The way the Buffalo Bills lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in an AFC Divisional Round game made the “unfairness” of NFL overtime rules percolate … again.
The Bills called the coin toss for overtime and were incorrect. The Chiefs took the ball and marched down the field for the game-winning touchdown.
Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense never saw the field.
That said, if the Bills won the toss, the cleat could have been on the other foot. And, of course, the stellar Buffalo defense could have found a way to stop KC or limit it to a field goal.
In 11 playoff games that went to overtime, the team that gets the ball first has won 10 — seven with opening-drive TDs. That includes the Patriots wrecking the Falcons in Super Bowl LI.
In the regular season, the team that gets the ball first is 86-65-10, with 34 opening-drive touchdowns, according to Sportradar.
So. how can the NFL fix this perceived injustice in the postseason. The playoffs are different than the regular season, where games have a 10-minute extra period if the result isn’t settled by the end of that timeframe.
The problem with giving the Bills, or the second team, the ball and a chance to tie the game after a touchdown is game strategy becomes warped. Teams could go for it on ridiculous fourth-down situations they would never attempt under normal circumstances.
So, how to create a balance? The Chiefs took eight plays to go 75 yards for the game-winning TD that saw Travis Kelce catch a pass from Patrick Mahomes.
What if the Bills, or the second team, was given the same eight plays after the kickoff to score a touchdown?
The second team would have to attempt the same PAT the first team did.
After that, all would be fair.
If a team scored after taking the kickoff following the OT coin toss, in 1, 8 or 15 plays first, that would be the number of plays from scrimmage the second team would be given.
It levels the playing field … if you believe there needs to be an audible on the current rules. And that is a big if to be debated over and over and …