they would have gone to another 15 minute quarter. If KC only scored a field goal to tie the game, they would have gone to another quarter and the next team that scored would have won.

It doesn't matter, because the game was over when the TD was scored, which is why they didn't bother with the extra point. That's on the producer for leaving that on screen, but it is meaningless because the game was over.

players are physically exhausted after 4 quarters, the chance for serious career ending injury increases dramatically as playing time continues.

Both teams player well enough to the earn the win. The 49ers owned the Chiefs in the first half... and only missed winning outright because of a missed extra point. Something that is "automatic" in football these days at the pro level.

I give credit to the chiefs for stopping the 49ers in the second half... and to Christian McCaffery on the overtime drive which he did almost by himself.

The 49ers defense which owned the Chiefs in the first half were already banged up a bit by overtime and could not stop either the run or the pass by the chiefs.

It really should have ended with a tie and dual Superbowl Champions.

in my "sport" ( Chess ), ties happen all the time. We still have champions. To win a tournament they have to win or tie the most games.

Many other sports have a series of games to determine who wins... baseball, basketball come to mind. Winning one game does not make you the winner. You have to play and win 4 games out of 7 or something.

There is a large element of luck to win a single game, especially in overtime. I think the 49ers were the best team in Football this year, as evidenced by the number of other teams they played ( good teams ) and completely dominated. One of their best defensive players did something to his Achilles tendon running onto the field. Somehow injured his foot so badly that he could not continue to play. Bad luck. Wasn't even during a play.

That might well have cost them the game as his replacement allowed a couple of crucial passes. Dre Greenlaw was one of about 3 or 4 "defensive superstars" on the 49ers. Bad luck.

The 49ers lost a bad luck game... I don't think they are going to be riots and burn down San Francisco ( or Santa Clara ) tonight.

I am pretty sure they would be happy with a push.

The people that would have bet a tie would be jumping for joy because the odds makers would have probably given much better odds ( like 10 to 1 ) against a tie.

Anyway... betting doesn't force the rules of the game. The gamblers and odds makers would adapt.

Speaking of rules... if the game was played under the 3 year old tie breaking overtime rules... the 49ers would have won. So the rules have changed.

HAHAHAHA!!
That's hysterical.

Tell that to the millions of gamblers out there.....

and a tie is a push. Nobody wins, nobody loses

The extra point was blocked, not missed.

There may be an advantage in going in one direction, such as which way the wind is blowing, maybe crowd noise, etc. By continuing the game in regular quarters, teams will switch directions. Also, time outs can be limited to only so many per half. Probably other reasons too.

basically just for uniformity of record keeping (play-by-play box scores etc) with the regular periods, and also as others have pointed out to keep things "fair" from a field-condition standpoint to change direction every quarter/equivalent. But every transition between overtime periods -- no matter how many might happen -- are like the 1st-2nd or 3rd-4th where ball possession is uninterrupted.

First team to score. Never liked that rule... but there it was.