The 2009 NFL season is officially underway and when you're killing time between jobs, there are worse things to do than to kick back and watch the NFL in HD.

Defending Superbowl champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers have just beaten the Tennessee Titans 13-10 in a match marred by the one objectionable element of the game, overtime.

Actually, there are a few other minor quibbles about America's favourite sport, but the overtime rule is far and away the biggest gripe.

In the NFL, the rule is simple. Overtime goes for 15 minutes (the length of one quarter) and first team to score wins. If you win the toss, take the ball and score, you win the game, which is what got the Steelers over the line today.

Conversely, if you lose the toss and your defence allows the other team to score, you don't get the ball and have a chance to match that score, or beat it.

It means that a coin toss literally can decide who wins the game, a poor outcome after 60 minutes of trench warfare.

Golden goals might work in soccer, but in the NFL, the same philosophy seems patently unfair.

Fairness would dictate that both teams have one chance on offense before the sudden death rule comes into play, which is the way college football is decided. In other words, if the other team scores with their first possession, you get one possession to try and score as well. If not, you lose, which is the way things should be.

As it turned out, the Steelers-Titans match was a bit of a stinker. The college season, which opened last weekend, had a stack of better games, none better than Miami-Florida State, a shoot-out which was decided on the final play.

The NFL is poised for major change with regards to the length of its season, changes to the salary cap and a push to have at least one team based outside the United States.

We'd like to humbly suggest that a change to the overtime rule be the next order of business for NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.