving each team a chance to score with an offensive possession. While I wouldn’t place the ball on the 25 yard line but the 45 so the teams would have to earn a field goal try by gaining a first down first.

We tend to overreact when these circumstances happen like a tie NFL game, the last one was 6 years ago so they rarely happen, but when they do it still doesn’t make them any easier to swallow for the players. Even if the NFL doesn’t apply the shoot-out style college football overtime rule immediately they could play one overtime period, and if nobody scores after the first overtime then apply the shoot-out format. To play a 75 minute game and not have a winner is definitely very frustrating. Also, being there are only 16 regular season games each win and lose is very important and crucial to the standing and the tie keeps you from a potential win they could need later. I doubt any time soon the NFL will change their overtime policy so we the viewers and the players will just have to live with it.