There is talk that members of the NFL's Competition Committee are going to change the league's overtime rules. Commissioner Roger Goodell opened the door to reconsidering the overtime rules in his annual presser the Super Bowl and addressed possible rule changes, such as moving back the opening overtime kickoff.
That talk gained traction at the NFL Scouting Combine. Texans general manager Rick Smith, who joined the competition committee last year, said in Indy that he likes the current rule but was reviewing alternatives.
"I am in a position now where I am open," Smith said. "I'm not so strong in one position or another. I like our system now. I like the fact that we play a game and our fans understand that it's sudden death, but I'm open."
Coach Gary Kubiak was blunt about where he stood. He likes the NFL's overtime the way it is and doesn't want teams to be in a situation where games are significantly protracted because of long overtimes.
"I am kind of old school," Kubiak said. "I like the way it is, believe it or not. But I will listen to everybody else. My biggest concern if we did go to a college type overtime is that we can end up on that field a long, long time on some given Sundays. Our game is very physical and very tough. If all of a sudden two football teams are out there four, four and a half hours on a Sunday, I think it could be very difficult."
Kubiak and Smith clearly were not influenced by the team's overtime loss last season. The Texans lost the overtime coin flip at Jacksonville in Week 4, and the Jags scored on their first possession to secure a 30-27 win.
