John Harbaugh: New overtime doesn’t solve the…

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A year ago, the Ravens proposed the best solution to overtime, the “spot and choose” format, which would allow one team to spot the ball where overtime would start, and the other team to choose offense or defense. That proposal, first articulated in 2003, would blend fairness, excitement and resolving the game quickly in a way that other overtime rules don’t.

Unfortunately, the Ravens didn’t find many allies around the league. Harbaugh explained to Rich Eisen that only two other teams were on board with the Ravens’ proposal, and that this year, they instead changed the overtime rule for the postseason only, guaranteeing each team at least one opportunity to possess the ball on offense.

“We tried to mitigate it last year with field position — two things, possession and field position — and that got three votes. So now we’re just gonna add possessions,” Harbaugh said. “I’m not for it, I don’t think it’s the answer. I think there will be a better way to do it at some point in time.”

Harbaugh described the revised overtime rule as “full of holes” and said he personally opposed it, although Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti ultimately joined the majority of owners in adopting it.

“I’m not for it,” Harbaugh said. “Even though our team voted for it, they voted for it over my objection because I don’t think it solves the problem.”

The “spot and choose” format does solve the problem. If only the NFL gives it a chance.