For the first time in NFL history, both the AFC and NFC Championship game went to overtime.
In the NFC Championship on Sunday, the Los Angeles Rams beat the New Orleans Saints. While it was a great game that went to overtime, there was a very controversial call near the end of regulation. With under two minutes remaining and the game tied, Drew Brees threw a red zone pass on third and 10 to Tommylee Lewis. Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman committed a clear pass interference penalty that was not called.
The Saints kicked a field goal and eventually lost the game, but could have run the clock out and won the game with that field goal if the penalty had been called. NFL rule changes often occur after a highly controversial play such as that missed pass interference.
On the AFC Championship side, there wasn’t a majorly controversial call like in the NFC (although the refs did call a very questionable roughing the passer penalty against Kansas City). However, after the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs duked it out for 60 minutes, only one team was able to possess the ball in overtime. The Patriots won the coin flip, chose to receive and drove down for a touchdown on their first OT possession.
Here are two NFL Rule Changes the competition committee should make, including one that would fix last Sunday’s game-turning mistake.
1. Allow Review and Challenges on Penalties/Non-Penalties
Head coaches have the opportunity to challenge two plays a game; if they win both of their challenges, they receive a third challenge opportunity. Within the last two minutes of each half, all reviews come from the NFL’s review booth and coaches cannot challenge. However, none of these challenges and reviews are applicable to penalty situations.
Penalties affect the outcome of a game just the same as any other play. As explained above, the Saints almost surely would have won the game if the referees had called that blatant pass interference. But referees are human and make mistakes; that is why the NFL introduced instant replay in 1986 and has modified the rules since then. If Saints head coach Sean Payton had been able to challenge that there was pass interference on the play, the NFL would have overturned the call.
The NFL may not want to add more to their review policy because it slows down games, especially at the end. However, all they have to do is add penalties to the challenge flag rule. Allowing coaches to use those challenges on penalties, at least big ones such as Pass Interference, Roughing the Passer and Face-mask, would certainly improve the game.
2. Each Team Should Possess Ball in Overtime
The one-possession overtime rule has been a rule for a long time. Previously, even a field goal on the first possession used to win the game. Now, if the first team scores a field goal, the other team gets to possess the ball, but a touchdown still wins the game.
Since the Patriots scored, this year’s likely MVP, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, did not even touch the ball in overtime. He had just led the Chiefs to back to back clutch scores. First, they scored a touchdown to take the lead with two minutes left. Then after the Patriots scored again, they drove for a field goal to send the game to OT.
The NFL should allow both teams to possess the football, even if a touchdown is scored on the first possession. At least in the playoffs, when games are win or go home, both teams should have an equal opportunity to win the game. The NFL is worried about potential injuries due to fatigue if teams play for too long. However, these are the last and most important games of the season; they should be as fair as possible.
An option is to force teams to go for two points if they score a touchdown in overtime. This makes it less likely that both teams would end in a tie after one possession each.
Featured image by The Washington Post
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