Going over NFL overtime rules for 2022 playoffs

UPDATE: It’s been a while since we were in here, but the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams are in a pretty tight contest in Super Bowl 56 on Sunday night. We could see overtime in the Super Bowl, which isn’t a regular occurrence. Below are the NFL playoff overtime rules to go over in case the SB goes to extra time.

UPDATE: A week after the Chiefs and Bills went to overtime, the Chiefs and Bengals are now headed to overtime.

UPDATE: And now we have the Chiefs and Bills ACTUALLY headed to overtime after a wild finish in regulation. Below are all the rules.

Since the Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans came dangerously close to going to overtime in the Divisional Round on Saturday, we should probably look at the rules. We’ll go over the format for the NFL in OT in the playoffs and what may end up happening should the game continue without any team scoring. Obviously, the game can’t end in a tie. Here are the rules per the NFL for OT in the postseason:

• If the score is still tied at the end of an overtime period — or if the second team’s initial possession has not ended — the teams will play another overtime period. Play will continue regardless of how many overtime periods are needed for a winner to be determined.
• There will be a two-minute intermission between each overtime period. There will not be a halftime intermission after the second period.
• The captain who lost the first overtime coin toss will either choose to possess the ball or select which goal his team will defend, unless the team that won the coin toss deferred that choice.
• Each team gets three timeouts during a half.
• The same timing rules that apply at the end of the second and fourth regulation periods also apply at the end of a second or fourth overtime period.
• If there is still no winner at the end of a fourth overtime period, there will be another coin toss, and play will continue until a winner is declared.