Imagine a battle. Back and forth. Two of the best QBs in the game today. A dull first half turns into a wild second half, with both QBs making play after play to bring their team back into the lead. This goes on an on over the course of the fourth quarter and as time runs out, Patrick Mahomes leads his team down the field to set up a tying FG.
So with neither defense able to stop the opposing team, how do we end up settling the game? essentially, we settle it with a coin flip. Because whoever won the coin flip was likely to walk down the field and put up the winning TD.
Sports talk radio today was filled with a plethora of ideas that could be used as a better alternative to the current overtime format. Play a full quarter, use the college OT rules, give each team a chance to score. But there is no clear answer. The outrage was probably higher because it was the Patriots who won. Again. Would the reaction have been as loud if Patrick Mahomes had first crack and was able to lead his team down the field? I doubt it. Patriot hate is loud and clear and most fans do not like artificial endings. I think most true football fans would like to see it played out until there is a legitimate winner. What that means is unclear in the current context.
But at least it is better than soccer where you have a penalty kick shootout to decide World Cup matches, including the final. Imagine if a Super Bowl was decided by having the kickers take turns and move progressively back a few yards at a time until one of the missed. Or if they each took alternate kicks from 45 yards and see who made the most of in five kicks. And if still tied, then we would go to sudden death. You can only imagine the pressure on a kicker on the 7th or 8th kick if they were all square. And how many kicks would they have to make before one of them really injured their leg on the kicks?
So football is already not THE worst process. But it is certainly in need of great improvement.
How do you suggest OT is handled? Leave us your comments below and tell us what you think would be an equitable way to resolve the games.