Why Is NFL Overtime Sudden Death?
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Have you ever wondered why the NFL overtime period is sudden death? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the history of the rule and some of the reasons why it’s still in place today.
What is sudden death in the NFL?
In the NFL, sudden death overtime is a method of extending a game that cannot be decided in regulation time. The sudden death overtime rules are simple: The first team to score wins the game, regardless of how much time is left on the clock. In other words, if team A scores a touchdown on the first play of sudden death overtime, team B gets its chance on offense but if it doesn’t score, team A wins. No second chances.
How does sudden death work in the NFL?
In sudden death overtime in the NFL, the game ends as soon as one team scores. This can happen on any play, including a kickoff return for a touchdown or a turned over ball that’s returned for a touchdown. The team that scores first wins the game. If neither team has scored after one possession each, then the next score of any kind wins the game.
What are the benefits of sudden death in the NFL?
Sudden death is when the first team to score in overtime wins the game, regardless of what the other team does. This can be via a touchdown, field goal or safety. The benefits of sudden death are that it is fair (both teams have an equal chance to score), it is exciting (the game can end at any moment) and it is quick (the game does not drag on for too long).
What are the drawbacks of sudden death in the NFL?
If a game is tied at the end of regulation, each team gets one possession to score. If the score is still tied, or if both teams score a touchdown on their first possession, the game goes to sudden death. In sudden death, the first team to score wins the game, regardless of what happens on the ensuing possession.
The main drawback of sudden death is that it can lead to unfair outcomes. Suppose one team has the ball first in overtime and kicks a field goal on its first possession. The other team then gets the ball and drives down the field but cannot score a touchdown. The game is over, and the team that had the ball first wins, even though it didn’t necessarily play better than the other team.
Another drawback of sudden death is that it can lead to long games. If both teams are evenly matched, it is not uncommon for games to go into several extra periods before someone finally scores. This can be very exciting for fans, but it can also be very tiring for players who have to keep playing until someone finally scores.
