We're in the midst of the two best weeks of the NFL season -- the buildup to the Super Bowl.Some fans might lament the time between games, but they would be wrong.
For TV storytellers, two weeks provides a good timeline to focus on the Xs and Ox as well as the Willies and Joes, providing a nice mix of technical and human interest stories. For all the things that surround the game (commercials, concerts, marketing), making it an annual holiday, two weeks provides just the right amount of time to stoke casual interest.
Honestly, this two-week buildup and sudden-death overtime might be two of the things the NFL does best.
Yes, overtime works. While some talk-show types and others who should have better things to analyze and rail against (especially Dick Vitale) spent a good part of Monday complaining about the NFL's overtime format, their bluster should be ignored.
The NFL has issues to address -- notably, as always, replay -- but overtime is not among them. Through the years the NFL has done a decent job of responding to fan complaints and not taking a knee-jerk approach when reacting to other problems.
Despite some complaints in the hours after the Saints victory, the league should do the same in regard to overtime. After all, that record viewership peaked during overtime, so people were clearly getting what they wanted.
And for so many reasons, from player safety to TV windows (the time available for games to air), sudden-death overtime works. It makes great TV, and it keeps football meaningful with an emphasis on special teams and defense.
Worried that the Vikings did not get the ball in OT? Well, maybe if their kick coverage had not allowed such a long return things would've been different. Or, maybe if their defense would've made a stop things would've been different.
Most important, maybe if a pass interference penalty had not been called, or if Brett Favre had not thrown an interception at the end of regulation ... all the ifs could go on forever. What should remain unchanged, though, should be the rule on overtime. It works, and it especially works on TV.