NFL Playoffs: New Overtime Rule Is Because Of Brett Favre

Yes, you read that headline right. Brett Favre will just not leave us alone. This year, if any NFL playoff games go into overtime, the rules will be different than they have ever been in the past, and it's because of Brett Favre.

In last year's NFC Championship game in New Orleans, when the Vikings had the ball in Saints territory with less than 20 seconds to go, all Favre needed to do was to have Adrian Peterson, or someone else, run the ball up the middle for a few yards, call a timeout, and then win the game with a field goal. Instead, he threw an interception which sent the game into overtime.

The Saints won the OT coin toss and marched down the field for a game-winning, sudden-death field goal.

Well, poor Brett. He didn't get a chance to play in overtime and now the sudden-death rule has been changed.

If any of this year's games go into overtime, a team cannot win on its first possession (after the overtime opening kickoff) with a field goal. If that happens, the other team will get a chance to win with a touchdown, or tie with a field goal. If the score remains tied after that second possession, then it becomes a sudden-death game.

Sheesh. This is getting like kids' sports. Why not just give participation trophies to all 12 playoff teams and forget about the games?

And all because of Brett Favre's interception. The guy is like Rasputin -- he just won't go away.