I get it that emotions might be involved here due to people being upset about the outcome of the OT in this particular game but the rule has been around for long enough and all teams know it so they play with it in mind.
Neither defence in this instance was particularly good so either team should have ensured they win it in regular time. Once it gets to OT, they both knew the result of the coin toss will have an influence on the eventual winner.
I liken this to penalty kicks at the end of a draw match in football. When it occurs in a World Cup final, I’ve heard many pundits cry about the rule being unfair and would love for a better way to decide a World Cup winner. However the teams can’t go on playing forever until a winner is found, so concessions have to be made at some point (usually not very fair) to decide a winner and bring the game to an end.
This is the best alternative idea I’ve seen so far,
First team gets possession and they have one drive to score a touchdown. Kicks don't count and no extra points. Whether or not the first team score, possession is given to the second team who have the same one drive to try and score. This continues on a one drive, sudden death basis until one team scores and the other doesn't.
There's no real advantage to either side. No reason for one side not to take a risk on fourth down and no huge advantage to winning the toss. It's simple as feck and would remove the total anticlimax of endings like tonights.
although I’m not sure how the coaching staffs and players will take a game which continues for 30 minutes or more without an outright winner. I would alter it a bit to allow for kicks and extra two points (one teams kicker could score and the other misses), anything to bring the match to an end quickly.
I’m a Pats fan so I was delighted in this case, but I’ve been at the losing end of an unfair rule when my national team lost the Confederations Cup finals in 2003 to a Thierry Henry golden goal in extra time. I was gutted at the time about the loss not about the rule because the rules are well known beforehand so you can’t complain about it after you fall victim.