The NFL is about to embark on its first postseason with the brand new time beyond regulation guidelines, and coaches who win the toss will now doubtless weigh whether or not to take the bizarre step of kicking off to the opponent in time beyond regulation.
The league modified its time beyond regulation guidelines this previous offseason largely because of the ending of the Bills-Chiefs divisional spherical recreation. The Chiefs received 42-36 after successful the coin toss in time beyond regulation and scoring first, that means Josh Allen and the Bills offense by no means touched the ball within the time beyond regulation interval.
For the playoffs solely, each groups will need to have the chance to own the ball. Gone are the times of successful the toss, scoring a landing and ending the sport.
And that ought to change a coach’s strategy to technique. Being assured an offensive possession in time beyond regulation ought to lead coaches to have their captain defer ought to he win the time beyond regulation coin toss.
Kicking off to the opponent would permit the toss-winning staff the chance to know precisely what it must win or prolong the sport. It would additionally give the staff the chance to finish the sport with a defensive rating. And it could very doubtless give the staff higher beginning subject place by way of a defensive cease and ensuing punt over the kickoff
Winning the toss and electing to kick is what’s virtually all the time carried out in school soccer. But even then, you are assured to start out your offensive possession on the 25-yard line. Winning and kicking in NFL time beyond regulation would (very doubtless) give the toss-winning staff the benefit of improved beginning subject place over the opponent.
Since 2010, there have been 12 time beyond regulation playoff video games. Teams who received the coin toss are 10-2 in these video games, although solely seven of the 12 who received the coin toss received on their first possession with out the opposite staff possessing the ball.
The league used these numbers — 10-2 and 7 out of 12 — to justify the adjustments to the time beyond regulation guidelines. In actuality, it was the breathtaking Bills-Chiefs recreation that compelled the change.
The Chiefs received the time beyond regulation coin toss within the AFC title recreation in opposition to the Bengals and nonetheless misplaced the sport. In the controversial NFC Championship Game between the Saints and Rams following the 2018 common season, the Saints received the time beyond regulation coin toss and nonetheless misplaced the sport.
Of the 12 time beyond regulation video games since 2010, not as soon as has a staff received the time beyond regulation coin toss and elected to kick to its opponent. And in accordance with TruMedia, since 2017 just one staff has chosen that route within the common season.
In 2019, Mike Tomlin opted for this within the Steelers’ Week 5 match in opposition to the Ravens. Mason Rudolph, who was thrust into the beginning position early within the season with an damage to Ben Roethlisberger, suffered a concussion halfway by the third quarter and was changed by Devlin Hodges. The Steelers mustered simply six extra factors for the rest of regulation.
With sturdy winds in Pittsburgh and a struggling offense, Tomlin determined to kick to the Ravens and make them play into the wind after successful the OT coin toss. That meant a defensive cease would doubtless give the Steelers the ball again with higher subject place and the wind at their backs. Ultimately the Steelers fumbled close to midfield after getting the cease and the Ravens made the game-winning 46-yard subject purpose to win.
The new playoff time beyond regulation guidelines embody 15-minute durations as an alternative of the 10-minute time beyond regulation interval within the common season. If the staff that received the ball first does not rating a landing, or if the rating is tied after every staff has possessed the ball, the following rating would win. (If the staff that possesses the ball first commits a security on the preliminary possession, the kickoff staff would win.)
Each staff could have three timeouts per “half.” Though there aren’t technically halves like in regulation, two time beyond regulation durations can be thought-about a half for all intents and functions. That additionally means a two-minute warning would happen towards the top of the second time beyond regulation, although it is extremely unlikely a winner would not be determined by then. There would even be no coaches’ challenges allowed in time beyond regulation.
There have been 4 time beyond regulation video games because the 2019 season, so the league is averaging multiple a season. Considering the league simply witnessed probably the most video games determined by six or fewer factors in addition to probably the most video games inside one rating within the fourth quarter, it is greater than doable these time beyond regulation guidelines come into play this postseason.
