Just a curious question:

I'm afraid I don't watch that much NFL on tv ("a", where are you? :) ). I noticed in the playoff overtimes this weekend that when a game goes into the second overtime, they don't start it with a flip of coin followed by a kickoff. Is this a very recent NFL change or was I always watching a different NFL version?

Thanks,

When was the last time you saw a double OT game? :)

They don't happen in the regular season, since if the OT ends in a tie, the game is over.

I can't remember the last playoff game to go to additional OTs, although I imagine they probably gave a graphic during the game.

But in NFHS, you do not flip again. The team that lost the OT toss gets the option at the start of the 2nd OT.

[Edited by BktBallRef on Jan 12th, 2004 at 11:19 AM]

I agree, I think it was like the 5th game to go into double overtime, I might be confusing that statistic with somthing else but I think its 5th. :)

The only Professional American Football game to go beyond 2 overtimes occured in the USFL Playoffs in the 1980's and was won by the Steve Young-QB'ed LA Express. There was no KO after the 2nd OT period, just a switch of ends.

The semantics of the NFL Referees announcements during this month's OT playoff gmaes is new this year, and simply clarifies their OT procedures.

Before the OT game yesterday (Phi-GB), when referee Ed Hochuli met with the captains at midfield, he said, "It's like we're starting the game over." Seems to imply that multiple OTs are run just like the 4 quarters of a regulation game. Switch ends between the 1st and 2nd, 3rd and 4th, and probably some intermission between 2nd and 3rd.

Thanks gang. Reason I asked was seems to me that, like you guys, the last time I remember a double overtime was a few years back when Miami Dolphins kicked a field goal in the 6th quarter to beat Kansas City Chiefs. As a matter of fact, I think Garo Yepremian (sp?) kicked it. Can't remember what year, but I think it was in the early 70's. Any old-timers out there who remember this? I also can't remember if the rules were the same back then (i.e. just like playing the first half minus the intermission).

As mentioned in an earlier post, overtime periods are run like a regular game , changing ends if there is no score at the end of a period. The only difference is in the timing rules. Each overtime period is timed the same as the fourth period. This means after foul administration and runner out of bounds, the clock is restarted when the ball is marked ready for play, except during the last five minutes of the period. In regulation game conditions this rule is in effect during the last two minutes of the second quarter and the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. Hence , overtime periods follow the fourth quarter procedures.

But what about team possession at the end of the 2nd OT period? Do we now have a kickoff to begin the 3rd period or do we simply change ends?

At the end of each extra 15 minute period, starting with the first one, teams change goals and continue with a two minute intermission between such periods with no halftime intermission.

There's only one KO in OT, that is, to start the first OT period. When any OT period ends in the postseason, the offense keeps the football and both teams switch ends of the field.

The earlier post referring to the Garo Yepremian game is the Miami Dolphins first round AFC Playoff game on Christmas Day, 1971. KC's Jan Stenerud missed a makable kick in OT, the Chief's Ed Podolak gained a ton of yards, but Miami prevailed in the second OT period. The Dolphins went on to lose Super Bowl VI to the Dallas Cowboys.