Playoff Overtime's Crazy Debut

In January 2022, the Chiefs beat the Bills in an incredible AFC Divisional Playoff game.  Kansas City trailed 36-33 with 13 seconds left, which turned out to be plenty of time for the Chiefs to get into field goal range, tie the game, then win in overtime.  Under the rules in effect at the time, the team that got the ball first in overtime could win the game with a touchdown, which is exactly what Kansas City did.  Bills fans were outraged that Josh Allen never touched the ball in OT (if they don't blow a three-point lead with 13 seconds left, the game doesn't go to OT, but I digress).

As a result of that game, the NFL changed the postseason overtime rules, guaranteeing both teams a chance to possess the ball unless there's a defensive score on the opening possession.  If it's still tied after each team's first possession, then it becomes sudden death (which was the NFL's long-standing overtime rule until the previous rule change in 2009).

No playoff games went to overtime during either the 2022 or 2023 postseasons...until Super Bowl LVIII.  Which meant the 49ers and Chiefs were truly entering uncharted territory on Sunday night.  Kansas City was prepared for it.  San Francisco wasn't.

Several 49ers players admitted after the game that they were unaware the postseason overtime rules are different than in the regular season.  Head Coach Kyle Shanahan said that he did discuss it with his staff, but it's clear that the players either didn't get the message or didn't understand it.  The Chiefs, meanwhile, went over each possible scenario and knew exactly what they were going to do.

Now, it's worth noting that the result would've been the same under the old playoff overtime rules.  Had San Francisco scored a touchdown on its opening drive of OT, that would've ended the game under the old rules (or in the regular season).  However, since they kicked a field goal, Kansas City still would've gotten the ball...just as they would have previously.  So, in that regard, nothing was different.  Or was it?

Most of the time, the team that wins the coin toss defers its selection to the second half.  In overtime, you don't have the option to defer, so you only have the choice to kick or receive.  In the regular season, that choice is an easy one.  You take the ball, you score a touchdown, the game's over.  In the postseason, though, the choice isn't as easy.  There's an argument to be made that you'd rather kick in OT...which it seems the Chiefs were prepared to do (I don't believe them, but it's also irrelevant since the 49ers won the toss).

If you think about it, when you know you're guaranteed to get the ball regardless, kicking and going on defense might be the way to go.  Not only will you know what you need to do on your possession, you'll have more options.  If you get the ball first and you have a fourth down that's in borderline field goal range, that's a tough decision whether you kick the long field goal, go for it, or punt.  If you get the ball second, the only reason you'd ever even consider punting is if they don't score and you're deep in your own territory.  Otherwise, it's four-down territory no matter where you are on the field.

You can also control the result if you kick in overtime.  If the other team scores a touchdown, they'll almost certainly kick the extra point.  But if you also score a touchdown, you can go for two and the win, ending the game right there one way or the other.  It becomes sudden death after each team has had a possession, so the idea of going for two is definitely worth considering.  Andy Reid even said that's exactly what he would've done had the situation presented itself.

Of course, the counterargument is that if you get the ball first, you can force them to match you, and the going for two argument becomes irrelevant if you prevent them from getting into the end zone.  Receiving the overtime kickoff is also a huge advantage if you do match scores because then it's your ball when the game becomes sudden death.  You also know that you can end the game by getting the job done on defense regardless of what your offense does.

The situation can certainly come into play, too.  Kansas City's offense had just been on the field, so Shanahan said one of the reasons he wanted to receive was to give his defense a break, which makes complete sense.  Likewise, if I'm the Chiefs and I do win the toss, I'm tempted to have Mahomes and Co. right back out there, knowing the San Francisco defense is tired.  Then, assuming the offense gets it done, I'm trusting the defense to do what it has to do.

It's interesting, too, that the new playoff format renders the clock somewhat irrelevant.  Kansas City scored with three seconds left, but there weren't really three seconds left.  Had the clock hit 0:00, it would've been like the end of a quarter.  They would've gone to commercial, the teams would've switched ends, and they would've continued.  Not having to worry about the clock is obviously a huge difference.

A lot of this is very similar to the college overtime rule, where the teams alternate possessions from the 25-yard line with no game clock (just a play clock).  I do like that it's different, though.  By still having a kickoff and making the offense drive down the field, you're playing overtime like the rest of the game.  If you score, you earn it.  And it leaves it up to the defense to make a stop.

Ever since they changed the rule, I'd been waiting for the first overtime playoff game to see how the new rule would impact anything, if at all.  I sure wasn't expecting to see it for the first time in a Super Bowl, that's for sure, but those strategy questions are still just as intriguing.  I can see why San Francisco took the ball.  I can see why Kansas City would've decided to kick.  And I can definitely see the logic in going for two if you score a touchdown second.

While the result of the Super Bowl would've been the same under the 2009-22 postseason overtime format, you know the day is eventually coming where an opening possession overtime touchdown isn't a walk-off win (unless it's a walk-off pick 6, of course).  And, now that we've seen it action and those various strategy elements can come into play, it'll be very interesting to see what other coaches decide to do with their season on the line.  If they don't change the rules again, that is.