NFL Owners Approve Overtime Rule Change

Judy Battista for the NYT:

The N.F.L. approved a new overtime rule for the playoffs Tuesday that will give each team at least one possession in the extra period unless the team that wins the overtime coin toss scores a touchdown on its first possession.

The problem with the old rule: almost 60 percent of overtime games were being won by the team that won the coin flip. I like the change, but why only for the playoffs?

★ Thursday, 25 March 2010