NFL owners voted today to change the regular-season overtime rules. The regular and postseason overtime rules will now be the same, beginning this 2012 season.

In overtime, a team that receives the opening kick cannot win the game with a field goal on its first possession. On the first possession, only a touchdown or safety will end the game.

If a team kicks a field goal on the opening possession, the opposing team will receive the ball and can win the game with a touchdown, or extend the game with a field.

If the opposing team does NOT score, the team that kicked the field goal wins the game.

Once both teams have had one possession, sudden death rules apply, and the next score of any kind wins.

League executives and coaches believe the overtime rule change will lessen the importance of winning the overtime coin toss.