Is the NFLs Scarcity of Ties a Good Thing?
As we stand of the eve of another NFL season, let’s consider the efficacy of regular season overtime games in the league. They were first implemented in 1974 to greatly reduce the number of games that ended in a tie. Previously, overtime games in the NFL were reserved for the post-season. Ironically, the first ever regular season overtime game in the NFL, played in September of 1974 between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos, ended in a 35-35 tie. Despite this anomaly, the regular season overtime rule has been very successful in eliminating ties. In the 32 seasons that this rule has been in effect, there have only been 16 ties, exactly one every two seasons. But further analysis seems to show a trend toward fewer ties, as there have been only three ties in the last 16 seasons, compared to 13 in the previous 16 seasons. Actually, ties seem to come in spurts, with long dry spells before and after. In 1997, there were ties in back-to-back weeks. However, during the seven seaso
