In 2017, the NFL reacted to the Buccaneers being required to play on a Thursday after playing slightly more than 73 minutes on a Sunday by limiting the total length of a regular-season game to 70 minutes. On Sunday, the Colts played a game that lasted the full 70 minutes, and they’ll play again on Thursday, at New England.
Here’s the fact that should get the NFL’s attention, if the NFL truly cares about the physical burden on players who play on Sunday and who then must play again on Thursday. Two years ago, the Buccaneers participated in 32 extra snaps in an overtime that lasted a little over 13 minutes before playing on Thursday. The Colts participated in 34 extra snaps in a 10-minute overtime on Sunday.
So what happens now? Does overtime get reduced to five minutes? Seven and a half? Does it become a field-goal kicking contest?
The best solution continues to be, as we argued a couple of weeks ago, adopting the college system of putting the ball at the opponent’s 25 yard line, first and 10.
Better yet, just put it at the 10. First and goal. To get to 30 snaps, more that three overtimes would be needed. To prevent that, make the teams go for two after a touchdown from the get-go, and not in the third overtime, as the NCAA requires.
This would be similar to, but also sufficiently different from, college overtime. It also would ensure the same overtime procedures for both the regular season and the postseason, which should delight coaches who don’t want different rules when the playoffs arrive.
So how about it, NFL? Revolutionize overtime in order to reduce the load on the players, and to ensure that there will always be a winner. Without that change, there will be more 70-minutes games, more teams playing on Thursday after playing in 70 minute games, and inevitably more ties.