deferred ball receipt on kick-off

[oregonbbfan]

What side of the debate do you agree with. I've watched and searched to see if someone has/ would bring it up.

 

Nothing drove me more crazy than to see the Bills win the coin toss and defer to the second half. We kick off and quickly are behind in a high percentage (read it in an article) of the time. Sure there is plenty of time to catch up but I believe it creates a mental hurdle to get over. We are not mature enough to always be behind.

 

I feel get the ball and let them fight from behind.

[stuckincincy]

What side of the debate do you agree with. I've watched and searched to see if someone has/ would bring it up.

 

Nothing drove me more crazy than to see the Bills win the coin toss and defer to the second half. We kick off and quickly are behind in a high percentage (read it in an article) of the time. Sure there is plenty of time to catch up but I believe it creates a mental hurdle to get over. We are not mature enough to always be behind.

 

I feel get the ball and let them fight from behind.

 

If you win the toss under the new rules, the thing that matters to me is if the wind is a factor, is to use that fortunate result to insure that the wind is at your team's back in the 4th quarter.

[The Big Cat]

What side of the debate do you agree with. I've watched and searched to see if someone has/ would bring it up.

 

Nothing drove me more crazy than to see the Bills win the coin toss and defer to the second half. We kick off and quickly are behind in a high percentage (read it in an article) of the time. Sure there is plenty of time to catch up but I believe it creates a mental hurdle to get over. We are not mature enough to always be behind.

 

I feel get the ball and let them fight from behind.

 

A majority of coaches elect to defer.

 

GET OVER IT

[Matt in KC]

As different as the three posts before me are, I agree with all of them:

 

oregonbbfan: I'd like to see us go on the attack. I agree, until this team matures, emotion is going to play a large role in our confidence and therefore how aggressively we play. I think we're better served going out and trying to score than maybe getting one more possession than the opponenet in the second half.

 

I agree with Stuckincincy, there may be a compelling reason to defer, though really getting the wind in the forth quarter is not much different than the argument oregonbbfan raises: why not take the advantage earlier and try to jump out to a lead? If however the wind will be increasing, or conditions deteriating, that changes the equation.

 

The Big Cat, I agree that there are plenty of reasons to be down on Jauron and his staff's game day coaching, but this is not one of them.

[The Big Cat]

The Big Cat, I agree that there are plenty of reasons to be down on Jauron and his staff's game day coaching, but this is not one of them.

 

Your powers of inference are stunning!

[2003Contenders]

Under normal circumstances, I would want to see the team defer so that they potentially have a chance to have the ball two possessions in a row. Also, the first possession of the 2nd half may be the most underrated possession of the game, since it allows the offense to take the field immediately after 2nd half adjustments. The flaw to this logic as it relates to the Bills is:

 

1. Jauron gets WAY to conservative with the final possession of the first half. How many times have we seen the offense take a knee when there is still nearly two minutes and even timeouts still available?

 

2. The coaching staff hasn't consistently shown that they are capable of making quality adjustments during halftime.

[SuperKillerRobots]

What side of the debate do you agree with. I've watched and searched to see if someone has/ would bring it up.

 

Nothing drove me more crazy than to see the Bills win the coin toss and defer to the second half. We kick off and quickly are behind in a high percentage (read it in an article) of the time. Sure there is plenty of time to catch up but I believe it creates a mental hurdle to get over. We are not mature enough to always be behind.

 

I feel get the ball and let them fight from behind.

 

I'm probably in the minority here, but I generally like the idea of deferring. It speaks volumes about what you think of your own defense in that you expect them to come out and stop the opposing team. I started to have a problem with it when they kept doing it while we were losing last year because why not try something new? If they defer against the Pats if they win the toss, I would think logic says you put the offense on the field, so you don't go down 7 right off the bat, but if they feel they can pull something out of their asses scheme-wise for that game, then I'd be all for it.

 

I wonder if DJ's defensive background plays a part in his decision-making. Any good, confident DC would probably prefer to go out first and try to dictate to the offense. If they feel like they can do that, then they should.

 

In the end, the only problem is when the other team scores on the first possession, otherwise it looks like a good call.

[SuperKillerRobots]

Under normal circumstances, I would want to see the team defer so that they potentially have a chance to have the ball two possessions in a row. Also, the first possession of the 2nd half may be the most underrated possession of the game, since it allows the offense to take the field immediately after 2nd half adjustments. The flaw to this logic as it relates to the Bills is:

 

1. Jauron gets WAY to conservative with the final possession of the first half. How many times have we seen the offense take a knee when there is still nearly two minutes and even timeouts still available?

 

2. The coaching staff hasn't consistently shown that they are capable of making quality adjustments during halftime.

 

1. I agree completely. They have to try on that last possession of the half and first possession of the 2nd half.

2. Agree mostly. They have had some good adjustments in games (especially the first few), but then they seemed to stop making good moves or made too predictable moves.

[oregonbbfan]

Good reasoning all. I just think we miss out on our best opportunity to score because most teams script the first 9-10 plays and your team is fresh and the opposing defense will not know what wrinkles you put in that week. It's your best chance to get a lead.

 

Maybe this year with all their offense tools they will try to get a lead and never look back, wind or no wind.

[JinWPB]

This topic has been beat on more than Rhianna but here is my opinion once more.

 

With what is one of the best return teams there is, take the ball early and score off of the good field position. Let the defense play on top for once.

 

If the drive stalls you pin the other team deep with the best punter in the league, hopefully inside the 10.

 

Come on Dick, grow a pair!! Winners want the ball.

[keepthefaith]

This topic has been beat on more than Rhianna but here is my opinion once more.

 

With what is one of the best return teams there is, take the ball early and score off of the good field position. Let the defense play on top for once.

 

If the drive stalls you pin the other team deep with the best punter in the league, hopefully inside the 10.

 

Come on Dick, grow a pair!! Winners want the ball.

 

Dick defers because he is a very polite guy.

[San Jose Bills Fan]

“It’s not like I think we’re smarter than anybody else because theoretically we're not, but we have invested a lot of thought into it. I guess the truth is I’m probably not going to tell you why we defer...I'll defer on that. Just briefly I think that deferring is probably the thing to do because you’ll have a better idea of what’s going on as you start the second half...and that's important, even more so if you play poorly in the first half.”

 

Dick Jauron when asked why the Bills deferred four weeks in a row.

[Dan]

A majority of coaches elect to defer.

That only proves that the majority of coaches are smart. Jauron still blows for doing it. Don't you know anything?

 

 

To the original poster: There are literally several dozens reasons to criticize Jauron. All of them justified and true. Deferring the kickoff; however, is not one of them. First of all, if you don't score on your opening drive, your point of forcing the other team to play from behind is suddenly null and void. Secondly, if you get the ball last in the last and score; then if you've deferred, you get the ball to start the 3rd - essentially giving your offense an extra possession. That is why the majority of coaches defer if given the chance. However, as suggested, the winds of the day should also be taken into consideration (IMO).

[The Big Cat]

I would also like to add that deferring to the second half AND receiving the ball in the second half can prove monumentally beneficial, provided you end the first half on a score. Suprisingly, in 2008 we saw Jauron finally taking a couple stabs late in the second quarter.

 

It's a fantastic position to be in.

 

And deciding which side of the ball to start on is less of a slam on your offense, and more of a boost to your defense, the unit fueled by this emotional brouhaha the OP alluded to.

[oregonbbfan]

Agree when weather is a factor. But every time? DJ needs to quit being predictable especially when a high percentage of the time ( if I recall from the article I saw) it was a rediculus number like over 50 or 60% of the time the opponent went down the field and scored on the first drive.

 

As for additional possessions, you could get an extra if you take first possession but you could also have less, dependent on turnovers on kick-offs/ onside kicks where opposition never takes possession.

 

I know most teams do it (defer) but I feel it is best to put your strength on the field first and DJ may have had a little more confidence in the D last year. Hopefully with a more dangerous Offense this year he will elect to rest the D. And as another stated, if we don't score, with a good return, a 1st or two and a punt will have them buried deep in their own zone.

[Dan]

Agree when weather is a factor. But every time? DJ needs to quit being predictable especially when a high percentage of the time ( if I recall from the article I saw) it was a rediculus number like over 50 or 60% of the time the opponent went down the field and scored on the first drive.

 

As for additional possessions, you could get an extra if you take first possession but you could also have less, dependent on turnovers on kick-offs/ onside kicks where opposition never takes possession.

 

I know most teams do it (defer) but I feel it is best to put your strength on the field first and DJ may have had a little more confidence in the D last year. Hopefully with a more dangerous Offense this year he will elect to rest the D. And as another stated, if we don't score, with a good return, a 1st or two and a punt will have them buried deep in their own zone.

So you're suggesting we win the coin toss, then punt on 1st down?

[DonInBuffalo]

One point that hasn't been mentioned in this thread:

 

At the Ralph, the stadium is typically about half full when the 2nd half kickoff occurs. Lots of people are still finishing their cigarettes and other halftime tasks. The stadium is noticeably less loud compared to the rest of the game. There is a tangible advantage for the visiting team to get the ball to start the 2nd half. I'm sure many other stadiums have similar conditions.

 

That's one reason most coaches defer.

[Spirit of '66]

This stream only makes me more sure that . . .

 

the rule that allows a team to defer the decision to kick or receive is the dumbest rule in sports. We're talking about a 50/50 ccoin toss to start a game. Just choose and start the game for god's sake. Why add complications to it? If it is a big advantage to win the toss, then something ought to be done to change the format. A game should not be decided by a coin toss. The fact that we are reasonably debating whether it is a strategic advantage to choose in the first half or the second half proves that it isn't that big a deal.

 

What's next? A preliminary coin flip to see who calls the final coin flip? Perhaps we could allow a deferral by that winner , too. That way, the winner of the prelim toss could elect to defer, making the other team call the final flip.

 

Maybe the winner of the MLB All Star game could decide who gets to call the preliminary toss.

 

JUST PLAY THE GAME!

[ChasBB]

If you're playing to win instead of playing "not to lose", then you don't defer. You take the ball and try to take it to the opponent early and get a jump.

[silvermike]

I think that good teams defer the kickoff to the second half: rely on your defense to get you the ball back early, and play the first half with an extra possession in your pocket.

 

Of course, since the Bills haven't been a good team we might as well take the ball early, and at least inspire some hope, before reality comes crushing down.