49ers players say they didn't know Super Bowl overtime rules

[4th and Long]

How is this even possible?

https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/49ers-...20Super%20Bowl.

49ers players say they didn't know Super Bowl overtime rules

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs capitalized on the NFL's postseason overtime rules to once again beat the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl.

While several Chiefs players and coaches said they had a prepared strategy in the event that the Super Bowl went to overtime, multiple 49ers players admitted they were not even aware of the rules.

"I didn't even know about the new playoff overtime rule, so it was a surprise to me," Niners defensive lineman Arik Armstead said. "I didn't even really know what was going on in terms of that."

Sunday night's game was the second of 58 Super Bowls to be tied after regulation. It was the first played under new overtime rules that ensure both teams get a chance to possess the ball before the game ends -- unless the first drive in OT ends with a safety. This differs from the rules governing overtime in the regular season, where the game ends if the first team to possess the ball scores a touchdown.

After winning the overtime coin toss Sunday, the 49ers elected to receive the ball to start the extra period. But their 13-play drive ended with Jake Moody's 27-yard field goal and set the stage for Mahomes, who orchestrated his own 13-play drive punctuated by a game-winning 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman that sealed the Chiefs' 25-22 victory.

Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said he and his analytics staff discussed overtime possibilities before the game, but Armstead and fullback Kyle Juszczyk both said that overtime strategy was not discussed with 49ers players leading up to the Super Bowl.

"You know what? I didn't even realize the playoff rules were different in overtime," Juszczyk said. "I assume you just want the ball to score a touchdown and win.

"I guess that's not the case. I don't totally know the strategy there. We hadn't talked about it, no."

[siberian khatru]

They must've been asleep when the world erupted in anger at the Bills being denied a chance to win in OT against the Chiefs so the league changed the rule.

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

They must've been asleep when the world erupted in anger at the Bills being denied a chance to win in OT against the Chiefs so the league changed the rule.

Exactly!

Sorry Whiners, you aren't the Bills, the league doesn't change rules or reschedule games if you make sad faces on TV

[Dunerdr]

Poor coaching.

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

Poor coaching.

all of this

many times

[smithandrew051]

There’s no good justification for taking the ball first.

I almost wonder if Shanahan didn’t know or remember, and then made up that analytic shit to justify it.

[TwistedChief]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

There’s no good justification for taking the ball first.

I almost wonder if Shanahan didn’t know or remember, and then made up that analytic shit to justify it.

The justification is that if both teams score 3 or 7 in their first drives, you have the ball with an ability to win it with a FG.

That obviously needs to be balanced against deferring and knowing the minimum of what you need.

I’d probably favor deferring but it’s close.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by TwistedChief

The justification is that if both teams score 3 or 7 in their first drives, you have the ball with an ability to win it with a FG.

That obviously needs to be balanced against deferring and knowing the minimum of what you need.

I’d probably favor deferring but it’s close.

Yup. Not to mention it helps to know if you’re playing with 4 down territory. Would the chiefs have played more conservative versus us playing with some late down desperation? The 49ers sure as hell wouldn’t have settled for a FG knowing they had to match a TD.

It was definitely a mess up for shanahan

[kstater]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

There’s no good justification for taking the ball first.

I almost wonder if Shanahan didn’t know or remember, and then made up that analytic shit to justify it.

I mean I guess you could argue you get the 3rd possession that's sudden death, but I doubt it would ever get to that in a playoff game.

Sent from my SM-S906U1 using Tapatalk

[KC_Connection]

Yeah, it made very little sense. Only justification is the 3rd possession benefit, but there's no guarantee it even gets that far and the 2nd team has a significant advantage in knowing what they have to do. You're giving Mahomes 4 downs to win as well as a possible 2PT conversion try (which they would have gone for if necessary).

It was a major coaching mistake.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

There’s no good justification for taking the ball first.

I almost wonder if Shanahan didn’t know or remember, and then made up that analytic shit to justify it.

Sure there was.

Shanahan's justification was one (though not the best one and IF that was your reasoning, you needed to go for it on 4th down).

The best one was obvious - his defense was GASSED. But/for running out of clock, the Chiefs score a TD in regulation to end it. Shanahan couldn't put that defense right back on the field because you know at that point the Chiefs are going to drive the field and score a TD. And yeah, knowing what you have to work with is nice, but now you've given the Chiefs defense two consecutive drives to get their breath and be ready to get physical with you again after THEY looked tired in the 4th.

I think it's largely a coin-flip decision either way. It didn't work out for them but honestly, I don't think kicking away would've either.

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

There’s no good justification for taking the ball first.

I almost wonder if Shanahan didn’t know or remember, and then made up that analytic shit to justify it.

Not sure I agree.

I can see the logic behind it. The rules are that both teams have the opportunity to possess the ball 1 time. After that if the score is still tied then it's back to sudden death. The Chiefs defense was gassed. So you take the ball first and go score. Then the Chiefs score. Now you have the ball to go win it with a FG. The problem is, if you take the ball first you need to treat it like TD or bust and they kicked a FG like the 5.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

There’s no good justification for taking the ball first.

I almost wonder if Shanahan didn’t know or remember, and then made up that analytic shit to justify it.

I think there are pros and cons, like any situation.

Taking the ball gives you the benefit of having first position if it comes to sudden death. It also gave their defense a much needed breather (they had just finished regulation on defense).

Cons are obviously giving your opponent the added benefit of knowing what’s necessary to win. Knowing that we needed to go for it on 4th down if we were out of field goal range was huge for us.

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

There’s no good justification for taking the ball first.

I almost wonder if Shanahan didn’t know or remember, and then made up that analytic shit to justify it.

Shanahan is full of shit

there is one justification in Shanahans mind..


he thought our D was gassed... so he pressed. he made the D take the field ..

he sacrificed deferring to Gas our D... its that simple

now he's making excuses

[Shields68]

Originally Posted by Ming the Merciless

Shanahan is full of shit

there is one justification in Shanahans mind..


he thought our D was gassed... so he pressed. he made the D take the field ..

he sacrificed deferring to Gas our D... its that simple

now he's making excuses

If tied after each team having one possession, the third possession is huge. But I think the strategy to go secong and plan on going for two if both score TD's is what you have to do. Think both teams were gassed and the offense did have the advantage late game.