Super bowl overtime rules

[CKwi88]

(02-12-2024, 03:11 PM)TheCincinnatiKid Wrote: For me it's short game vs long game.... if you go first you're not really in 4 down territory at any stage (other than say short yard 4th downs), whereas the 2nd team is in 4th down territory for MOST of their drive if they need it (if KC is 4th & 10 in FG range yesterday, they are kicking it I'd have thought, so it's not a full 4 down drive). Advantage to the team that goes 2nd on this front, I agree.

But long game... if it goes to sudden death, you absolutely want to be the team who went first, as you'll only need a FG drive to win the game. That to me is an enormous advantage, but relies on the game going that far. 

Most OT games won't go to sudden death I imagine. This isn't the NHL and OT games 'tend' to reach an end pretty quick, so maybe going first due to the 'sudden death' implications isn't really that meaningful. But I think with yesterday's game... it was a low scoring game with great defence, so it's not that crazy to think they trade FGs on their first drives, and then its huge advantage SF knowing a few first downs wins them the game.

There is also the added wrinkle that the defenses are going to be gassed going into overtime.

Even with KC having a good defense, I'd much rather their defense be the side to have to win the game instead of the best player currently in the NFL. If Mahomes goes out there first he can't win the game outright. But San Fran only scoring 3 opened the door for Mahomes to do Mahomes things. 

Hindsight is 20/20, but going forward I think that teams will give their defenses a chance to win the game first and then their offenses.