Hey Football Fans

[G-Man]

What is the thinking behind winning the coin toss, then choosing to give over pssesion? Isn't is beneficial to have possesion of the ball as much as possible and also control the clock?  I never understood giving the ball over....on purpose.  Yes, I know, you receive the kickoff at the second half, but anything can go wrong once that ball is in the air.

[Rocketman]

If you're worried about fumbling the kickoff, that can happen in the first half just as well as the second half.
There is no change in time of possession as a result of choosing to receive vs. deferring your decision.  You get it now, or you get it later.  What you do with it after it leaves the kicker's foot is up to you.

[GiG]

Gary - There are many reasons to defer.

Games are won in the second half, so that is when you want possession. This is the main reason to defer, even under ideal conditions.

Also, when you defer, you get to select which goal to defend. Depending on the weather, the wind, the sun, the noisy fans in the end zone, this can be a huge consideration, especially late in the game when a field goal can often determine the winner.

On sunday, the weather may have been a factor. It can be a liability to possess the ball in cold weather, when receivers tend to drop a lot of passes. You may want your defense on the field more than your offense, and force the opposition into turnovers. So, you may win the coin toss, and force the opposition to possess the ball to begin the game. This is a similar tactic most teams use when going to overtime - its often advantagious to be on defense first, especially if you have a lot of confidence in your defense... 

[Walküre]

Also, when so many games come down to kicking a field goal, going WITH the wind is a big advantage...

R

[Reb]

When they had the XFL (extreme football league) for a short time. They didn't have a coin toss. They could place the ball at the 20 yard line. Each team would have its fastest player start at the end zone. Almost like the start of a 100m sprint the referee would blow the whistle and whoever could jump on the ball and recover it first (like a fumble) got the first possession. Although the XFL was pretty stupid and a total failure. I thought that was a pretty cool tactic to the start of a game instead of a coin toss.

[GiG]

When they had the XFL (extreme football league) for a short time. They didn't have a coin toss. They could place the ball at the 20 yard line. Each team would have its fastest player start at the end zone.

  Kinda like Bombardment!  

I've got a couple of great stories involving XFL Cheerleaders in Las Vegas.   Would like to post them here, but Carl would just delete it, so I'll save him the trouble.  

[Rocketman]

This is a similar tactic most teams use when going to overtime - its often advantagious to be on defense first, especially if you have a lot of confidence in your defense... 

This is used in college when it's a "take turns" sort of thing, but in the NFL sudden death, there'd have to be some SERIOUS weather concerns to justify giving up the ball in overtime.  There's no guarantee you get the ball back.  Why not just let your offense go out there and score and save your defense the trouble?
That's one reason that "sudden death" is nowhere near as cool as it sounds.  Calling it a "field goal kicking contest" would be more accurate.  NCAA's process, while sounding convoluted, forces them to actually play football.

[GiG]

That's right, R-M, NFL went to sudden death this year, didn't they... 
In that case, you would probably want first possession. 

Before 2010 in the NFL, though, you would want to start on defense so you can "answer" the opposition.