DAL vs TB: Kickoff - Do you elect to go on offense or defense first

[AdamJT13]

That is true, but in any kind of windy conditions (or you have Eli) you'd want to have the weather in your favor. Hence you take the field position over choosing to kick or receive.

The weather would be in your favor for only two of the four quarters either way. I'd rather have the two extra possessions.

 

[RoadRunner]

I may be wrong but i believe Adam is right here. In the NFL you can't defer.

If you win the toss, you get to choose if you want the ball to start the game or not, but the loser of the toss gets to choose to start the second half.

So like Adam said, if you win the toss, and choose to start on defense, and then the opposing team chooses the ball to start the second half, they got the ball to start both halves.

I think defering is only in H.S. and College.

But I may be wrong.

That's not how it works. If you win the toss and choose to defer you will get the ball to start the second half. If you choose to receive then the opponent gets the ball to start the second half. It would not be fair any other way.

BTW, Jimmy Johnson preferred kicking off first, and getting the ball in the second half.

 

[RoadRunner]

They started allowing teams to defer last year.

If you win the coin toss, you can defer your choice until the second half, you can choose to receive the kickoff, or you can choose which goal to defend. If you don't defer, the other team gets the choice to start the second half.

Nope. I have games on DVD covering a span of nearly 40 years. Its always been that if you choose to defer you will get the ball in the sceond half. If you choose to recieve then your opponent gets the ball to start the second half.

 

[Doomsday101]

Nope. I have games on DVD covering a span of nearly 40 years. Its always been that if you choose to defer you will get the ball in the sceond half. If you choose to recieve then your opponent gets the ball to start the second half.

Not in the NFL, it was part of the 2008 rule change

» Incidental facemasks: The foul for incidental grasp and release of the facemask has been eliminated. Twisting, turning or pulling the facemask will remain a 15-yard personal foul.

» Forceout rule: The forceout rule has been eliminated. A player who receives or intercepts a ball must land with both feet inbounds. This affords the receiver and defender equal opportunity to complete the play.

"We feel that with so many levels of judgment that go into the force-out call it creates a more consistent play when either you get your feet down for a complete pass or you do not," says co-chairman of the NFL Competition Committee Rick McKay.

» Reviewable plays: Instant replay will expand to include field-goal and extra-point attempts as well as illegal forward handoffs. This provides a mechanism for correcting an obvious onfield officiating error.

» Second half coin toss: Clubs will now have the option to defer the opportunity to kick or receive the kickoff to the second half.

"It now gives coaches a third option," says Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans head coach and co-chairman of the NFL Competition Committee.

» Muffed snap: It will now be a live ball when a direct snap from center to a player who is in position to receive a hand-to-hand snap goes untouched. It was previously called a false start, but now either team may recover and advance the untouched snap.

» There will be a point of emphasis on a rule this season (although the rule itself has not changed):

Grasping the facemask by all players, including offensive players, will continue to be strictly enforced. Specific attention is to be given to the runner who twists, turns, or pulls the facemask of the defender who is trying to make the tackle.

Runners and tacklers are to be treated identically when this occurs. This action is a personal foul and a 15-yard penalty.

» NFL'S "third-quarterback" rule -- sometimes misunderstood:

Seventeen years ago (1991) the third-quarterback rule was instituted to enable teams to have an emergency quarterback available who was not on the 45-man game-day active roster, since many teams, for strategic purposes, only carried two quarterbacks on their game-day roster.

Everybody thinks they understand the NFL's "third-quarterback" rule. But do they?

The rule states that if a third quarterback is inserted before the fourth quarter, a team's first two quarterbacks cannot be used in the game at any position.

Another aspect of the rule is sometimes misunderstood. It is a coach's decision as to whether a third quarterback will be used.

The active quarterbacks do not have to be injured for a team to use its third quarterback

 

[Temo]

I cannot disagree more. You always take the ball, especially on the road. Get the ball in your playmaker's hands and silence the crowd right off the bat.

I will never understand how defering helps at all. Perhaps if you have a good defense, but even then all you are doing is potentially giving your opponents more opportunities to score.

I'd rather start the 2nd half of the game with the ball than the 1st half. I think "momentum" is more important in the 2nd half.

The total opportunities to score is the same regardless of whether you defer or not.

 

[Temo]

I would assume that's why you defer, so you can choose going into the 2nd half. I don't know that I've ever seen a team say they'll choose to kick in the first half, although I have seen it done in overtime.

Funny you should ask:

http://quirkyresearch.blogspot.com/2006/07/nfl-games-in-which-winner-of-coin-toss.html

 

[BrassCowboy]

I am always for kicking off first and getting the ball in second half. It is much more effective IMO when you shut down your opponent first....

Always KICK Wade!

 

[elcowboi]

I would always try to defer if I won the toss. I like playing defense first and getting the ball first in the second half. Hopefully our defense would have stopped them on their first drive and we at least score some points. If we get the ball first in the second half and score a TD you could have a 10-14 point swing in your favor. At least that's my philosophy.

 

[sonnyboy]

I don't know what surprises me more. The fact that most of us didn't know about thew KO rule change or the fact that our own HC prefers to KO when he wins the toss because of that rule change.

I like it mostly because you get an opportunity for back to back possesions to end the 1st half and start the 2nd.

This can only happen when you're receiving the 2nd half KO.

Like to know what you guys think of that as valid reason to defer the 1st half KO.

I actually just thought of another. Since we might have one of the best KO specialist, wouldn't it be wise to utilize him at the start of the game.

Have that opposing team starting between the 18-25 yardline a high percentage of the time against what I believe will be our very good defense.

Comments. Thoughts.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Defer.

Hostile crowd.

A good defense for the Cowboys, and an offense for the Buc's that is in a state of confusion.

I like that combination.

Plus Romo always starts off a little goofy.

Let the Cowboy D start things off.

 

[DallasDomination]

Defend...We should get the Bucs to punt or turn the ball over resulting in a easy TD. I dont see how we dont win this game by 21 either way.

 

[jazzcat22]

Depends on team, weather and conditions, field, endzone crowd.....does all or any of that really matter, except the wind.

If none of those are factors, on the road, take the ball. Score first, keep the crowd quiet.

 

[BruceWayne]

on the road- defer at home- receive

 

[WV Cowboy]

I don't know what surprises me more. The fact that most of us didn't know about thew KO rule change or the fact that our own HC prefers to KO when he wins the toss because of that rule change.

I admit I didn't know the rule had changed in the NFL.

But is this any different than winning the toss in an All-Star baseball game and taking the Home team versus the Visitor.

Some like being visitor so you can score first and jump on them, ... while others always take the home team so they can bat last.

6 of one, half dozen of the other, ... different philosophies.

But I think in football I like to defer. Since football is a game of field position, I like to put the ball deep in their territory to start the game. Plus getting the ball first the 2nd half is always nice.

 

[Temo]

I admit I didn't know the rule had changed in the NFL.

But is this any different than winning the toss in an All-Star baseball game and taking the Home team versus the Visitor.

Some like being visitor so you can score first and jump on them, ... while others always take the home team so they can bat last.

6 of one, half dozen of the other, ... different philosophies.

But I think in football I like to defer. Since football is a game of field position, I like to put the ball deep in their territory to start the game. Plus getting the ball first the 2nd half is always nice.

Well in baseball you always want to pitch first, so that you bat last. That way you know how many runs you need to win. IE, if you're up 4-3 in the top of the 9th and you get a man on with 0 out... do you bunt him over? Do you play for the single run and give up an out or do you just bat away and try to score multiple runs? Well, if it's the bottom of the 9th then you already know what you need to do: bunt him over and try to tie up the game.

 

[newlander]

IF your defense is capable of stuffing them and setting the tone: defer. However, remember Jimmah and the 90's teams took the ball, rammed it down their throats and .....well, took their hearts right out of the game..................With our team: take the ball, score and get them on their heels. Our 'd isn't that strong anyway.............PS; despite the fact our offense is better than our defense, Wade is a defense first coach and thinks that way, so...............................

 

[Joe Realist]

I think we take the ball and start 1st down in punt formation except that Buehler is in at punter. The ball is snapped, and he runs over entire Buc defense for a 60 yd td...

 

[Texan_Eph89]

Defer.
A good defensive series in the beginning is like a slap in the face.
Not to mention getting the ball first in the second half is huge.