Terrible Ties

The Cincinnati Bengals and the Carolina Panthers battled it out in one of the best games of the 2014 season. It was an overtime thriller that was building to a very dramatic and heart-stopping finish...or so we thought. The game ended in a 37-37 tie. Lame.

This is the second time in six years in which the Bengals had a game end in a tie. The 2008 Bengals tied with the Eagles when the score was 13-13 at the end of overtime. Both the Panthers and the Bengals had a chance to win the game in overtime, with the Bengals having a golden opportunity toward the end of the game. Bengals kicker Mike Nugent, however, absolutely shanked a very makeable field goal attempt as time expired to end the game in a draw.

Now some people might say at least they did not lose, and while that is true, they did not win either. Nobody won here. The Panthers didn't win. The Bengals didn't win. The fans didn't win. Nobody wins with a tie. It's a very anticlimactic way to end a game in one of the most thrilling sports in the world. It feels as if the game didn't even take place and because of that, the NFL needs to rework its overtime system.

Why not do what college football does? Put the ball on the 25-yard line and keep going until a team does not score. If the game reaches triple overtime, then the teams are only allowed to go for 2 point conversions. It makes perfect sense, and it always works. College games cannot end in a tie. You have a loser and a winner every time. The rules are also easier to understand. 

The NFL’s rules say that the team that received the ball first wins if they get a touchdown, but if they kick a field goal, the other team gets a shot. If the other team scores a touchdown, then they win but if they kick a field goal to tie up the game, then the next team to score wins. However, if the other team's defense gets a safety on the team that received the ball first, then the other team wins. Also, if the team that received the ball first does not score, then the next team to score wins. If the game is still tied at the end of the overtime period, then the game ends in a draw. Pretty confusing, right?

These are the stupidest overtime rules for any sport. They are confusing, and they still allow for a game to end in a tie. That's why I think college football has the right idea. If the NFL wants to be "different," then they should put their own spin on the college football rules such as putting the ball at the 30 yard line or only allowing 2 point conversions following a touchdown. Just make it so the fans are guaranteed a loser and a winner.

The bottom line is this. The NFL needs new overtime rules. Nobody likes a tie. So Commissioner Goodell, please consider changing how overtime works by eradicating the possibility of a draw. It will determine who lost and who won, and it will make everybody a lot happier.

Ties suck!