NFL fans tuning into the Divisional Round weekend were in for a magnificent treat. After a Wild Card round full of blowouts, the second round brought forth high-intensity matches that went down the wire. The main course for them was the much-awaited heavyweight matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Boasting two of the best young quarterbacks in the league with Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, the game was expected to be a barn-burner. It wasn't a barn-burner: it was an arson of the entire farm. The Bills and Chiefs traded score after score, leading to a crazy two minutes that saw the league change TWO times and ended in a tie.
However, the overtime period left much to be desired for fans. To recap, NFL overtime rules are as follows: possession is decided by a coin toss. The first team to score a touchdown wins. If both teams score a field goal with their possessions, it goes into sudden death, where the first team to score wins.
In the overtime period of the Bills – Chiefs game, Kansas City won the coin toss and elected to receive the kick-off. Patrick Mahomes would then lead a drive capped off by a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce to eliminate their opponents from the playoffs. It was a heartbreaking end for Josh Allen, who was damn near-perfect in the postseason.
The anticlimactic overtime finish to the Bills – Chiefs game has fans screaming for one thing: change the NFL overtime rules. The problem with the current overtime rules is that half the time, it essentially decides the game with a coin toss. Josh Allen couldn't get a chance to answer back with his own touchdown drive because of these rules. While the QB is mum about the rules, the fans certainly want a different ending to this game/
Overtime should give the kicking team a chance to answer when the opposing team scores a field goal. The NFL is already favoring the offense with their rule changes. Allowing both teams a chance to score a touchdown in overtime will make their product even more exciting than it already is. Imagine a shootout between two scintillating offenses in the league. It would be an absolute pleasure to watch.
Interestingly enough, the Chiefs found themselves in the same scenario as the Bills in 2018. Against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, they were eliminated due to the Pats scoring a touchdown in the first drive of overtime. This likely influenced the Chiefs' petition to change the overtime rules in 2019, which the NFL denied. (via P. Ryan Petkoff)
For the record, the @chiefs proposed changing the overtime rules in March of 2019. It was voted down. Take your grumbling elsewhere. #ChiefsKingdom
— P. Ryan Petkoff (@pryanpetkoff) January 24, 2022
There will be things that the NFL would have to consider though, before pulling through with any changes. One: they have already changed the overtime rules relatively recently. Instead of being a true sudden death from the start of OT, starting in 2010, a team only wins if they score a touchdown. If the receiving team scores a field goal, they kick it back to their opponents, who have a chance to score. If they score a field goal to tie, then it becomes a true sudden death situation.
Secondly, the whole reason why the NFL changed their overtime rules is to prevent any more injuries. Injuries are strongly correlated with fatigue; a tired body is more likely to suffer an injury. The NFL is already a physically taxing contact sport on it's own. Adding extra minutes would increase the likelihood of injuries.
Still, the NFL should still at least consider other options of giving the team who loses the coin toss an opportunity to respond. The current rules rob us of a good finish like this instant classic between the Bills' Josh Allen and the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes.
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