Giger: Why can't football get overtime right, in NFL or college?

ALTOONA, Pa. -- You know how you just wanted to keep the Chiefs vs. Bills game going for as long as possible Sunday night, because it was awesome drama?

We didn't get what we wanted from that situation, in an extraordinarily entertaining contest. Instead, what we got was a nation griping about the NFL overtime rules and demanding that they be fixed.

Let's contrast that with Penn State's game against Illinois this past season. Of course you remember -- even if you'd like to forget -- the pathetic display that took place over an eternity of nine overtimes and probably set football back 40 years because of the offensive ineptitude of both teams.

That horrible game simply could not end quickly enough.

College football's overtime rules, we learned that day at Beaver Stadium, are a joke.

And we learned Sunday night that, for most football fans, the NFL doesn't have the right answer either when it comes to overtime. We all wanted more, more, more. Yet the NFL's answer to one of the greatest games we've ever seen was that, hey, we're gonna give you less and you'll have to take it because, well, we're the all-mighty NFL and we can do whatever the hell we want to do.

Football is king in this country when it comes to sports, and nothing is really even remotely close. But isn't it incredible that all the intelligent people who live in and run the football kingdoms in the pros and college have yet to come up with a great solution for overtime that would serve the game justice and give most fans what they want?

Why is all of this so difficult?

Or, since it obviously is so difficult, can we then possibly conclude that, hey, maybe there really is no great solution for overtime?

You've got ideas on how to fix it. I've got ideas on how to fix it. Everybody has ideas. And when push comes to shove, whether anybody wants to admit this or not, just about all ideas have at least one or two flaws that could render them problematic in some way -- either for fans, the teams, the leagues, the TV networks or somebody.

Let me state clearly that I personally do not have a problem with the NFL overtime rule or the ending of the Chiefs vs. Bills. Believe me, I know I'm in a pretty small minority on this when it comes to football fans, and that's OK with me.

Play some damn defense.

That's my response to anybody who wants to criticize the NFL rule and say that Buffalo and Josh Allen should have gotten the ball at least once in overtime.

If you want the ball, play some damn defense. You don't even have to hold the other team scoreless on its first possession to get the ball, you can do so even if you give up a field goal.

Sorry that I'm not sorry, but if your defense can't hold the other team to a field goal there, then you don't deserve to win. Football is the ultimate team game, defenses often have to decide games one way or another in all kinds of situations, and my feeling is that in overtime, if your defense can't get a stop, then tough. Go home and figure out how to do it better next time.

In this case, the Buffalo Bills absolutely did not deserve to win Sunday night. Their defense was pathetic at the end of that game, on several occasions, including giving up a tying field goal in just 13 seconds and then collapsing yet again in overtime as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs marched right down the field for a touchdown.

Spare me any sad feelings for the Bills. They lost that game even more so than the Chiefs won it. Squib kick with 13 seconds left, and they probably win. Play any kind of defense other than the soft prevent coverage they did in those 13 seconds, and they probably win. Hell, do ANYTHING differently and they probably win.

The coin toss in overtime did not decide the game. The Bills' defense, which ranked No. 1 in the NFL, decided the game with its pathetic play down the stretch.

That's my story, and there's no way you're convincing me otherwise.

Nevertheless, my feelings about the Bills' defense doesn't eliminate the question of whether the NFL overtime rule needs to be adjusted.

It cannot be denied that so, so many people in this country -- fans and media alike -- have been blasting the overtime rule ever since the game ended Sunday night. That kind of public outcry should not and probably will not be taken lightly by the NFL, which is in business to please its fan base as much as possible to keep the billions and billions of dollars pouring in.

The most common complaint has been "the coin flip decided the game."

Whatever, man. That argument is so incredibly lazy. And I'm comfortable saying that because, well, I just spent several paragraphs telling you how the Bills' defense had every opportunity to extend that game and didn't. Let's place the blame where it belongs, instead of insisting on blaming the rule.

I like to find stats and data to try and back up my sports opinions as much as possible. Because anybody can have opinions based on gut feelings or their own personal eye test, but numbers matter in sports.

These are the numbers, to me, that matter most about the NFL overtime rule.

Anyone who reads that and still believes "the coin flip decided the game," I just don't know what to tell you. Sure, the Chiefs had all the momentum, and it seemed likely that they would go score a touchdown in overtime. But to just flat out say "game over" because they won the coin flip is absurd.

Once again: Play some damn defense.

And how's this for some further statistical evidence, as it relates to the Steelers:

Despite my feelings on this and sticking up for the current rule, let me restate again that I feel confident the overtime rule will be tweaked before too long. It's a matter of public relations for the NFL, and folks with the league will be taking a long, hard look this offseason at the rules to see if somehow they can come up with something better.

But what would be better? Is there actually anything that could be done that 100 percent would give both teams absolutely the same equal opportunity to win?

OK, so the Chiefs scored a touchdown on their first possession. Go ahead and give the Bills a possession. What if they score a touchdown? Do we do it all over again? And again? And again? And again? And again? And again? And again? And again?

This is football. Games cannot last for six hours, and it's not really safe for guys go be on the field for 250 plays. That might produce great drama, but at some point there's got to be some kind of rule that finds a way to get the damn game over with.

In college, to save players from playing 175-200 plays after a whole bunch of overtimes, the NCAA went to its absurd 2-point conversion rule beginning with the third overtime. Maybe, just maybe that rule isn't as terrible as it seems, but good lord, after watching Penn State and Illinois butcher it time and time again in nine overtimes, my eyes started bleeding and I just wanted to end that game by ANY means necessary.

Back to the NFL, a lot of people have suggested to play another 15-minute quarter for overtime. But what happens if the score is still tied, following more craziness in the final 2 minutes? Do you play another 15-minute period? Or do you then have a different set of rules for the second overtime? And what about if it goes to a third overtime? Are the rules different there, as well?

One team has to get the ball first in overtime, no matter which rule you come up with. There are many people out there who believe that, no matter what, the other team also should get the ball. But to what end? So we can have both teams keep scoring, 6-hour games and a final score of 112-105?

Is that football?

I don't have a great solution here that will please everyone. I fully admit that. And it's because, if you truly think about all aspects of this, there probably is no great solution that will please everyone.

If you think you have an all-encompassing solution, one that would solve any and all problems that could arise, post it in the comments. But don't be surprised how quickly me and others will be able to poke holes in your solution, ultimately perhaps finding it to be even more unfair or unreasonable than the NFL rule everybody is complaining about now.