- Joined:
- Jun 19, 2011
- Posts:
- 32,880
- Liked Posts:
- 26,859
Clay Matthews: NFL should 'go to college rules' in OT
For the second straight postseason the Green Bay Packers were bounced from the tournament in overtime without touching the football.
After a double Hail Mary drive by Aaron Rodgers to tie the game, the Packers lost a bizarre coin flip, then watched Larry Fitzgerald dominate his way to 80 yards in three plays for the winning touchdown.
Count Clay Matthews among the many who think Rodgers should have gotten a chance to match Fitzgerald.
"Let's go college rules. Just put us on the 25 or whatever it is and let us go at it," the linebacker said when asked if the rule should be reexamined, via USA Today's Tom Pelissero. "But I don't know. I'm sure it'll be talked about. It sucks that we don't have an opportunity. But those are the rules right now. We've got to play by them. We had an opportunity to stop them on their side of the field and force a punt and kick a field goal to win, and we didn't do that."
The current overtime format was permanently modified in 2012 to allow both teams to receive the football in overtime, unless the team that receives the football first scores a touchdown. The modified rule has made some coaches consider kicking off to start overtime, much like Patriots coach Bill Belichick opted to do in a Week 16 overtime loss to the New York Jets.
Some believe the rules should be extended to allow both teams to touch the ball regardless of who receives the first kick, which would render the coin flip less vital.
Matthews admitted his opinion is skewed by the outcome of Saturday's game.
"It sucks that a coin toss can determine that," Matthews said, "but if that was us on the other side of the coin, we probably wouldn't be complaining."
Other Packers weren't calling for change, despite the brutal ending.
"Change the rule?" Julius Peppers said. "Nah, the rules are the rules, man. Play by the rules."
Added B.J. Raji: "That's sucker stuff, man. We lost the game. We should've won."
In the end, the Packers' defense had a chance to keep the Cardinals out of the end zone. It failed.
For the second straight postseason the Green Bay Packers were bounced from the tournament in overtime without touching the football.
After a double Hail Mary drive by Aaron Rodgers to tie the game, the Packers lost a bizarre coin flip, then watched Larry Fitzgerald dominate his way to 80 yards in three plays for the winning touchdown.
Count Clay Matthews among the many who think Rodgers should have gotten a chance to match Fitzgerald.
"Let's go college rules. Just put us on the 25 or whatever it is and let us go at it," the linebacker said when asked if the rule should be reexamined, via USA Today's Tom Pelissero. "But I don't know. I'm sure it'll be talked about. It sucks that we don't have an opportunity. But those are the rules right now. We've got to play by them. We had an opportunity to stop them on their side of the field and force a punt and kick a field goal to win, and we didn't do that."
The current overtime format was permanently modified in 2012 to allow both teams to receive the football in overtime, unless the team that receives the football first scores a touchdown. The modified rule has made some coaches consider kicking off to start overtime, much like Patriots coach Bill Belichick opted to do in a Week 16 overtime loss to the New York Jets.
Some believe the rules should be extended to allow both teams to touch the ball regardless of who receives the first kick, which would render the coin flip less vital.
Matthews admitted his opinion is skewed by the outcome of Saturday's game.
"It sucks that a coin toss can determine that," Matthews said, "but if that was us on the other side of the coin, we probably wouldn't be complaining."
Other Packers weren't calling for change, despite the brutal ending.
"Change the rule?" Julius Peppers said. "Nah, the rules are the rules, man. Play by the rules."
Added B.J. Raji: "That's sucker stuff, man. We lost the game. We should've won."
In the end, the Packers' defense had a chance to keep the Cardinals out of the end zone. It failed.
