In the National Football League (NFL), a tied game occurs when a regular season game ends with both teams having an equal score.[1] If a game is tied after regulation (60 minutes, divided into four quarters of 15 minutes), a 15-minute sudden-death overtime period is held. Under current overtime rules adopted in 2012, "Teams . . . have the opportunity to possess the ball at least once in the extra period unless the team that receives the [first] overtime kickoff scores a touchdown on its first possession." The game can also automatically end on a safety or a defensive touchdown. If the team that received the first opening kickoff instead scores a field goal, the other team has an opportunity to tie or surpass that score; if they are able to tie the score, the next team to score any points wins.[2] Prior to the rule change, any score by either team in overtime would win the game,[3] which was proved to grant a substantial advantage to the team that won the coin toss.[4] Ties have counted as a half-win and half-loss in league standings since 1972; before that, ties were not counted in the standings at all.[5] Since the National Hockey League eliminated ties by adopting the shootout following the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the NFL is the only one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America to have tied games in regular-season play, as Major League Baseball (in the modern era since 1900) and the National Basketball Association have historically played until there is a winner.
Tie games were once frequent in the NFL, but have become uncommon because of a rule change in 1974 that added one sudden death overtime period (15 minutes) to regular-season and preseason games.[6] Unlike in soccer (association football), in which teams routinely play for a draw (for the benefit of a point in the standings), NFL teams rarely play for ties. In general, tied games in the NFL are frowned upon by both teams and fans.[7] Because tied games are rare, some players have not known they were allowed in the NFL, such as former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, who said after a tie game against the Cincinnati Bengals that he did not know a tie was a possible result.[1][8]
From 1920 to 1973, the NFL had a total of 258 tied games. Only three seasons (1934, 1950, 1952) went without a tied game, while five seasons (1920, 1923, 1926, 1929, 1932) had at least ten ties. The most ties, 17, occurred in the 1920 season.[9] Since 1974 there have only been 22 tied games, the most recent occurring in Week 8 of the 2016 season when the Washington Redskins and Cincinnati Bengals tied 27–27. A tie game happened in each of the first three seasons after the overtime rules were altered in 2012. The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars are the only current NFL teams that have never recorded a tied game; the New England Patriots have never recorded a tie in an NFL game, but recorded nine ties as members of the American Football League (AFL). The Chicago Bears have played to 42 ties (all prior to 1974), the most of any NFL team,[10] while the Green Bay Packers have recorded the most ties since the 1974 introduction of overtime with five.
With about a minute left in overtime, Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton's pass is intercepted by Rams linebacker Rick Kay at the Los Angeles 1-yard line. The Rams then concede the tie with the ball deep in their own territory.[13]
Baltimore, which eventually finished its season at 0–8–1,[B] overcame a 20–6 fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime. Packers' Jan Stenerud missed wide right from 47 yards with 2:00 left to seal the draw.[16]
Only overtime tie to date on Monday Night Football.[17] Cardinals' Neil O'Donoghue missed three field-goal attempts in the extra period from 45, 20 and 42 yards, the last two in the final 66 seconds.[18]
Chiefs kicker Nick Lowery, one of the most accurate kickers during the 1989 season, played poorly on the sloppy turf of Cleveland Municipal Stadium. He missed a 45-yard field goal that would have won it for Kansas City with four seconds left in regulation. In overtime, he had a chance to win the game on a 47-yard attempt with 3 seconds left, but missed that one as well.[19]
Each team had an unsuccessful field-goal attempt in the overtime; Ravens' Matt Stover missed wide right from 53 yards with 2:21 remaining, Eagles' Chris Boniol also wide right from 40 yards on the last play of the game.[20]
First overtime tie in the league's Sunday night slot, and the only one so far in an ESPN-aired game (and in an NFL cable package, as NFL Network's Thursday Night Football has yet to carry a tied game). Redskins' Gus Frerotte injured himself by headbutting a stadium wall while celebrating his team's lone touchdown.[21]
Atlanta mounted a 17-point comeback to force overtime. Pittsburgh wide receiverPlaxico Burress was stopped a yard short of the end zone on the final play of overtime.[22]
Bengals kicker Shayne Graham missed a 47-yard field goal with seven seconds left in overtime. Eagles QB Donovan McNabb infamously stated at the post-game press conference that he didn't know games could end in a tie.[23]
While this was the first tie under the modified overtime rules, it would have been a tie under the old rules as neither team scored in the extra period. The Rams had a game-winning field goal taken away because of a penalty. Both teams missed field goal attempts in the overtime period.[24]
The Packers scored 16 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 23 and force overtime. Both teams scored a field goal in the overtime period, resulting in a final score of 26–26. This was the first tied game in which both teams converted field goal attempts in the extra period.[25]
Both teams scored a field goal in the overtime period. Bengals kicker Mike Nugent missed a 36-yard field goal attempt as the overtime period expired. The game was the highest-scoring tie game in NFL history since the institution of overtime[26]
Lowest scoring tie since introduction of overtime.[27] Both teams missed field goals of less than 30 yards with the opportunity to win in overtime, after having each made a field goal earlier in the overtime.
First overtime game played at Wembley Stadium in London, and the first overtime regular season tie game played outside the United States.[28] Second time in the overtime era in which there were ties in two consecutive weeks, and first since 1997. As neither team scored in the overtime period, this would also have been a tie under the pre-2012 rules. Redskins kicker Dustin Hopkins missed a 34-yard field goal in overtime which would have won the game.
Notes
Notes
^No official standings were recorded throughout the 1920 season and teams played games against opponents outside of the league.[11]
