I don't think it has anything to do with players getting injured. I would bet that the TV networks were very much against the change, since a longer OT screws up the TV schedule more. Since in the playoffs there is extra time built in because of network postgame shows (and there are of course far fewer games), it is much less of an issue. Since I couldn't care less about the problems of TV networks, I would have preferred a change to both teams getting an offensive series in all OTs (regular season and playoffs), unless the team first on defense scores a touchdown on a fumble or interception. My second choice would be to move the kickoff up 5 yards, again both regular season and playoffs.
If you search for ("NFL players association" +overtime injury) on google you'll find a host of articles that reference the NFLPA's concerns about extended overtimes resulting in more injuries. That is where I got that idea. I have no doubt that the networks have issues with the length of games as well, although the way they extend the games with seemingly millions of commercials leads me to belive long is not a direction they shun. As stated before I'd be just as happy removing regular season OT. Alternatively award the ball in OT based upon who had the ball last/scored last/is at home would be OK with me as well. I would also have been happy with moving the kickoff location in OT. I just don't think the NFL is willing to admit that moving the kickoff location was a mistake or unbalanced the game in any way. So we end up with patches on patches to the rules.
Injuries are a big part of this game, but not as big as the regular season is. College and NFL have the by far the best regular seasons out of any sports. The games have huge implications each week in terms of wins and losses. A good stretch or bad stretch can change who gets in the playoffs. I like finding out who is the winner.
The NFLPA was barely consulted about changes in the rules last month, and not at all this week, so I still don't believe that any of their concerns had anything to do with this not being applied to the regular season. In fact, some of the owners are talking about extending it to the regular season at the May meetings.
The record is 13 wins and 14 losses for the team winning the overtime coin toss in postseason games. Fun fact: In postseason overtime games involving the Jets, the coin toss winner lost the game all three times. Both teams had at least one possession in 21 of the 27 postseason overtime games. The six teams who never had a possession in a postseason overtime game- N.Y. Giants in 1989 NFC Divisional Playoff vs L.A. Rams Oakland in 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff vs New England Pittsburgh in 2002 AFC Divisional Playoff vs Tennessee Indianapolis in 2008 AFC Wild Card Game vs San Diego Arizona in 2009 NFC Wild Card Game vs Green Bay (Arizona won the game anyway) Minnesota in 2009 NFC Championship Game vs New Orleans Note the way this is trending here in the 2000s. It's now too easy to move the ball on offense. I get why the NFL does not want playoff overtime games to end on first possession field goals. It would be nice if it would be uniform for the regular season and postseason. The issue is that the league and the networks don't want regular season games to be extended too much. They like the 1:00 games to end at 4:00. They like the 4:05 and 4:15 games to end at 7:15. Keeping regular season overtime at simple sudden death will help get these games completed a bit quicker. The league and the networks aren't as concerned with postseason game lengths. I have no idea what this has to do with Brett Favre. The Vikings are not getting a do-over. Is this change to the overtime rules supposed to make Vikings/Favre fans happy now or something? Also, the league had been considering making changes to overtime well before the Vikings-Saints title game. By the way, where did this Burt thing come from? Brothermoose writes "Burt" in place of "Brett" all the time, but was he the one who coined the pet name or was it somebody else who started it? Is it a TGG thing or was it started elsewhere?
Is there a news article that points to another reason for the change not being applied to the regular season so far? In particular is there a news source for the TV networks being behind this lack of a change?
You do know the Jets will make it to the playoffs, have a tie at the end of the first playoff game, win the coin toss, score a Field Goal, and will lose on the opposing team's Touchdown. Just thought I'd be the first one to put that out there. I don't like the rule change. If you want to change it to have both teams have a posession, let the teams play a full quarter in the playoffs and see what the score is at the end of that quarter. My scenario wreaks of a Jets darksider but if it doesn't happen to us, it's going to happen to someone and will suck bigtime!
Here's one of the big problems with that plan- Jets go to overtime against the Steelers. Steelers score a touchdown 2:30 into the overtime period. 12:30 remains in the period. Jets don't do anything with the ball after the kickoff. Faced with 4th and 8 at their own 28-yard line, they punt the ball. The Steelers get the ball back and proceed to run clock killing plays. You see what could happen there? I'm sure nobody wants to see teams stalling in overtime. That would just suck big time. Sudden death has worked for the most part. What the league has done here is tweak sudden death. I think this new system is fine. They will never find a perfect solution.
I think it was Polian more than that. The Colts lost this way last year. polian rushes through anything that is in his team's best interest.
That's it. Steelers win. The change is only about field goals on the first possession. Here's a summary of something that Rex Ryan said on NFL Network last night. If we win the toss we might kick off to them and let our defense stop them so we can have better field position to kick a field goal and win the game. IF the team with the first possession scores a touchdown game over they win. If they kick a field goal the other team has a chance to do the same or score a touchdown. If they also kick a field goal the next team to score a FG or TD wins. I like the new rules, I wish it were to take place in the season to test it out before a high profile playoff game. But only 3 playoff games have ever been won by a field goal on the first possession. So really, we may have to wait years to even see this happen.
The Colts didn't lose that way. The Colts lost on a first possession touchdown in overtime vs San Diego. Old rule or new rule, the Colts would have lost that game. Also, you are guilty of the same thing that I questioned RichMiano about. He thinks the rule got changed because of Brett Favre. You think it got changed because of Bill Polian. I am going to repeat something and add the Colts and Polian to the mix. The Vikings and Colts are not getting a do-over. Is this change to the overtime rules supposed to make Vikings fans and Colts fans happy now or something? Also, the league had been considering making changes to overtime well before the Vikings-Saints title game and the 2008 Colts-Chargers Wild Card game.
"Vilma calls new overtime rule a slight to his team" http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100325/sp_nm/us_nfl_saints_vilma
