History Main / WhoNeedsOvertime

* A 2022 game between the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders shows how this trope can go badly. With the game tied 24-24 and time running out, the Patriots could have gone to overtime simply by kneeling to run out the clock on the final play. Instead, they ran a running play, which made enough progress that Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson made an impromptu decision to lateral the ball to Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who ran backwards and lateraled the ball directly to opposing Oakland Raiders linebacker Chandler Jones, who then proceeded to score the game winning touchdown for the Raiders.

** In a must-win game, the Washington Sentinels score a late touchdown and opt not to kick the extra point which would send the game into tied overtime, going for the two-point conversion instead. Falco, the quarterback, throws a bad pass that hits a defender in the hands, but it pops up into the air and reaches its target anyway.

** In a must-win game, the Washington Sentinels score a late touchdown and opt not to kick the extra point to send the game into overtime, going for the two-point conversion instead. Falco, the quarterback, throws a bad pass that hits a defender in the hands, but it pops up into the air and reaches its target anyway.

* ''Film/TheReplacements2000'': With a trip to the playoffs on the line, the Washington Sentinels, a team of scabs due to a strike, are trailing a powerful Dallas team that crossed the picket line earlier in the week. Nigel Gruff, the placekicker, goes on to kick the field goal and tie the game, but because he's threatened with losing his pub if he saves the game for the Sentinels, Falco, the QB and holder, changes the play, takes the ball for himself and rushes into the endzone for the game winning TD. Subverted, however, when a holding call negates the TD. Played straight however, when they try for the win on the next play and get the TD, earning the Sentinels a playoff spot (of course, Nigel was injured on the fake anyway and couldn't have kicked the field goal).

* The 2021 Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs became something of an instant classic in part due to this trope, as three of the four games ended with a team kicking a last-second field goal to break a tie and avert overtime. (Ironically, the fourth ended with a team kicking a last-second field goal to ''cause'' a tie and ''force'' overtime.)

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* Hilariously subverted in a 2021 game between the Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals, which went to overtime after the two teams' kickers missed a combined three potentially game-winning field goals in the final minutes of regulation. The duo would go on to miss one more kick apiece in overtime before Packers kicker Mason Crosby finally got one through the uprights to put it away.

* 49 years later, the same two teams were at it again for the 2016 NFC Divisional playoff game, this time in Dallas. With only 10 seconds to go, the game was tied at 31 and the Packers had the ball at their own 32 with no timeouts. Overtime looked inevitable when Aaron Rodgers' last-ditch, 35-yard pass to tight end Jared Cook was ruled an incompletion due to the latter being out of bounds... only for officials to subsequently determine that Cook had actually made a valid catch and ''then'' fallen out of bounds. This set up a long but makeable 51-yard field goal for Packers, and reliable kicker Mason Crosby delivered. (The Packers' luck didn't hold this time, however, as they were subsequently blown out by the Atlanta Falcons in the conference championship.)

* Turkey pull this trope three times in a row at the [[UsefulNotes/EuropeanChampionship Euro2008]], reaching the semi-finals this way.
** In fact, they toyed with the trope in four straight games, but only one really fits the trope. In their second game, they did score a late winner, but had equalised with over 30 minutes left (and in any case the game couldn't go into overtime). Their third game fits the trope perfectly; they came from behind to beat the Czechs with two late goals, thus avoiding a penalty shoot-out. In the third game, Croatia went ahead very late in extra time, only for Turkey to equalise and win on penalties (so they *did* need overtime). Then in the fourth game they managed the late equaliser, only to *lose* (to Germany) in the last minute before overtime!
** This trope is also invoked by the manager of Turkey's team, Fatih Terim, when he didn't train his team for the penalties on purpose against the Czech Republic.
*** They got to the semi final having led for 9 minutes of the 390 they'd played.

* Similar to the above example, the Los Angeles Chargers scored a potentially game-tying touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs with four seconds left in the fourth quarter. Rather than kick the extra point, LA went for two—and QB Philip Rivers connected with WR Mike Williams for a wide open conversion. The Chargers won 29-28.

* 49 years later, the same two teams were at it again for the 2016 NFC Divisional playoff game, this time in Dallas. With only 10 seconds to go, the game was tied at 31 and the Packers had the ball at their own 32 with no timeouts. Overtime looked inevitable when Aaron Rodgers' last-ditch, 35-yard pass to tight end Jared Cook was ruled an incompletion due to the latter being out of bounds... only for officials to subsequently determine that Cook had actually made a valid catch and ''then'' fallen out of bounds. This set up a long but maekable 51-yard field goal for Packers, and reliable kicker Mason Crosby delivered. (The Packers' luck didn't hold this time, however, as they were subsequently blown out by the Atlanta Falcons in the conference championship.)

** Super Bowl XXXVI deserves special mention. For the first 50 minutes of the game the underdog New England Patriots were able to contain the St. Louis Rams and the Kurt Warner-led "Greatest Show on Turf" en route to a 17-3 lead. Then the Rams finally broke loose and scored two touchdowns to tie the game at 17, the second with just 90 seconds left. With the Patriots starting at their own 16-yard line and no timeouts, John Madden commented that the Patriots should just run out the clock and go to overtime. Tom Brady instead led the Patriots to the Rams' 30-yard line with 7 seconds left, prompting Madden to admit that what Brady just did "spooked" him before Adam Vinateri kicked the winning field goal.

** Similarly, in Super Bowl XXXIV, the Tennesee Titans were stopped inches short of a last-second touchdown that, with a successful extra point, would have tied the game.

** Apparently, Manchester United assistant manager Steve [=McClaren=] had asked his boss Sir Alex Ferguson whether United would return to 4-4-2 (from 4-3-3) in extra time. Ferguson replied "We'll win it before."

* A Who Needs Sudden Death? variation in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final: a winning drop-goal in extra-time from Jonny Wilkinson with 27 seconds to go, replying to a last minute penalty from Elton Flatley of Australia, averted rugby union's first ever sudden-death third extra-time period to win the tournament for England.

-->--'''Ron Wilson''', ice hockey coach in response to [[http://scores.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=261202005 this game]]

* 49 years later, the same two teams were at it again for the 2016 NFC Divisional playoff game, this time in Dallas. With only 10 seconds to go, the game was tied at 31 and the Packers had the ball at their own 32 with no timeouts. Overtime looked inevitable when Aaron Rodgers' last-ditch, 35-yard pass to tight end Jared Cook was ruled an incompletion due to the latter being out of bounds... only for officials to subsequently determine that Cook had actually made a valid catch in bounds and ''then'' fallen out. This set up a long but maekable 51-yard field goal for Packers, and reliable kicker Mason Crosby delivered. (The Packers' luck didn't hold this time, however, as they were subsequently blown out by the Atlanta Falcons in the conference championship.)

* In 2021, in a high school game against Hamilton High School (AZ) and Bishop Gorman High School (NV), Hamilton, despite being down 7-24 with less than 1:10 remaining in regulation, managed to score 18 points in that time to win the game 25-24. Now down 10-24 after a successful field goal, Hamilton recovered the onside kick to cut Bishop Gorman's lead to 24-17 with 30 seconds remaining. Then Hamilton successfully recovers ''another'' onside kick, bringing the score to 24-23 with 8 seconds left. Rather than going for a kick for the tie and overtime, Hamilton runs the ball in for the eventual game-winning 2-point conversion. Bishop Gorman had [[DownToTheLastPlay one last opportunity to get a game-ending touchdown in their favor]], but a failed lateral pitch allowed Hamilton to recover the fumble, sealing their victory.

In 2021, in a high school game against Hamilton High School (AZ) and Bishop Gorman High School (NV), Hamilton, despite being down 7-24 with less than 1:10 remaining in regulation, managed to score 18 points in that time to win the game 25-24. Now down 10-24 after a successful field goal, Hamilton recovered the onside kick to cut Bishop Gorman's lead to 24-17 with 30 seconds remaining. Then Hamilton successfully recovers ''another'' onside kick, bringing the score to 24-23 with 8 seconds left. Rather than going for a kick for the tie and overtime, Hamilton runs the ball in for the eventual game-winning 2-point conversion. Bishop Gorman had [[DownToTheLastPlay one last opportunity to get a game-ending touchdown in their favor]], but a failed lateral pitch allowed Hamilton to recover the fumble, sealing their victory.

* In 2016, the Cleveland Browns had been going the entire season without any wins or ties. That is, until their second-to-last game against the then-San Diego Chargers on Christmas Eve (which was also the Browns' last home game that season). In the last seconds of the game, the Chargers were behind 20-17 and were attempting a field goal to force them into overtime. Instead, the Chargers missed it, [[ChristmasMiracle and the Browns averted a winless season]] -- this time.

* In 2016, the Cleveland Browns had been going the entire season without any wins or ties. That is, until their second-to-last game against the then-San Diego Chargers on Christmas Eve (which was also the Browns' last home game that season). In the last seconds of the game, the Chargers were behind 20-17 and were attempting a field goal to force them into overtime. Instead, the Chargers missed it, [[ChristmasMiracle and the Browns averted a winless season]] (for the moment, at least).

* In 2016, the Cleveland Browns had been going the entire season without any wins or ties. That is, until their second-to-last game against the then-San Diego Chargers on Christmas Eve (which was also the Browns' last home game that season). In the last seconds of the game, the Chargers were behind 20-17 and were attempting a field goal to force them into overtime. Instead, the Chargers missed it, [[ChristmasMiracle and the Browns averted a winless season]].

* ''Manga/DiamondNoAce'': In the finals of the Summer Tournament between Seidou and Inashiro, by the bottom part of the 9th inning Seidou is one run ahead on the scoreboard, but Inashiro's coach tells his players they don't need to score two runs, just one, since they'll be guaranteed to win in extra innings. However, Inashiro's ace player, Mei Narumiya, ends up scoring a walk-off homerun with bases loaded to get them ahead and win the game right then and there.
* ''Manga/{{Eyeshield 21}}'':

* ''Film/{{The Replacements2000}}'': With a trip to the playoffs on the line, the Washington Sentinels, a team of scabs due to a strike, are trailing a powerful Dallas team that crossed the picket line earlier in the week. Nigel Gruff, the placekicker, goes on to kick the field goal and tie the game, but because he's threatened with losing his pub if he saves the game for the Sentinels, Falco, the QB and holder, changes the play, takes the ball for himself and rushes into the endzone for the game winning TD. Subverted, however, when a holding call negates the TD. Played straight however, when they try for the win on the next play and get the TD, earning the Sentinels a playoff spot (of course, Nigel was injured on the fake anyway and couldn't have kicked the field goal).

* In 2010, the Philadelphia Eagles had just tied it up against the New York Giants with 14 seconds left on the clock and the Giants punting the ball. The snap was high and the punt instead of going out of bounds went right to [=DeSean=] Jackson who burned the entire Giants punt unit and scored a touchdown to win the game with no time left on the clock.[[note]]It's commonly believed that the biggest impact of this play was on the ''Packers'' on their run to the Super Bowl, as the Giants' loss is thought to have allowed the Packers to sneak into the playoffs ahead of them, but this is inaccurate; had the game gone the other way, the two teams' situations would have simply been reversed, with the Giants taking the division title and the Packers beating out the Eagles for a Wild Card spot.[[note]]

* In 2010, the Philadelphia Eagles had just tied it up against the New York Giants with 14 seconds left on the clock and the Giants punting the ball. The snap was high and the punt instead of going out of bounds went right to [=DeSean=] Jackson who burned the entire Giants punt unit and scored a touchdown to win the game with no time left on the clock. Interestingly, besides winning the game for the Eagles it's also considered the most important plays for the ''Packers'' on their run to the Super Bowl, as the Giants' loss allowed the Packers to sneak into the playoffs ahead of them.

* The 1983 NCAA men's tournament final between underdog North Carolina State (coached by the late Jim Valvano) and "Phi Slama Jama" from the University of Houston (which had two future Hall of Famers in Hakeem Olajuwan and Clyde Drexler) came down to the last possession tied at 52. NC State player Dereck Whittenburg launched a long shot with 3 seconds to go, but his attempt fell far short of the rim... right into the hands of teammate Lorenzo Charles, who rose up to dunk it just as time expired. They pulled this off in 5 other games on their march to the championship; out of 9 total in the Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA tournaments, they were trailing in the final minute in 8 (3 games were won in overtime, and one was never in doubt)

* The 1983 NCAA men's tournament final between underdog North Carolina State (coached by the late Jim Valvano) and "Phi Slama Jama" from the University of Houston (which had two future NBA All-Stars in Hakeem Olajuwan and Clyde Drexler) came down to the last possession tied at 52. NC State player Dereck Whittenburg launched a long shot with 3 seconds to go, but his attempt fell far short of the rim... right into the hands of teammate Lorenzo Charles, who rose up to dunk it just as time expired. They pulled this off in 5 other games on their march to the championship, out of 9 total, 8 of which they were losing in the final minute (3 games were won in overtime, and one was never in doubt)

* UsefulNotes/TheWorldCup had a few other than the USA one above, such as Italy winning the 2006 round of 16 over Australia with a penalty kick at the last minute. The "actually in overtime" variant ("Who Needs Penalties") like the Olympics example above happened twice as well, England 1-0 Belgium in the 1990 round of 16, and Italy 2-0 Germany (yes, 2 goals, at 119' and '''121''') in the 2006 semifinal.
* In the 2013 [[UsefulNotes/CollegiateAmericanFootball Iron Bowl]], the Alabama Crimson Tide were ranked number 1 in the nation, and they were playing their rivals, number 4 Auburn, for the first winner-to-the-SEC-Championship Iron Bowl in history. Following an Auburn drive that scored a touchdown, tying the game 28-28 with only 34 seconds to go, Bama took over in their territory. Bama running back T. J. Yeldon got to the Auburn 38 before being pushed out of bounds by Auburn cornerback Chris Davis just as time expired, which stopped the clock. The play was reviewed, and one second was put back on the clock. Alabama attempted a 57-yard field goal. If it missed, the game would just go to overtime. Their starter had missed three earlier that game, so they put in the backup. He kicked the ball well, but it fell short, where ''that same Chris Davis''[[note]]who was ''also'' Auburn's punt returner[[/note]] waited. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4-9n9--_hg Davis then took the ball all the way back to the Alabama endzone to win the game 34-28]].