The Death of Sudden Death

This is huge news from yesterday, NFL Moves Toward College-Style OT; Playoffs Today, Regular Season Tomorrow:

The N.F.L. approved a new overtime rule for the playoffs Tuesday that will give each team at least one possession in the extra period unless the team that wins the overtime coin toss scores a touchdown on its first possession.

After years of debate, the sentiment in favor of overtime reform was so strong — it passed by a surprisingly large margin, 28-4 — that it is possible owners will approve the rule for regular-season games in the 2010 season.

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The crux of the rule is to make overtime outcomes less dependent on the coin flip. If the team that has possession of the ball first scores a touchdown, the game is over. But if it kicks a field goal, the other team would get a possession and would win with a touchdown. If nobody scores on the first drives, or if both teams kick field goals, the game will revert to sudden death.

The change is expected to alter traditional overtime strategy. Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis said that the team with the first possession would have to consider going for a first down on fourth-and-short rather than attempting a lengthy field goal. And the team with the second possession — knowing what it needs to win, or at least to keep the game going — would be aware of when a field goal would be enough. That, McKay said, would offset the disadvantage of losing the coin toss.