2009 NFL Season

[sensfan63]

I know. I'm venting. Never have I seen a team do so much to lose a game. That said, they had ample opportunity to win. Their loss saddened me, but I'm happy for the Saints and the city.

The outcome of the game doesn't bother me as much as the way in which overtimes are settled in the NFL. The receiving team has a huge advantage that ought not exist, but we discussed that in another thread over a year ago. The teams should forego playing the overtime at all, and flip a coin. At least then the losing team had a 50-50 chance to win in overtime. Under the present system, the team that kicks off has a much greater than 50% chance of losing. That's no way to settle a hard fought battle.

It's not as much as you think. I remember hearing earlier this year that it's 57%. That surprised me, quite frankly.

[nokids]

i have no problem with overtime the way it is. however i think the REFEREES should not call cheap stupid penalties in OT. nobody should get bailed out in OT with a penalty. it should be like the NHL. in game 7 of the stanley cup finals there is technically a penalty (holding, interference) on every play, but the NHL refs let the players play through it. today, the biggest play in OT was a phantom pass interference call which was a pathetic acting job by the Saints receiver. its so sad to see a defense play so well for most of the day and lose because of a weak call by a referee.

[mpare]

Any statistical advantage is too much of an advantage and a 60-40 split is significant. The NFL really should clean that up.

It's not as much as you think. I remember hearing earlier this year that it's 57%. That surprised me, quite frankly.

[Sakuraba]

It should be a 5 minute 1st overtime, 1 timeout per team, which gives each team a chance to score, followed by a 2nd sudden death overtime with the same rules they have now. The loser of the coin toss for the 1st overtime will receive in the 2nd OT. I'm sure someone will point out that this wouldn't work, but I think its better than the current setup, which places way too much importance on your kicker and the coin toss.

[sensfan63]

Any statistical advantage is too much of an advantage and a 60-40 split is significant. The NFL really should clean that up.

Interesting and arbitrary stat for the day - there have now been 4 overtime games in the respective conference championships, and the winner of the coin toss is now....

1-3.

[sensfan63]

It should be a 5 minute 1st overtime, 1 timeout per team, which gives each team a chance to score, followed by a 2nd sudden death overtime with the same rules they have now. The loser of the coin toss for the 1st overtime will receive in the 2nd OT. I'm sure someone will point out that this wouldn't work, but I think its better than the current setup, which places way too much importance on your kicker and the coin toss.

I agree with the sentiment that this would be "manufactured." Too much like the college system.

However, why not just play a full 15 minute period, and have the winner decided at the end? No sudden death, just total points.

[stevek]

However, why not just play a full 15 minute period, and have the winner decided at the end? No sudden death, just total points.

That is the best idea I've heard.

[mpare]

That would be an improvement over the present system. However, what would you do if they're still tied at the end of that 15 minute period?

That is the best idea I've heard.

[sensfan63]

That would be an improvement over the present system. However, what would you do if they're still tied at the end of that 15 minute period?

QBs throw balls through tires...

[fundonny]

Only thing the NFL will do in my opinion is take on the NCAA rules with maybe a tweak or two. It's already accepted by the public, so no need to sell it.

[sillywilly]

The US senate is gonna look at the BCS lol. Do they have nothing better to do than mess around with sports? First baseball and roids and now college football?? if they wanted to worry about roids they should have looked at the boddy building competitions, the WWE and people that work at gyms. What a bunch of morons. that being said, the BCS is unfair and needs to be changed LOL

[sensfan63]

The US senate is gonna look at the BCS lol. Do they have nothing better to do than mess around with sports? First baseball and roids and now college football?? if they wanted to worry about roids they should have looked at the boddy building competitions, the WWE and people that work at gyms. What a bunch of morons. that being said, the BCS is unfair and needs to be changed LOL

silly, the reason they are going to look at the BCS is because of the vast amounts of money being transferred to public education institutions. For example, I believe that the two schools in the BCS National Championship game got about $15 million each for their conference. With that amount of money in play, the playing field must be as fair as possible. Boise State would argue that it is not, and that the money flying around is basically reserved for the big conferences, with no chance for smaller schools to even sniff it.

[stevek]

That would be an improvement over the present system. However, what would you do if they're still tied at the end of that 15 minute period?

Then another and another until one team drops.

[mpare]

I like it.

Then another and another until one team drops.