nfl playoff ot rules
 

each team gets a possession.

as few ot games as there are, why not have this in the regular season?

They will soon. I'm still against it, but whatever.

Only if the team that gets the ball first kicks a field goal, if they score a touchdown the game is over without the other team getting a possession. Also if the team that kicks off first tries an onside kick and recovers the ball and scores, the game is over since the receiving team had an " opportunity to possess" the ball.

The new system is designed to eliminate the biggest iniquity of sudden death overtime: A team wins the toss, drives 35 yards, and kicks a game-winning field goal. Under the new rules, whoever wins the toss (and therefore gets the ball first) wins the game if they score a touchdown on the first possession. If they just kick a field goal, the other team gets one possession to tie with a field goal of their own or win with a touchdown. If the team with the ball first doesn't score at all, the old sudden death rules kick in.

Opportunity to possess: The opportunity to possess occurs only during kicking plays. A kickoff is an opportunity to possess for the receiving team. If the kicking team legally recovers the kick, the receiving team is considered to have had its opportunity. A punt or a field goal that crosses the line of scrimmage and is muffed by the receiving team is considered to be an opportunity to possess for the receivers. Normal touching rules by the kicking team apply