The 2022 NFL Annual League Meeting is taking place this week, and a main topic of conversation will be about changing overtime. The Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles have proposed changing the rules so that both teams involved in an overtime battle will get an opportunity to possess the ball. As it stands now, a touchdown scored in overtime immediately ends the game.
The Tennessee Titans also made a proposal, although theirs is a bit different. Tennessee is also in favor of both teams getting a chance to possess the ball in the extra period, but what it proposed was that if the team with the first possession scores a touchdown and a successful two-point conversion, the game is over.
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Monday that this proposal came from watching the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills matchup in the divisional round, a high-scoring game in which both offenses put up points at will in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs won the overtime coin toss, and sure enough, Patrick Mahomes led the offense down the field and ended the game with a touchdown. It seemed unfair to many that in this instance, a high-stakes playoff battle was decided by the flip of a coin.
"I was, unfortunately like a lot of other teams, watching that Buffalo-Kansas City game as a fan, and saw the ending and felt like maybe our fans would have wanted to see Josh Allen have an opportunity," Vrabel said, via the Titans' official website. "I felt like … if you wanted to win the football game, you had to validate it with a two-point conversion and if you didn't, and you kicked the extra point, the other team would have the opportunity to have the football.
"I don't know what the support is, but I just felt like it was an idea. I brought it up, we turned it in ... and I'm sure it will get discussed. It's not going to hurt my feelings either way, I am just trying to do what is best for the game."
NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported Monday that there is "some momentum to strongly consider change" when it comes to adjusting overtime, but it's unknown if that momentum will be enough.
