Last season, we witnessed one of the greatest playoff games ever when the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills took part in an absolute shootout at Arrowhead. While both Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen shined, Mahomes got the last laugh in OT because of the rules, scoring a touchdown on the first possession of the extra period. Well, fans will be happy to know that type of scenario won't happen again. The 2023 NFL playoff overtime rules have changed.
NFL Playoff Overtime Rule Changes
As it was previously, the team who wins the coin toss is victorious if they score a touchdown right away. For example, Allen would've probably marched down the field and done the same, but that's not how the rules worked. Now, things are slightly different and frankly seem a lot fairer. Basically, the team who gets the ball first can score a TD and kick an extra point or go for a two-point conversion. The opponent then gets a chance to tie things up. If the other team only went for the FG conversation, the other team can go for two points and win the game.
However, here is where things change. If each team scores a TD, the one who won the toss gets the ball back and can win with another six points. It goes back to sudden death after that one possession for both teams. To avoid any confusion, a team can still win on a field goal as well. Both clubs will just get at least one possession, that's all. Also, the NFL Playoff overtime will now be 15 minutes instead of the typical 10 minutes from the regular season.
While it's rare, there is one scenario where overtime can end after the first team gets possession when the extra quarter begins: If they get a safety on the first drive after the opening kick-off. That is the only exception. Instead of games obviously ending in a tie after one overtime period in the season, in the NFL Playoffs, the teams will continue to play until there is a winner, with a two-minute break in between each overtime period. There are no coaches' challenges in OT, either.
The Bills-Chiefs game made the NFL re-think their overtime procedures and the owners across the league approved of the change. The strategy of coaches could be different now as well after regulation because they know an opportunity to score will come, even if they end up on the wrong end of the coin toss. There was previously so much weight put on that.
The 2023 NFL Playoff overtime rules will be in full effect starting on Saturday afternoon as the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers clash in the Wild Card Round.
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