A lot of people were bitching about the NFL’s overtime rules after the Green Bay Packers lost to the Arizona Cardinals.
Outsiders felt deprived that after a fantastic finish to regulation by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, Rodgers didn’t even touch the ball in overtime. Packers fans and players felt pissed that they lost in overtime two postseasons in a row without touching the ball.
Those are the rules, of course.
Don’t let the other team score a touchdown on their first possession and no one has to feel deprived.
Is the rule fair? Well, that’s debatable.
What I think pretty much everyone can agree upon is that it would be more exciting for fans if overtime rules were equitable, i.e. both teams had a chance to touch the ball.
Everyone but old Ginger Gap Tooth, of course.
Packers president Mark Murphy, who is a member of the league’s competition committee and voted against exactly such a proposal last year, is still against changing overtime rules.
“As much as it pains me, both of those games we stop ’em, we have a chance to win,” Murphy said. “Give those teams credit, they made the plays to score.”
Yes.
Great rationale.
Status quo rationale.
“It is what it is and that’s the way it is!”
[shrugs shoulders]
Amazingly, the very same kind of rationale that has the Packers in their current rut.