When the NFL's influential competition committee convenes next month, in advance of the annual league meetings, the group typically responsible for rules and policy alterations will likely be working from a full agenda.

There are continuing diversity issues with which to deal. Several players, most of them safeties, want to meet with the committee to discuss penalties and fines that were levied in 2002 for contact deemed illegal. And there are, as usual, matters of officiating and instant replay to be scrutinized.

Possible solutions

There figure to be a number of proposals, from the competition committee and even individual franchises, presented at the annual league meetings in Phoenix next month. None of the proposals are likely to mirror the overtime system currently used by colleges. Here is a look at a few possibilities: There will almost certainly be a proposal that calls for each team to get at least one possession. If the first team scored a field goal or touchdown, the opponent would get a chance to match or exceed that. If neither scored after two possessions each, the overtime would move to sudden death. A proposal being championed by the league office would require a team to score six points to win. That would eliminate games being determined by one field goal. Pittsburgh owner Dan Rooney is considering a proposal that would give both teams at least one possession. If the team that gained the ball first scored a touchdown, its opponent would have to also score a touchdown, but go for a two-point conversion, on the ensuing series.

No item, however, figures to draw more interest or debate than a discussion over whether to revamp an overtime system in place since 1974.

What the committee must decide is whether owners are overwrought or just overreacting to a season that produced a league-record 26 overtime contests (including one playoff game) and in which 11 of those games were won by the team that had the first possession.

Despite a contention of commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who strongly hinted a change is imminent, there remains no strong consensus about how or even whether to tinker with the status quo.

"Oh, it's a hot-button (issue), all right," said Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher, co-chairman of the competition committee. "I just don't think that we have a full picture yet. I'm not sure there's a strong feeling about what to do or even whether to do it."

The perception, created by the vocal proponents of change, is that overtime too strongly favors the team that gains the first possession. But some of the owners, coaches and players who are opposed to tinkering with overtime point out the league is also coming off a season in which defensive scoring reached near-record levels. Their point is that defenses can score, too, in the overtime period, or force the offense into a three-and-out situation.

"To me, it's kind of a slap if they change the (overtime) rules, because you are essentially saying that only the offense can score," said New England strong safety Lawyer Milloy. "Forty percent of the games being won on the first possession? That means 60 percent of the games weren't, right? I know not many overtimes are won with the defense scoring but, hey, that doesn't mean it can't happen."

Actually, it occurred once in 2002, on the opening weekend of the season. New Orleans linebacker James Allen intercepted an ill-advised ad-libbed pass by Tampa Bay punter Tom Tupa, who was backed up into his own end zone and facing a heavy Saints rush.

The numbers most likely to be scrutinized by the competition committee, and the league as a whole, are those involving first-possession victories. In those 11 games, there were only two outcomes determined by touchdowns, and one of those came on a kickoff return to open the extra period. That was in the first weekend of the season, when Chad Morton of the New York Jets sped 96 yards with the overtime kickoff to defeat the Buffalo Bills.

The only team to win on the opening possession of overtime by actually driving for a touchdown was the San Diego Chargers, who topped Oakland, 27-21, on Oct. 20. In that game, the Chargers drove 80 yards in eight plays, and culminated the march with a 19-yard run by LaDainian Tomlinson.

That represented the longest overtime drive, in terms of yards, in 2002. The fact there were just 10 scoring drives longer than 50 yards in the 25 games where a winner was determined -- remember, the Atlanta-Pittsburgh game of Nov. 10 ended in a tie -- will represent a strong argument by the proponents of change.

Their case will also be bolstered by the fact that nine games won on the first possession were determined by field goals. And that, on those field goals, the average scoring drive was just 49.9 yards, with four possessions of less than 45 yards and two of 35 yards or fewer.

Couple that with the fact kicking off from the 30-yard line usually enhances field position and those owners and league officials seeking to tweak the overtime rules can certainly present a fairly strong case.

"Let's say you take the overtime kickoff out to, like, the 30-yard line," said San Francisco quarterback Jeff Garcia. "Given the quality of kickers in the game now, you basically need just 35 or 40 more yards, and suddenly you're lining up to win the game on a field goal. I don't think winning (with a field goal) is cheap or anything. But I do think it gives an inordinate advantage to the team that wins the toss or gets the ball first."

Indeed, the kickoff from the 30-yard line, in general has improved offensive field position in all games. But the advantage becomes more skewed in an overtime session. Including all overtime games in 2002, the average starting point on the opening possession was the 32-yard line. Exclude the kickoff return for a touchdown by Morton of the Jets and it is the 30-yard line.

For the 11 games determined on the first possession, the starting point was the 33-yard line and, excluding Morton's return, the 27-yard line. The latter number is in line with the mean for all regular-season games but, again it is magnified in a sudden death situation.

Notable is that there was but one game, Seattle-Atlanta on Dec. 15, in which the team that had the first offensive series (in this case the Falcons) started inside its own 20-yard line. Also significant is that 13 of 25 games in which there was a winner were determined by field goals.

"The numbers on the kickoff from the 30-yard line are significant," said Tampa Bay general manager Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition committee. "It is one area that really is going to be looked at very closely."

Another statistic the committee will consider is the number of possessions that teams get in overtime. In 2002, teams averaged 2.34 possessions in the 26 overtime contests. But that number is artificially boosted by the fact that Pittsburgh and Atlanta totaled seven offensive series in their overtime tie. In fact, there were only five games in which the teams got at the ball at least two times each in overtime.

There remain some traditionalists among players and owners who suggest the current system should remain intact. And it will take just nine "no" votes by owners, who need three-quarters of the membership to alter the rules at the NFL meetings in Phoenix, to kill off any proposal that suggests change.

That said, the momentum seems to be moving toward some sort of rules change, one that dictates both offenses get at least one possession.

"Even some defensive guys feel it has to go that way," allowed Houston cornerback Aaron Glenn. "I just think guys are tired of losing in overtime on a field goal."

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com. To send Len a question for possible use on ESPNEWS, click here.