One final Pitt question, then moving on...

[Chuck 54]

Here's one final thing to consider...at the time it really bothered my friend and I watching the game, but we quickly dropped it as Dallas opened a 10 point lead.

Okay: Dallas had just finally made a nice little drive to a FG that tied the game right before the half...momentum on our side.

With our defense playing totally lights out in the first half and Pittsburg getting the second half kickoff, I was absolutely certain Dallas would see a tight game developing in the cold weather and opt to have the wind in the fourth quarter. We'd have kicked off into the wind to start the 3rd, but the game was tied, our defense was incredible, I'm hoping Romo settles down in the second half, and by golly, I want the wind at my back and Pittsburg passing and punting into the wind for the final quarter.

I was shocked when we took the instant gratification and took the wind to start the 3rd quarter. I dropped my complaint as we opened up a 10 point lead with the wind...seemed like the coaches hadn't made a bad decision.

Now, looking back and knowing how well our defense continued for most of the second half, why didn't we make the field choice that would give us the wind in the fourth quarter?

I still think the turnovers were the main reason we lost, but I'm still troubled that we didn't see what was obviously going to be a close game determined in the fourth and let Pitt have the wind in the 3rd so we'd finish with it.

Opinions?

 

[theebs]

Pittsburgh deferred I believe at the toss for that very reason.

 

[Hostile]

Pittsburgh chose the field direction that gave them the wind in the 4th rather than to receive the ball to start the game.

 

[5Countem5]

They had no choice in the matter...

But it is as valid as all the other blame-laying here...


(Meaning not very valid at all)

 

[Chuck 54]

Wow ... total brain fart...I guess I still don't understand.

I'm probably confused by high school rules. In high school, you defer getting the ball first, and whichever team is kicking gets to choose the direction it kicks....the receiving team gets the ball and the other team chooses the direction it will kick.

Then the team that won the original toss which chose to get the ball in the second half does so, but the kicking team choses the direction in the second half.

That's why I thought Dallas would select the direction.

You're telling me that the team receiving the ball in the first half also choses the direction, and the team receiving the ball in the second half also choses the direction? What happened to the kicking team chosing the direction? Am I totally lost here?

What did you actually defer...I thought it was the right to decide on receiving or kicking.

Theoretically, couldn't a team chose to kickoff in the second half even if it kicked off to start the game? If not, why do they even bother to send the captains out at the start of the second half...what's there to talk about?

 

[5Countem5]

Wow ... total brain fart...I guess I still don't understand.

I'm probably confused by high school rules. In high school, you defer getting the ball first, and whichever team is kicking gets to choose the direction it kicks....the receiving team gets the ball and the other team chooses the direction it will kick.

Then the team that won the original toss which chose to get the ball in the second half does so, but the kicking team choses the direction in the second half.

That's why I thought Dallas would select the direction.

You're telling me that the team receiving the ball in the first half also choses the direction, and the team receiving the ball in the second half also choses the direction? What happened to the kicking team chosing the direction? Am I totally lost here?

yes you are a little bit...
Pitt won the toss and defers, Dallas has to choose the ball or not, Pitt gets to choose direction of having the wind in the 2 and 4th or the 1rst and 3rd...