Front Running Pack

[Upnorth]

So MM chose to have the wind in the first and third and to drive into the wind in the second and fourth.
The pack have had the lead going into the fourth 15 straight games. He has so much confidence that his o can get a lead he does not think about come backs, just holding the lead.

[George Cumby]

So MM chose to have the wind in the first and third and to drive into the wind in the second and fourth.
The pack have had the lead going into the fourth 15 straight games. He has so much confidence that his o can get a lead he does not think about come backs, just holding the lead.

This confidence is just amazing, how pervasive and infectious it is.

Compared to the "He who shall not be named" years, when you never knew what the hell was going to happen in the fourth quarter.

Week in, week out, I am confident that the team is going to win. It's been that way since they won out at the end of last season. And that's as a fan.

You see the team's confidence. God, what a great time to be a Packer fan!

[ThunderDan]

So MM chose to have the wind in the first and third and to drive into the wind in the second and fourth.
The pack have had the lead going into the fourth 15 straight games. He has so much confidence that his o can get a lead he does not think about come backs, just holding the lead.

They go 1st & 4th with the wind and 2nd & 3rd against.

[Joemailman]

I like the fact that that MM keeps deferring when he wins the toss. If they're ahead at halftime, getting the ball first gives them a chance to take control of the game. If they're behind, it denies the opponent that opportunity.

[gbgary]

as long as he keeps the pedal to the metal. ;)

[pbmax]

They go 1st & 4th with the wind and 2nd & 3rd against.

If you defer (as opposed to choosing to kick, which are two separate decisions according to the last thing I read), who gets to choose end of field to defend? And is there a choice to be made after halftime, or does it just switch?

[smuggler]

http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/cointoss

If you win the toss at the beginning of the game, you may pick whether to (a) receive or kick the ball, or (b) defend a particular goal in the 1st quarter and the opposite goal in the 2nd quarter.

In other words, if you win the opening kickoff and elect to chose to defend a particular goal, the other team will then choose to receive the kickoff to start the first half. They will then also chose to start the second half by receiving a kickoff.

So, you can't *actually* make any other choice than "Receive" when you win the opening cointoss, except that you can just cede the choice (with the consent of the other team) and let them make first pick and you can take second pick.

So, usually, a team like GB that defers first half pick to its opponent, will be left with the second choice of which goal to defend.

Yesterday, the Packers used that choice to take wind in the first quarter. In the second half, they chose ball first and the Vikings chose the wind direction.

[pbmax]

http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/cointoss

If you win the toss at the beginning of the game, you may pick whether to (a) receive or kick the ball, or (b) defend a particular goal in the 1st quarter and the opposite goal in the 2nd quarter.

In other words, if you win the opening kickoff and elect to chose to defend a particular goal, the other team will then choose to receive the kickoff to start the first half. They will then also chose to start the second half by receiving a kickoff.

So, you can't *actually* make any other choice than "Receive" when you win the opening cointoss, except that you can just cede the choice (with the consent of the other team) and let them make first pick and you can take second pick.

So, usually, a team like GB that defers first half pick to its opponent, will be left with the second choice of which goal to defend.

Yesterday, the Packers used that choice to take wind in the first quarter. In the second half, they chose ball first and the Vikings chose the wind direction.

I don't think that covers it. If the Packers choose to kick, like the Lions did once upon a time, they would be kicking off twice. From the rule book: "Immediately prior to the start of the second half, the captains of both teams must inform the officials of their respective choices. The loser of the original coin toss gets first choice." If the Packers choose kick rather than defer, the Vikes would have had the choice in the 2nd half according to that digest.

I think the NFL added (or reemphasized) deferrals, bringing them closer to college rules a few years back.

If the choice is truly between direction and possession, then the deferral must be used to ensure you get the ball on the KO after half. So in the Pack v Vikes case, after the deferral, Vikes choose to receive, Pack chooses direction. 2nd half, Pack chooses to receive, Vikes choose direction.