I hate seeing any team lose an overtime game without ever getting the chance to touch the ball in the extra period - moreso when it happens to our beloved Packers. Ridiculous that two teams play each other to a standstill for 60 minutes only to have the game decided by a coin toss. Without getting too college-like, I think I can make overtime a little more fair.
Currently existing overtime rules would still apply, but after one team scores, the other team gets one (and only one) possession to try and win. They can't tie - say, by responding to a field goal with one of their own - they have to win.
Assume that Team A is the first to score in overtime:
- If Team A settled for a field goal, Team B can win with a touchdown.
- If Team A scored a touchdown and kicked an extra point, then Team B would need a TD of their own
and a successful 2-point conversion.
- If Team A scored a TD and converted a 2-pointer, the game would end immediately, because there's no chance that Team B could score more points with only one possession.
How much more crucial did offensive overtime decisions just get? How much more interesting (and fair) did overtime itself just get?
Whaddya think?