There was a time when the playoffs had their own set of overtime rules, but the NFL elected in 2012 to standardize the extra period. That means the postseason uses largely the same old overtime you’ve been watching all regular season, the only difference being the game obviously can’t end in a tie.
NFL playoff overtime rules: How OT works in the playoffs
Here’s a refresher on how the tie breaker works in the postseason.
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
In case you need a refresher, here you go: NFL overtime works as a modified sudden death, where, to quote the rule book, “each team gets a chance to possess the ball unless the team that receives the opening kickoff scores a touchdown on its initial possession.”
So if Team A wins the coin toss and scores a touchdown on their opening drive, the game is over. But if Team A goes down and kicks a field goal on their first drive, Team B gets an opportunity to answer. If Team B scores a touchdown, they win. If the game is still tied after both teams have possessed the ball, it becomes a true a sudden death. Any points scored, field goals included, end the game.
The overtime period is one 15-minute frame in which both teams get three timeouts apiece. If the teams are still deadlocked after the first 15 minutes in the regular season, the game ends in a tie. In the playoffs, however, they’ll play as many 15-minute periods as needed to break the tie.
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