NFL owners have voted to implement a change in the playoffs that will ensure each team will get at least one possession in overtime.
The rule is a modified version of the proposal set forth by the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles, which would have required one possession for each team in overtime for all games. Regular-season rules for overtime will remain unchanged.
If both teams remained tied after each has had a possession, the game will go to a sudden-death format.
The move comes two months after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional playoffs by scoring a touchdown on the first possession of overtime. After the two teams combined for 25 points in the final two minutes of regular, the Chiefs won the coin toss and strung together an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, denying the Bills an opportunity to respond.
** Since 2010, the NFL implemented its previous standard for playoff games, seven of the 12 overtime games have been won on an opening-possession touchdown, and 10 of 12 have been won by the team that won the coin toss.
