Coin toss: Electing to receive the ball in the 2nd half

[SpeedOFLight]

We won the coin toss when we smacked the falcons the 2nd time.

 

So that was week 14 I believe. So we lost every toss until then?

[0115]

So that was week 14 I believe. So we lost every toss until then?

 

the announcers made a big hoopla about the ordeal. stating because of the coin toss we won just cause of that.... yes we haven't won a coin toss until week 14.

[rainwater]

You should always defer IMO. Glad we are finally doing it.

 

We almost always do it.  This is nothing new.  The problem is we rarely win the coin toss.

[L-TownCat]

Wasn't it zero in the first quarter?

 

First quarter streak continues, first half streak ended last week.

[RoaringRiot]

First quarter streak continues, first half streak ended last week.

Didn't Seattle, STL, and Minn all score in the first half?

[L-TownCat]

Didn't Seattle, STL, and Minn all score in the first half?

 

Not TD's

[RoaringRiot]

Not TD's

Gotcha....I missed the TD part of it.

[panthers55]

I doubt it.  It is the same strategy used by most teams at all levels.  There are some coaches who prefer the ball first but not as many who rather defer if given the option.

That philosophy is really very new this year.  Traditionally teams have wanted the ball first.  It is a big change from past years.  For us and most teams.  Just like the current tendency to go for it on fourth and short.  The only teams in the past who deferred were usually teams with really strong defenses.

[panthers55]

We almost always do it.  This is nothing new.  The problem is we rarely win the coin toss.

No we didn't until this year.  We almost always took the ball first in the past 2 years under Rivera and under Fox in the past.  Are you a Steelers or Ravens fan and confusing us with them.

[KJ89]

Wasn't it zero in the first quarter?

No. That was the falcons little streak. Which he promptly ended.

Ours is first half...... which they also ended... but whatever. We hold the record now, most games since 1935. Nineteen Thirty fuging Five.

[KJ89]

Didn't Seattle, STL, and Minn all score in the first half?

Not touchdowns.

[Peppers90 NC]

Wasn't it zero in the first quarter?

zero touchdowns first half, until Atl last week.  Still no td's first quarter 

[fieryprophet]

I'm just glad we're winning the damn coin toss again.

[PhillyB]

i absolutely love that we defer. our defense is strong and fresh at the beginning of games and sometimes it takes a few series for offenses to get into rhythm, so it makes perfect sense. you've got that mental edge knowing if you force a punt on the first possession you just gained yourself a free possession effectively.

 

also in 25% of our games this year the opponents' first drive ended in an interception, one of them returned for a TD.