Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

JKelly wrote:Two words explain the reason.......Point Spread.

But why not in overtime?

John Grasso wrote:

JKelly wrote:Two words explain the reason.......Point Spread.

But why not in overtime?

The official overtime rule there is 16-3-a ("if a touchdown is scored, the game is over, and the Try is not attempted"), the logic apparently being that if the team is automatically the winner in sudden-death, it cannot be more of a winner.

Certainly, the same logic should apply in those games where one team has scored a touchdown and the clock is at 0:00, but of course there are a lot more games that are tied at the end of regulation than there games that are won as time expires.

I'll ask a basketball question, since you're an author of the HD of that game also-- if a team wins on an at-the-buzzer shot, but a foul is called, is a free throw still required by the rules? Logically, it shouldn't be, since there's already a winner. It's somewhat different, because a point after touchdown is not the result of a penalty.

BTW, the NFL rules are an interesting read https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/20 ... -the-rules

John Grasso wrote:

JKelly wrote:Two words explain the reason.......Point Spread.

But why not in overtime?

A very good question, especially since a game that ends with a TD in overtime is much, much more common than a game that ends with a TD on the final play.