What do we do if we win the toss?

[BillnutinHouston]

Defer defer defer. We would be playing right into the teeth of a frenzied crowd and a very good defense. Start out on D and serve notice early. I'm all for starting on D on the road.

 

2nd half kickoffs and the stands are still half-empty and the place is quiet. That's a great time to get the ball on the road. Especially if we have a lead and the momentum from the first half.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Agree completely.

[Mr. WEO]

Punt.

 

Dang. Stole my thunder....

[dwight in philly]

i like to get the ball.. try to take the crowd out early with a nice drive. i realize if you go 3 and out, that theory is wiped out,

[Coach Tuesday]

I too prefer to defer - however, interesting thing about former Jets OC Brian Schottenheimer - his first drive was always EXTREMELY well-scripted and carefully planned and executed. If I recall correctly, the Jets would almost always score on their first drive against us while he was the OC, which REALLY plays into the hands of the Jets and their crowd (because the Bills' offense would immediately have to start catching up). I'm hoping that Sparano's Jets aren't as well-prepared.

[The Big Cat]

i like to get the ball.. try to take the crowd out early with a nice drive. i realize if you go 3 and out, that theory is wiped out,

 

Are you amendable to changing your mind on this? Because--while I understand where you're coming from, it's not tactically prudent. A game is four quarters long. What you do in the first quarter, what you do on your first DRIVE can be easily negated, and it often is (see last year's Patriot's game, parts one AND two).

 

However, with proper time management (thank god Dick's gone), getting the ball to start the second half gives you the opportunity to score as many as 14 (well, 16) points without your opponent getting the ball. This is an enormously advantageous way to start the second half of a close game, it's crucial to momentum and it gives you the opportunity to surge during the part of the game where tactical adjustments are most critical. In other words, first drives are rarely an indication of things to come, and their outcome--in most cases--has very little bearing on the rest of the game (see: Jauron era first drive success rate)

[CodeMonkey]

Defer to kick off first. Jets start on their 20. Jets 3 and out and punt (from their endzone) to the Bills whose offense starts with a short field.

[K-9]

I too prefer to defer - however, interesting thing about former Jets OC Brian Schottenheimer - his first drive was always EXTREMELY well-scripted and carefully planned and executed. If I recall correctly, the Jets would almost always score on their first drive against us while he was the OC, which REALLY plays into the hands of the Jets and their crowd (because the Bills' offense would immediately have to start catching up). I'm hoping that Sparano's Jets aren't as well-prepared.

 

That's a good point but it was a pretty easy script. Run on our sieve defense and let Sanchez do what he's best at, play action fakes. Especially to Keller who always kills us when our safeties have to cheat up against the run.

 

We stop the run, we win.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[biglukes]

I too prefer to defer - however, interesting thing about former Jets OC Brian Schottenheimer - his first drive was always EXTREMELY well-scripted and carefully planned and executed. If I recall correctly, the Jets would almost always score on their first drive against us while he was the OC, which REALLY plays into the hands of the Jets and their crowd (because the Bills' offense would immediately have to start catching up). I'm hoping that Sparano's Jets aren't as well-prepared.

Tony Sparano's offenses don't score touchdowns. He nearly has a stroke from the excitement of just kicking a field goal. Getting into the end zone could kill him.

Edited September 5, 2012 by biglukes

[FanofFredJackson]

If we win the toss, we go on defense and see if we can pin them back and stop them on 3 downs and get good field advantage on the punt

[cmjoyce113]

DEFER...ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS DEFER!! WHY IS THIS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH FANS? IT'S A NO-BRAINER!

 

I am always a fan of deferring. I just thought it was something interesting to consider having this question mark behind what the Jets are going to do offensively. Do you want to shorten their amount of possessions in the first half and give your Defense more time to adjust to whatever BS they have come up with.

[dwight in philly]

Are you amendable to changing your mind on this? Because--while I understand where you're coming from, it's not tactically prudent. A game is four quarters long. What you do in the first quarter, what you do on your first DRIVE can be easily negated, and it often is (see last year's Patriot's game, parts one AND two).

 

However, with proper time management (thank god Dick's gone), getting the ball to start the second half gives you the opportunity to score as many as 14 (well, 16) points without your opponent getting the ball. This is an enormously advantageous way to start the second half of a close game, it's crucial to momentum and it gives you the opportunity to surge during the part of the game where tactical adjustments are most critical. In other words, first drives are rarely an indication of things to come, and their outcome--in most cases--has very little bearing on the rest of the game (see: Jauron era first drive success rate)

you do make a solid case and can easily see where you are coming from. i guess i dont like to think that far in advance, especially with what we had to watch the past 12 years.if the weather is not a factor, i just like getting the ball.

[Coach Tuesday]

you do make a solid case and can easily see where you are coming from. i guess i dont like to think that far in advance, especially with what we had to watch the past 12 years.if the weather is not a factor, i just like getting the ball.

 

You're both right - defer and onside kick to start the game!

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

Technically, that's correct. However, the team that loses the opening toss would be unwise to elect to kick-off because that means giving up two possessions. It's never been done in an NFL game for that simple reason.

 

GO BILLS!!!

 

Assuming that his comments about strategy were accurately reported below, Marvin Lewis disagrees with you - - but then again he coaches the Bengals:

 

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/the-strategy-and-consequences-of-the-n-f-l-coin-toss/

 

Marvin Lewis, the head coach of the Bengals, says that his staff still discusses the coin toss question each week, but that this year’s changes to the rules on kickoffs have ended the debate. Because teams now kick off from the 35-yard line, it is more likely that the game will start with a touchback. So the Bengals kick off to start the game every chance they get.

 

“You’ve got to win the game playing good defense,” Lewis said, “so you’ve got to start the opposing offense off in a hole.”

[K-9]

Assuming that his comments about strategy were accurately reported below, Marvin Lewis disagrees with you - - but then again he coaches the Bengals:

 

http://fifthdown.blo...-f-l-coin-toss/

 

So, you're saying that Marvin Lewis is the first coach in NFL history to lose the opening toss and has elected to kickoff to start both halves?

 

I think you're misunderstanding where he's coming from. You can substitute, "kick off to start the game..." with "defer" every chance they get.

 

But if anyone is going to be the first coach to do it, it would probably be Marvin Lewis.

 

GO BILLS!!!

[mattsox]

I'm ususally for taking the ball first. but what do I know?

 

if the wind is a factor and you get to choose the end you start with and end with I'm ok with it.

 

also I'd love to see the D dominate on the first snap.

 

Yeah, for this game I'd rather Start on Defense, being it's an away game. Shut 'em down 3 and out. Get the Fans out of it...

[Billshank Redemption]

When your away Defer. There offense sucks and our defense is much improved if we get a quick 3 and out itll dumb down the crowd a bit.

[reddogblitz]

I like to get the football first and take it down and score a TD! However, the argument of getting the football at the beginning of the second half on the road while their fans are still not back in their seats and can't be really loud has started to maybe sway me in the other direction for a road game. If you get the football first in the first half, the fans are totally pumped up for the start of the game and will be loud.

 

Plus, since Fitz seems to be a slow starter, maybe kicking off is best?

[section122]

Are you amendable to changing your mind on this? Because--while I understand where you're coming from, it's not tactically prudent. A game is four quarters long. What you do in the first quarter, what you do on your first DRIVE can be easily negated, and it often is (see last year's Patriot's game, parts one AND two).

 

However, with proper time management (thank god Dick's gone), getting the ball to start the second half gives you the opportunity to score as many as 14 (well, 16) points without your opponent getting the ball. This is an enormously advantageous way to start the second half of a close game, it's crucial to momentum and it gives you the opportunity to surge during the part of the game where tactical adjustments are most critical. In other words, first drives are rarely an indication of things to come, and their outcome--in most cases--has very little bearing on the rest of the game (see: Jauron era first drive success rate)

All correct here... anyone that plays Madden knows this!

[The Big Cat]

All correct here... anyone that plays Madden knows this!

 

No, that's not how I know that!

[eball]

Here's the funny thing. If we win the toss and defer, the Jets are just as likely to kickoff because Rex doesn't want his offense to stink it up and make the crowd restless early, and he believes his defense can do no wrong.

 

So, there's a pretty good chance the Bills could get the ball to start both halves.