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At Fed Ex Field: Like the ball first or after half?


HRNY4ZRNY

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This year at Fed Ex when we won the coin toss we would get the ball first. I really hated it and usually something bad would happen. Like a fumble on the third play. I like putting our defense on the field first when the fans a jacked up. Then get the ball after the half when our offense has been warmed up. Did anyone else notice this during the season? And do you like the ball first our after half? :logo:

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I started thinking about that even before last year when I'd see the crowd at the start of the second half being sparse and thought that surely it couldn't be assisting our defense if we didn't have the voices trying to disrupt the other team's O. Therefore, I prefer we defer when we win the flip.

However, apparently they asked Zorn about this on the radio earlier this year and he said that he's taking the ball every time when he wins the flip.

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However, apparently they asked Zorn about this on the radio earlier this year and he said that he's taking the ball every time when he wins the flip.

As most offensive minded coaches would.

Maybe if the other coaches can convince Zorn of the reality of FedEx Field's flaws and disadvantages for our home crowd, he'll take note rather than wright it off as meaningless fodder coming from a radio talking head.

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Czaban brought it up w/Zorn, but Zorn didn't understand the homefield disadvantage we have at the start of the second half when we're on D and half of our fans are still out on the concourse.

I think its more or less stupid for the coach to put much stock into fans being in their seats at home and blah blah blah. I do think however that if we have the chance, we should always defer to the second half because it allows you to get the ball at a time where you already know how the defense has been playing, how you as an offense has been playing, and have just finished making half time adjustments.

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It is kind of ridiculous how Zorn doesn't see the advantages of starting the second half with the ball opposed to the first half. If your defense goes out and holds the opposing offense from scoring on the first possession, you automatically have the upper hand. If it were up to me I would always defer to the second half. Zorn needs to realize that.

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Our offense would go out first and have a cruddy drive and there morale went down instantly. Put our defense out there first and get a three and out and we already have the momentum. Zorn should show more confidence in his defense. Hes the head coach not the offensive coordinator.

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I don't think it's that Zorn doesn't have confidence in his defense, more that it's he tries to get our offense fired up and working as soon as possible. I, however, would start the game on defense for no other reason than it is mostly our defensive players that show fire and heart, which can build momentum. It is hard for the offense to come out on fire and pump up the crowd and the team when its leader shows no emotion whatsoever.

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I don't think it's that Zorn doesn't have confidence in his defense, more that it's he tries to get our offense fired up and working as soon as possible. I, however, would start the game on defense for no other reason than it is mostly our defensive players that show fire and heart, which can build momentum. It is hard for the offense to come out on fire and pump up the crowd and the team when its leader shows no emotion whatsoever.

Agree. The first half the fans are packed and the place is going nuts. If the defense gets a quick 3 and out you have all the momentum now

Of course there is the converse, like the Giants game this year. They throw a deep bomb, touchdown. Place is silent

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Agree. The first half the fans are packed and the place is going nuts. If the defense gets a quick 3 and out you have all the momentum now

Of course there is the converse, like the Giants game this year. They throw a deep bomb, touchdown. Place is silent

Good Point

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I always prefer to defer and take the ball at halftime. I just think it usually takes a series or two for the offense to get going. And I like the fact that if we can manage a score right before half time that we keep the momentum. I also like the fact that if the other team scores right before half, we have the chance to take some of their momentum away. NO real rhyme or reason, I just prefer to start out the second half with the ball, after we've seen what the defense has been trying to do and hopefully made our own adjustments.

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It seems an absolute no brainer to me, defer to the second half! Like you said the crowd is jacked up to start the game, giving the D the edge. Also the D is the team's strength and we get to recieve the ball to start the 2nd half. How could this not be better?

I do not at all how Zorn fails to see this.

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Someone needs to really address Zorn on this issue.

He is flat out dead wrong to elect to receive when you win the coin toss. You need to defer everytime because...

1. If you are behind you get the ball in the second half for a chance to come back.

2. If you are ahead you get a chance to bury your opponent even deeper with the ball in the second half.

3. When it is windy you POSITIVELY MUST defer if you win the toss. The Giants lost to Philly mainly because they elected to receive the ball in the first half thus providing the Eagles with the wind in both the 2nd and 4th Quarters and that is to much of an advantage for receiving the ball in the first half..

The only time I can think of receiving the ball first would be if your defense totally sucks..But then it won't matter anyway because your team sucks if your defense sucks..

Zorn is really really wrong on this and it the "only reason" that I would even consider firing him. You can't be that dumb and stubborn in the NFL.

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Zorn is really really wrong on this and it the "only reason" that I would even consider firing him. You can't be that dumb and stubborn in the NFL.

Before you go criticizing Zorn too much on this, keep in mind that the original question applied only to wheh we're playing at home. It would be interesting to see the recent stats on:

1) the number of times the team that has won the coin toss has elected to defer, regardless of whether or not they're the home team

2) the number of times the home team has won the toss and elected to defer

I don't think Zorn is the only coach that doesn't defer.

Also, how new is the rule that allows you to defer?

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I would put my defense on the field first every time. If I'm at home, I want my crowd up and into it, and when you're on D first they don't have to shut up and sit down. (I know, our crowd never seems to know the difference, but...)

A defensive play, even if it's relatively minor like hurrying a QB into a bad pass can whip the crowd into a frenzy and really set the other team back on it's heels early.

On the road, same thing. Put the other team on offense, make their crown have to sit on their hands and be quiet. Make a play, and they shut up tight in a hurry.

~Bang

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