INDIANAPOLIS — All the Buffalo Bills wanted in January was one more chance to beat Kansas City.
Now they’re trying to make sure no NFL team begins the offseason as it did.
On Tuesday, more than a month after enduring a crushing AFC divisional round loss without ever touching the ball in overtime, Bills general manager Brandon Beane threw his support behind a proposal to change the league’s postseason rules.
“Ours is going to be more instead of one possession and then you get the other possession, is a time, similar to in basketball, you play five minutes,” Beane said.
“Baseball, both teams get the top half and the bottom half (of an inning). So a time limit, and I’m talking about postseason only. That way, both teams will definitely have a chance and maybe even more than one possession.”
Beane acknowledged the league’s competition committee could field multiple proposals during this week’s meeting at the annual NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, joking there could be one from all 32 teams. No decision is expected this week.
And it’s not just current Bills jumping on board.
Colts coach Frank Reich, the former quarterback who orchestrated the NFL’s greatest comeback during his tenure in Buffalo, also supports the move. Reich is a first-year committee member and is uncertain what that might include.
“It’s basically something that would guarantee each team a possession,” Reich said. “My opinion is that I think there’s a place for both teams to have a possession. But I can see both sides of it. You’ve got 60 minutes to win a game, so go win the game. Or play defense.”
The NFL last changed its overtime rules in 2010 after complaints the coin flip often determined the winner. Under the current system, if the opening possession of overtime results in a touchdown or a defensive score, the game ends. That’s what happened to Buffalo.
But if the opening possession results in a field goal, the opposing team gets a chance to tie the score or win the game. Those rules apply throughout the entire season.
And now the Bills want every playoff team to get one last opportunity.
“I think, experiencing what we experienced overall, I think there’s a better way out there,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “We’ve got some ideas and I think they’ll help move the game forward. And we’ll see where it goes.”
