KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After another NFL playoff game determined on Sunday without one of the league's marquee quarterbacks taking the field in overtime, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid believes the competition committee will reconsider Kansas City's proposed changes to overtime rules.
“I’m sure it will be brought up again,” Reid said. “I feel like it’s been brought up every year I’ve been in it. It gets talked about somewhere down at the owners meetings and the combine. I’m sure it will be brought up again.”
Kansas City proposed changes to the league's overtime rules after last year's AFC Championship game in which the New England Patriots won the coin toss and marched down the field for a game-winning touchdown without the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes getting the ball on offense.
The Chiefs suggested allowing both teams to possess the ball in overtime, even in the first team with possession scores a touchdown. If the game remained tied after both teams had a possession, the game would revert to sudden death with the next team to score winning.
Kansas City's proposal would also eliminate the coin toss before overtime. The winner of the game's initial coin toss would choose to kick or receive or choose which goal to defend. It would also have eliminated overtime for preseason games.
The proposal was originally considered in March but action delayed until the league's spring meeting in May. It did not receive enough support, however, for a vote to be taken.
In a similar scenario to year's Patriots-Chiefs outcome, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints 26-20 in overtime Sunday. The Vikings won the coin toss and elected to receive, then marched for the winning touchdown without the Saints and Drew Brees getting a chance on offense. Reid said there potentially may be more support on the competition committee for the change this offseason.
“(Saints head coach) Sean (Payton) is on the committee and was on it last year too,” Reid said. “He’s probably got more experience than he wants right now.”
Reid also expects the league to consider changes to the assessment of penalties when teams intentional committee delay of game and false start penalties in order to drain time off the clock.
In Saturday's win over the Patriots, Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel's team took delay of game penalty and false start penalties to drain valuable time off the clock late in the fourth quarter.
“We all know the rule and it’s one of those things you don’t always have the opportunity to do something like that,” Reid said. 'If it’s there, you use it and you go with it. You’re not breaking the rule doing it, that's not what you're doing.”
The Patriots themselves used the same tactic earlier in the season against the New York Jets, and it wouldn't surprise Reid if the competition committee closes the loophole.
“I’m sure it will be addressed, it’s been done a few times here now,” Reid said. “I’m sure it will be addressed.”
