DMN Blog: Wade Phillips will defer when 'boys win coin toss

[WoodysGirl]

Wade Phillips will defer

10:53 AM Wed, Aug 20, 2008 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
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Wade Phillips doesn't believe the NFL needed to adopt the college rule on the opening coin toss, but now that it is in place the Cowboys coach will do what he did Saturday at Denver - defer.

So hold off on the the big cheer when you hear the Cowboys "won" the toss because you will not see Tony Romo on the field for that opening series.

Phillips would rather get the ball to start the second half. (As an aside, it always bothered me when the officials would say the home team won the toss because really they had nothing to do with it. i always thought they should've said the visiting team lost the toss. But that's just me.)

It makes sense. You will see a defense for a half, get to make some adjustments and get the ball to open the third quarter. The Cowboys scored on their opening drive of the second half five times last year, although only once in the final eight games.



http://www.***BANNED-URL***/images/ice3/icons/blog.gif Comments (5) Leave comment | http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg E-mail entry

 

[superpunk]

Good move by Wade. It's what I always do in Madden, so I think it's sound.

 

[McCordsville Cowboy]

Good move by Wade. It's what I always do in Madden, so I think it's sound.

Thats because your not playing me....

 

[YosemiteSam]

In Madden I always kick off first. That way if I score right before the half ends I get the ball back. It's as good as a turnover. Even though they get the ball first, possession always switches sides after a possesion. (baring a turnover) The only time that isn't true is if you have the ball at the end of the have and you are the receiving team to start the second half. It basically becomes a free possession.

 

[Little Jr]

Phillips would rather get the ball to start the second half.

He could have done that with the old rule by kicking the ball if they had won the toss. Or am I missing something?

 

[YosemiteSam]

He could have done that with the old rule by kicking the ball if they had won the toss. Or am I missing something?

I agree. To defer gives the other team the option (choice) If you win the toss, you should choose the outcome preferable to you. To defer even if you believe it doesn't matter (which is wrong) is dumb.

 

[TheSkaven]

I prefer to get the ball first at home, and defense first when away. Going down the field and scoring on your first drive is huge. On the flip side, when playing in New York, Philly or Washington, it's better to kick off and get that big defensive stop, because it always seems like their defense is fired up on that first drive.

 

[Doomsday]

Id rather have the lead and put the pressure on my opponents to catch me.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Id rather have the lead and put the pressure on my opponents to catch me.

With back to back scoring possession to end and start the second half, they might just do that.

 

[jterrell]

I agree. To defer gives the other team the option (choice) If you win the toss, you should choose the outcome preferable to you. To defer even if you believe it doesn't matter (which is wrong) is dumb.

huh?
defer means to literally choose in the second half.

if you choose to kick off to start the game the other team would have the option of receiving it again in the second half.

teams do that when they feel they have phenomenal defenses and will get better field position for the offense.

 

[LeonDixson]

He could have done that with the old rule by kicking the ball if they had won the toss. Or am I missing something?

I agree. To defer gives the other team the option (choice) If you win the toss, you should choose the outcome preferable to you. To defer even if you believe it doesn't matter (which is wrong) is dumb.

Under the old rule if you won the toss and elected to kick, the opposing team got to elect to receive the second half. In effect when you win the toss, you only get to decide the 1st half and the other team gets to decide the 2nd half.

This is a good rule change IMO and I'm glad Phillips said he will defer.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

Good move by Wade. It's what I always do in Madden, so I think it's sound.

Yea no doubt. That is pretty much where i win the games. Burn clock before the half and score and come out and in the second and score again. Game Over.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Yeah I always like getting the ball in the 2nd half.

 

[Little Jr]

They article said that Wade wants the ball to start the 2nd half and thats why he's gonna defer.Thats ok but he could had done that under the old rule by kicking off if they had won the toss. Again am I missing something?

 

[Little Jr]

Under the old rule if you won the toss and elected to kick, the opposing team got to elect to receive the second half. In effect when you win the toss, you only get to decide the 1st half and the other team gets to decide the 2nd half.

This is a good rule change IMO and I'm glad Phillips said he will defer.

Well I guess I learnd something new. I did not know that.

 

[YosemiteSam]

huh?
if you choose to kick off to start the game the other team would have the option of receiving it again in the second half.

I was unaware that there was even a choice in the second half. That is a straight up IDIOT rule. Thats like saying, you can die by being stabbed in the chest or by being shot in the chest. Nobody would ever choose either! Never in my life of playing football (real or video game) was that ever an option. The first choice dictated who received in the second half.

 

[Doomsday101]

I admit I like losing the coin toss because I think games are more or less won in the 2nd half. If you go into halftime with the lead you have a chance to come out with an opening drive to put your opponent even deeper in a hole and if you go in trailing at half you have the chance to get yourself back into the game with a good drive. I also think at the start of a game where emotions are the highest that it benefits the defense more than the offense. So Wade deferring sounds great to me

 

[Little Jr]

Never in my life of playing football (real or video game) was that ever an option. The first choice dictated who received in the second half.

Thats what I always thought.

 

[ajk23az]

Good move by Wade. It's what I always do in Madden, so I think it's sound.

Haha, same here!

 

[calico]

I had no idea of the rule change...I love it. I always prefer having the ball in the second half first. If you are down by a few scores, you can make up ground easily by scoring before the half and again out of halftime while keeping the other teams offense on the sideline.