# Goofy question about football **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 1, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goofy-question-about-football/227107 "2004-02-01T23:44:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goofy-question-about-football/227107/1 "2004-02-01T23:44:14Z")
Alright, it will never happen, but… :rolleyes: What if every regular season NFL game resulted in a 0-0 tie? What if every team ended up with a 0-0-16 record? Who would get into the playoffs? Who would be the division champions? Wildcard contenders? Does the NFL have a rule in case of such an occurrance? ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goofy-question-about-football/227107/2 "2004-02-02T00:04:27Z")
The [NFL tiebreaking procedures](http://www.nfl.com/standings/tiebreakers) include an option for a coin flip if all else fails: > [@](#): > > Any ties that still exist are broken by a coin flip. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goofy-question-about-football/227107/3 "2004-02-02T00:29:14Z")
There hasn’t been a scoreless tie in the NFL since Nov. 7, 1943. NY Giants at Detroit Lions at Briggs Stadium. Muddy field, four missed goals, and wartime players. Don’t look for another one soon. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goofy-question-about-football/227107/4 "2004-02-02T01:51:20Z")
Since going to a sudden death overtime quarter, a tie in the NFL is a rare event. In the last four years, 1008 regular season games have been played and only one was a tie. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goofy-question-about-football/227107/5 "2004-02-02T02:19:47Z")
> [@aahala](#): > > Since going to a sudden death overtime quarter, a tie in the NFL is a rare event. > > In the last four years, 1008 regular season games have been played and only one was a tie. Yeah, and that was the Atlanta game. Who were they playing? The Eagles is stuck in my mind, but I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goofy-question-about-football/227107/6 "2004-02-02T03:59:56Z")
The Falcons were playing the Steelers. I believe Pittsburgh got to the 1-yard line as the clock ran out in overtime. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2004, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goofy-question-about-football/227107/7 "2004-02-02T04:16:29Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > The Eagles is stuck in my mind, but I’m not sure. I actually read this as “The Eagles suck in my mind …” I’m glad the season is over.