Overtime Decision to kick off and take wind, rather than receive and go on offense

[CelticPatriot]

Re: Mad props to BB for taking the wind by ESPN

40f = 4.5c
32f = 0c
0c = Freezing
Freezing = "Cold Weather"

 

[scout]

Re: Mad props to BB for taking the wind by ESPN

I had an interesting revelation about the decision during the game. If you take the ball first and don't score then you have lost your advantage. If you take the wind you retain the advantage for the entire OT session. In this case both the Pats and the Broncos had the ball one time and did not score. Normally, the advantage would then go to the Broncos, but in this case they still had to contend with the wind. So by taking the wind BB and the Pats maintained a distinct advantage through the entire period.

You've got to go back to Callahan's line: would you give the ball to Brady if your an opposing coach? You take the wind when your playing Manning and maybe even every qb in the league, but do you give Brady the ball?

 

[PrairiePat]

Re: Mad props to BB for taking the wind by ESPN

I had an interesting revelation about the decision during the game. If you take the ball first and don't score then you have lost your advantage. If you take the wind you retain the advantage for the entire OT session. In this case both the Pats and the Broncos had the ball one time and did not score. Normally, the advantage would then go to the Broncos, but in this case they still had to contend with the wind. So by taking the wind BB and the Pats maintained a distinct advantage through the entire period.

This is exactly how I saw it. Gost is going to get a touchback on the initial kickoff with the wind, so you force Manning to go 80 yds into the wind to get an outright win, or 50 yards to get a difficult FG attempt. And they failed to do either of these. Once they punted, it was advantage Pats for the rest of the period. Brady had the wind at his back, Gost had a much longer viable FG range, and every exchange of punts would keep working in the Pats favor.

 

[SVN]

Re: Overtime Decision to kick off and take wind, rather than receive and go on offens

I thought the call was debatable but correct after the first possession of course. Brady had no problems vs the wind so they couldve taken the ball too .And after rewatching the OT yesterday even manning was okay into the wind on the first drive. Moreno was killing us and it wouldve take just 1 missed tackle or big run or talib not making a play on a good ball to thomas to kill the game for us.stuff gets forgotten when things work out.

 

[Ring 6]

Re: Overtime Decision to kick off and take wind, rather than receive and go on offens

I thought the call was debatable but correct after the first possession of course. Brady had no problems vs the wind so they couldve taken the ball too .And after rewatching the OT yesterday even manning was okay into the wind on the first drive. Moreno was killing us and it wouldve take just 1 missed tackle or big run or talib not making a play on a good ball to thomas to kill the game for us.stuff gets forgotten when things work out.

Manning was having TONS of trouble going into the wind.
Still, it was a big gamble, but there are 2 sides to the coin.
If you take the ball and drive to the 20 and miss a FG because you are going into the wind (Prater attempted 3 from 40 warming up before OT started and missed 2 badly, and the one he made didn'tmake it by much) then Denver starts at the 30, gets a couple of 1st downs and a 60 yarder with the wind.
You can't really judge a 51/49 decision solely by pointing out the possiblities it could have been wrong.
It wasn't a genius decision that guaranteed a win, it was a smart decisions that improved the chances of winning.