Owners approve overtime rule change for the postseason

NFL owners approved a proposal to change its overtime rules for the postseason. Both teams now will be guaranteed a possession in overtime in the playoffs before the game becomes sudden death.

The Chiefs’ thrilling 42-36 overtime victory over the Bills in the divisional round reignited the debate about the league’s overtime rules. The Chiefs scored a touchdown on the first possession of overtime to deny Josh Allen and the Bills from seeing the ball in the extra period.

Under the new rules, the Bills would have gotten a possession after the Chiefs either tried a PAT or a two-point conversion.

Owners considered two proposals Tuesday.

The Titans’ proposal allowed for the team with the first possession in overtime to win only with a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion. The Colts and Eagles’ proposal, guaranteeing a possession for each team, is the one that passed.

So it seems that the team that wins the coin toss in overtime may choose to kick, rather than receive, so that it knows exactly what it needs for a tie and what it needs for a win.