There is an opportunity to do something crazy...insane even, in this years playoffs. The NFL has instituted a new playoff overtime rule change this year. (A copy of the 2010 NFL Rule Book is linked in the title) If a game goes into OT and...
1. Team A receives the ball and scores a TD, the game is over.
2. Team A receives the ball and gives up a safety, Team B wins.
3. Team A gets the ball and scores a FG, Team B has a chance to obtain possession. If they score a FG, they kick off to Team A, and it's sudden death from there on out. If they score a TD they win outright. If they don't score for whatever reason...it's game over; and this is where we might see something crazy happen. It would take the Sean Payton Effect to the next level. Here's the rule, let's see if you can figure out what I'm hinting at here.
[Page 113, Rule 16, Section 1, Article 4-g) "The opportunity to possess applies only during kicking plays. A kickoff is the opportunity to possess for the receiving team. If the kicking team legally recovers the kick, the receiving team is considered to have had its opportunity..."
I know it's a bunch of freakin jargon but I kinda like this crap. SO, finally, what I'm getting at here is that if Team A kicks that field goal and comes out, kicks an onside kick and recovers...the game is over! Team B can't do jack because that was their chance at a possession and they screwed it up. So you could see somebody come out and kick an onside in order to win a playoff game in OT; I'm not saying I'm for that, quite the opposite...but I was reading up on the new rule change and this stumbled in my brain so I figured I'd drop some knowledge on ya!
I'd like to end this post by saying, NFL, just admit it, NCAAF is doing it better. Give each team the ball at the 40 instead of the 25 and let it ride baby! College OT scoring rules straight up from there on out! Who wouldn't want to see Brady vs. Manning go into 6 OT's with 100 td's!?!
No comments:
Post a Comment