Are NFL ties really that bad?
League considering shortening overtime from 15 minutes to 10
There were two tie games played in the NFL last season.
If that number increases this season because of the NFL potentially reducing overtime to 10 minutes in the name of player safety, will it be hailed as an end-of-the-(football-) world-level calamity?
There’s a chance everyone is about to find out.
NFL owners meet Tuesday in Chicago and could vote then on a proposal by the competition committee to cut overtime from 15 minutes to 10 in pre-season and regular season games, and some within the league believe it will be approved.
Proposals made by the competition committee in the name of player safety generally are ratified by the owners with little to no opposition. In this case, committee members say they want to lessen wear and tear on players. If that results in more ties, supporters of the proposal say, so be it.
One point made by some who back the proposal is ties serve to simplify matters a bit at the end of the regular season when playoff scenarios are unfolding. A team with a record of 9-6-1, for instance, finishes ahead of a 9-7 team and behind a 10-6 team without tiebreaking procedures coming into play.
That’s unlikely to satisfy those who want to see games conclude with a winner, and that going home without such an outcome is a waste of everyone’s time.
The overtime format for post-season games would be unchanged, while other overtime rules would remain as is.
It’s a rule change that would come up only a few times per season. But it could have a significant impact.
New IR rule
Owners are also expected to vote Tuesday on a proposal enabling each team to activate two players from the injured reserve list per season instead of one. The measure would give teams added roster flexibility. It’s likely this proposal will be ratified easily.
Celebrations
The league apparently plans to make celebrations a point of emphasis to officials rather than a formal rule change, meaning no vote from the owners would be required and nothing needs to be completed at Tuesday’s meeting. The NFL is expected to give players more leeway in celebrations, provided they are done quickly and are not deemed offensive.
Goodell’s contract
Commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract expires in 2019. Several people familiar with the discussions said nothing of substance has been resolved about negotiating an extension with Goodell, a task that falls primarily to an owners’ committee.
Washington GM
Washington has not filled the GM vacancy created when Scot McCloughan was fired. The inactivity seems to reinforce the belief by some that Washington doesn’t intend to replace McCloughan and will divide duties among several front office executives.
Kaepernick and Seahawks
It’s going on a week now since Seattle coach Pete Carroll said publicly the Seahawks are considering Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III among the candidates to be signed as a backup to Russell Wilson.
Kaepernick-to-Seattle makes plenty of sense. Isn’t it about time to make it happen?
Backup QBs
Is there any doubt Kaepernick, after throwing 16 touchdown passes to go with four interceptions and posting a passer rating of 90.4 last season for San Francisco, is worthy of a backup job?
Take a quick look at the backup quarterbacks leaguewide:
Kellen Moore; Geno Smith; Nick Foles or Matt McGloin; Colt McCoy; Mitchell Trubisky or Mike Glennon; Jake Rudock or Brad Kaaya; Brett Hundley; Case Keenum; Matt Schaub; Derek Anderson; Chase Daniel; Ryan Fitzpatrick; Blaine Gabbert or Drew Stanton; Sean Mannion; Brian Hoyer or Matt Barkley; Trevone Boykin; Cardale Jones or T.J. Yates; Matt Moore; Jimmy Garoppolo; Josh McCown, Bryce Petty or Christian Hackenberg; Ryan Mallett ; AJ McCarron; Brock Osweiler, Kevin Hogan or DeShone Kizer; Landry Jones or Joshua Dobbs; Brandon Weeden or Deshaun Watson; Scott Tolzien; Chad Henne; Matt Cassel; Paxton Lynch or Trevor Siemian; Patrick Mahomes; Kellen Clemens; Connor Cook or EJ Manuel.
Enough said.
RG3 still available
At least Griffin’s name has come up in connection with an NFL job. He doesn’t deserve another starting opportunity at this point. But he does deserve one more chance before NFL teams give up on him.
Fitzpatrick and Bucs
Tampa Bay made a wise move in adding Fitzpatrick as Jameis Winston’s backup. He’s a capable backup, and the Buccaneers had Ryan Griffin behind Winston.
Brady’s (non-)concussion
What to make of the comments by Gisele Bündchen to CBS that her husband, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, suffered a concussion last year? The NFL said it found no evidence. Brady’s agent, Don Yee, told ESPN that Brady hadn’t been diagnosed either.
Bündchen is not a medical professional. It’s possible she misspoke. But she is savvy. Wives of NFL players are well versed on their husbands’ injury situations. It will be interesting to see what more, if anything, is said about this.