Playoff Overtime Is Sudden Death No More

Multiple sources are reporting that the owners have voted to change the NFL playoff overtime rules. The vote count was 28 for and 4 against to change from the sudden death format to a modified format that increases the chance that both teams will get to process the football. The “no votes” came from Bills, Ravens, Vikings and Bengals.

Under the new format, the team that wins the coin toss will have to score a touchdown on its opening procession to win outright. If they only score a field goal, the opposing team will be given procession and can either tie the game with a FG, in which case the game would revert back to sudden death rules, or score a touchdown for the win. Got all that?

The new rule is currently only for playoff games. As things stand now, regular season games will still be played under the old sudden death format. However, Adam Schefter is reporting that in May, “the owners will discuss whether to amend the modified OT proposal to also include the regular season for 2010.”

What do you think, Addicts? Is this a positive change? I for one think it should extend to the regular season as well. Those games are just as important as they determine who gets in to the playoffs. I think to change it just for the playoffs kind of defeats the purpose of making OT more fair.