Receiving or deferring the kickoff?

[patsinthesnow]

What is your take on this, as well as what is more beneficial to the Pats?

IMO, there are two reasons why I think the Pats should always receive:

1. I like the chance to go up 7-0 or 3-0 on a team early than being down by 7 or 3.

2. It seems as soon as the Pats are down in a game, they abandon the run.

EDIT: Good points about deferring, with a chance of back to back scoring drives.

 

[Tunescribe]

Interesting topic for debate. I always like to see them defer, because stopping the other team from scoring on its first possession happens most of the time. But I guess it really doesn't matter, and a good argument could be made for receiving the kickoff given the Pats' high-powered offense.

 

[Defsoul]

I like it when the Patriots defer. I remeber the Patriots scoring on the last possesion of the first half a couple of times and then score again on the first possesion of the second half. It gives your team a chance to put up back to back scoring drives.

 

[juny]

With the strength of the team being on offense and the current issues on the defense, I would receive the kickoff. There is a better chance to get the early lead on the other team. I didn't really like the decision to defer last week.

 

[tobias funke]

The stat as I understand it is:

Teams that score last in the first half and first in the second half win the game ~90% of the time.

So deferring is statistically the correct choice.

 

[JoeSixPat]

The stat as I understand it is:

Teams that score last in the first half and first in the second half win the game ~90% of the time.

So deferring is statistically the correct choice.

Sounds good to me - that was just my instinct.

You'd have to throw in weather conditions and the forecast throughout the game as well, wind direction, etc... but beyond that, I say defer.

 

[Gwedd]

The stat as I understand it is:

Teams that score last in the first half and first in the second half win the game ~90% of the time.

So deferring is statistically the correct choice.

This.

I would prefer to defer, as it were. If you are down at the end of the half, you get a chance to get back even with the first possession of the 2nd half. If you are already up, then you have an opportunity to tack on some more points right off the bat.

I see defering as a win/win situation.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Several reasons to defer:

1. The 12th man. He is at his absolute quietest at the start of the 3rd quarter as many have not returned to their seats and are still busy buying beer (or rid themselves of perviously consumed beer). A good time to have your offense on the field when on the road and no advantage at home. OTOH, the start of the game can be when the crowd is the most fired up. Good time to be on defense, bad time to be on offense.

2. More rest for the defense at half time. The defense gets an extended rest and potentaily the other team gets a very short rest if you have the ball to end the half. At the very least they get to rest for the entire half time break plus one drive.

3. Potential for two back to back scores.

4. An early three and out is more of a momentum maker, breaker than scoring on your first possesion.

 

[goheels22002]

The opening possession of the 2nd half is huge, just as the first four minutes are after the half in college basketball. It can set the tone for the rest of the game, and give the coaching staff an opportunity to script an opening drive based on what they've seen in the first half.

 

[TriplecHamp]

receive, no doubt. Give TB the ball and let the offense get into a rhythm early as opposed to watching the other team hold the ball for half the quater and put up 3.