Sports · American Football · 5 hrs ago
NFL teams remain split on whether to kick or receive in overtime
The NFL changed its overtime rules last season so both teams are guaranteed a possession.
Teams that win the overtime coin toss still have to decide whether to kick or receive first.
Through five overtime games this season, three chose to kick and two chose to receive.
On Sunday, the Commanders chose to kick and tied the Giants, while the Ravens chose to receive and beat the Falcons.
Ravens coach Jesse Minter said his team considered both research on overtime and the way the game was unfolding, including its offense’s momentum and the Falcons’ tired defense.
Other teams have made both choices, with no clear consensus among coaches.
The early results suggest that winning the coin toss has not mattered much under the new format.
NFL teams remain divided over whether to kick or receive after winning the overtime coin toss under the format that guarantees both teams a possession.
Through five overtime games this season, three teams chose to kick and two chose to receive.
On Sunday, the Commanders chose to kick and tied the Giants, while the Ravens chose to receive and beat the Falcons.
Ravens coach Jesse Minter said his decision reflected both research and the game situation, including his view that the Ravens’ offense was rolling.
The three earlier teams that chose to receive or kick all lost, and the article says the coin-toss choice has not mattered much this season.
- Who
- NFL teams and coaches choosing whether to kick or receive after winning the overtime coin toss.
- What
- Teams remain split: three chose to kick and two chose to receive in five overtime games this season.
- When
- Through the middle of the second season under the new format, in the 2026 season.
- Where
- NFL games; specific locations are not stated.
- Why
- Coaches have no consensus on which choice is better. Minter cited research and game-specific factors for choosing to receive.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
There’s a lot of numbers
I think the team that takes the ball has a much better record, if you look at it over the course of time. You study that stuff, you look at it.
I did feel like our offense was rolling a little bit and their defense was getting a little bit tired
If you go out there and you get Derrick rolling again, you’re out of the two-minute mode and you’re back in the normal offense, we could punish them with the run game a little bit, and that’s what happened.
The NFL changed its overtime format to guarantee both teams a possession.
In the three previous overtime games, the Jets chose to receive and lost to the Packers, while the Colts and Saints chose to kick and lost to the Chiefs and Lions.
The Commanders chose to kick and tied the Giants, while the Ravens chose to receive and beat the Falcons.
- Overtime games this season
- 5
- Teams choosing to kick
- 3
- Teams choosing to receive
- 2
- Ravens opponent
- Falcons
- Commanders opponent
- Giants
Sources
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