Let’s Even The Playing Field.
Being a major football fan most of my life, I’ve developed a deep passion for the game and its stingy rules. Whether it be a pointless tug on an opposing players jersey or the slightest movement before the snap of the ball, rules are rules, and no matter how pointless or one sided they are, they all play a purposeful role in ensuring equal play for both sides. Except for one. The one rule I can’t wrap my head around is the current rule for being the first team to score in overtime. For those who don’t follow the NFL, currently in overtime a coin is flipped, and the winner of the toss gets to elect to either kick the ball away to the other team or receive the ball themselves for a chance to score. If the team that elects to receive the ball ends up scoring a touchdown on that very drive the game is over and they have won. This leaves the team who kicks the ball away no chance at competing for the win on their record.
As rules are created to ensure fair play from both sides of the football, I can’t seem to find out why the NFL thought this rule fit that criteria. Statistics prove that 62.5% of NFL games that extended into overtime in 2020 ended with the team winning the overtime coin toss on top. Some may argue that it is eerily close to 50% given my claim that it is unfair to the team who loses the coin toss. But in 2012 that same statistic rose to 71.4%. How would you feel if your team only had a 28.6% chance of winning?
My proposal lies in the current rules of overtime in the NCAA. Both teams have the opportunity to score, regardless of who gets the ball first. They enter a shootout format where they get the ball from the opposing team’s 25 yard line and have to score, if both teams succeed they alternate 2 point conversion attempts until one fails. Statistics show that the outcome of these games are nearly split 50/50 with a slight advantage toward the home team. Much more even than what was presented above. The idea of these rules meet the criteria of making the game fair for both teams, and adds a more exciting factor to the game.
Beyond the statistical and narrative implications, the proposed shootout-style overtime format holds potential benefits that extends beyond the confines of the game itself. By fostering a more inclusive and equitable playing field, such a reform has the capacity to resonate with a broader spectrum of fans, thereby enhancing the NFL’s appeal to fan bases across the country.
Moreover, the adoption of a shootout-style overtime could serve as a catalyst for increased fan engagement and participation. The heightened drama and suspense in this format are likely to keep an exciting factor in the game, drawing in casual viewers and avid fans alike. This, in turn, could translate into greater viewership numbers and revenue streams for the league, leading to long-term sustainability and viability.
Furthermore, the implementation of a fairer and more exciting overtime format has the potential to enhance the NFL’s reputation as a progressive and forward-thinking organization. Which is yet another good look for the league. It gives them values that sports fans across the world look for.
In conclusion, the proposal to adopt a shootout-style overtime format in NFL football represents a significant opportunity to enhance fairness, excitement, and inclusivity within the sport. By drawing inspiration from the collegiate model and embracing innovative approaches to overtime, the NFL has the potential to elevate the game to new heights of popularity and relevance. With thoughtful consideration and strategic implementation, the NFL can pave the way for a more vibrant, equitable, and captivating future for the sport of football.
References
Chris Jones. (2012). The New Rules for NFL Overtime. Mathematics Magazine, 85(4), 277–283. https://doi.org/10.4169/math.mag.85.4.277
Lindner, J. (2023, December 16). NFL overtime coin toss statistics [fresh research] • gitnux. GITNUX. https://gitnux.org/nfl-overtime-coin-toss-statistics/
Reisman, J. (2022, January 29). 63% of NFL fans think the overtime rules need to change. Pride Of Detroit. https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2022/1/29/22907708/nfl-overtime-rules-63-percent-fans-change-proposals
Team, F. T. D. (2022, January 25). NFL overtime rules: Should the league consider Adopting College Football’s OT format? FOX 29 News Philadelphia. https://www.fox29.com/sports/nfl-overtime-rules-college-football-overtime-formatWilson, R. L. (2020, July 14). College football overtime outcomes: Implications for in-game decision-making. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frai.2020.00061/full
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Counterintuitive Spring 2024 
Before I devote an hour or more to your feedback, ES, are you willing to spend an hour or more on your revisions, or would you prefer a different sort of budget?
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Yes I can devote an hour towards revisions.
Thanks
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Awesome. Thanks for responding. You’ll be next.
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I have afternoon appointments, ES, so I can’t devote 60 minutes now. But I’ll give you my 15-minute impression, and come back later to charge you for another 45 minutes unless the first bit is enough to get you started on revisions. Let me know.
Well . . . I didn’t even manage the first 15 before I had to leave my desk.
See you when I can.
—Want the full 60-minute treatment when I get back?
—Or would a teaser suffice to start?
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Restart Feedback at 8:15AM SAT MAR 09
My first reaction, ExcellentStudent, is that you have a decent proposal here (much of which, of course, has been pre-empted already by the NFL’s recent rules changes).
My second reaction is that your Ideal Reader must be very gullible to be persuaded by your Public Relations paragraphs (4, 5, and 6) and your Patriotic conclusion.
The couple of numbers you provided are helpful, but when averages could be offered for many years over decades of overtime games, the fact that you’ve cherry-picked statistics for just two seasons makes alert readers suspicious.
You didn’t actually Cite your sources in your paragraphs, ES, so there’s frankly no point to their presence in the References list, which should be a list of the sources you CITE in your essay either by quoting, or paraphrasing with credit. If the sources didn’t contribute anything, leave them out. Better yet, incorporate something interesting from each of them.
You’re not sharing the decades-long averages with us, so you haven’t actually demonstrated that there is a measurable advantage in winning percentages, where it really matters.
You’ve also left a lot of categorical questions unanswered. Just a couple:
—In the games that support your theory that coin-toss losers more often lose the game, what sorts of teams lost? Teams with season-long Top-10 defenses? Offenses?
—How many teams have won the toss and elected to KICK OFF?
—Are the NFL and the NCAA similar enough for your analogy to hold? That’s a very categorical question.
—For that, you could compare the Coin Toss Winner/Loser numbers for both leagues.
—Etc.
—That’s what research is for.
The deeper I got into your essay, ES, the further I got from anything specific enough to qualify as a contribution to the argument. Those causal claims in your PR paragraphs are so much like pudding they could easily have been written by ChatGPT. The more your writing resembles AI, the more work you need to put into it.
I’m encouraged that you’ve started posting, and I’m looking forward to strong arguments to defend your position.
I’d also suggest that, since there are not life-and-death consequences in your theme, you should inject the human element somehow. Find a picture of a player whose championship hopes have just been crushed because of a coin-toss loss. Actually use it in your essay, or at least process just how unfair it must feel if you believe the odds were stacked against you.
Your grade is provisional. Regrades are always available following significant improvements. Ii spent just 30 minutes on your essay this morning, ExcellentStudent. You should do the same before asking for more feedback or a Regrade. Or we can Conference at any time.
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