Why did the Redskins choose to Receive the ball on the opening possession?? (NOT complaining, just wondering)

[skinsdomination09]

Last night was the biggest game in 13 years for the Skins and the stadium was amped up and electric. Common sense dictates that you should let your D take the field first and let the crowd work to it's advantage, and have the benefit of receiving the ball after the half so that only a disastrous first half would put you out of the game.

In fact, they even had communication problems on the opening drive.

I'm NOT complaining, or whining, or even questioning them - I'm just curious what tempted them to make that decision when they had done the contrary on almost all other coin tosses they had won on the year.

I'm fairly certain they won last night's toss and elected to receive the ball, but correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks. HTTR. And looking forward to attending my first Skins game next week.

[CaliSkinsFan92]

They've received the ball every chance they've had during this streak.

[2cents]

Because when we were losing it seemed like every time we deferred, the other team scored on the opening possession. Seriously.

[RocCitySkins]

Shanny stated after the thanksgiving day game vs Dallas that he likes to receive the ball rather than defer in playoff games, and essentially every game since week 11 has been a playoff game.. Win or no playoffs

[More Complete]

Shanny stated after the thanksgiving day game vs Dallas that he likes to receive the ball rather than defer in playoff games, and essentially every game since week 11 has been a playoff game.. Win or no playoffs

Did he really? Interesting. I had not heard that.

[RocCitySkins]

Yeah someone asked about it in the post game presser, not exactly sure what game it was but it was around when the streak began

[SWFLSkins]

If it wasn't working change it, and he did? And then why change what is working.

[Ludomaniac]

In Madden i always defer

[TD_washingtonredskins]

In Madden i always defer

/thread, Shanahan must be wrong.

[kleese]

I am a big fan of deferring...we kicked off in every single game this year prior to Thanksgiving. Then on that day, we received and we've taken the ball every time sine. I prefer the way we did it early in the year. I like going defense first. If you look at it, our defense was actually good on opening drives when we deferred and/or lost the toss and kicked off.

Both Dallas games we chose to receive and the offense went three and out on both occasions. Same thing happened vs Cleveland. Looking at it, we were having more overall early success kicking off as opposed to receiving. I'd rather start on D.

[BigMike21]

I would have liked to defer in this past game just because of crowd noise. The fans were so jacked up for the game going crazy at kickoff and then all of a sudden they have to "be quiet, offense at work". At home I'd like to defer to really give the opposing offense our best 12th man.

[REEGSKINS]

because our defense was letting up 8 minute drives and our offense was only getting 2 possessions in the first half of games. we couldn't get any sort of because of lack of possessions

[Rypien1191]

I hate getting the ball first. If we go 3 and out its such a huge momentum killer. Before Shanny said he was playing the odds and defering, now the odds have changed?

[Squidley]

I always prefer to defer and let the defense go to work first when emotions are at their highest. When you get the ball to start the second half I see it as a win-win cause if you are down in points you have the ball and if you are ahead then you have a chance to increase the lead with halftime adjustments. just my two cents HTTR

[taayox]

I like deferring too and Shanny did it earlier in the season and said he was playing the odds. but we started receiving around when our streak started so why change anything. Also as another poster noted, our defense gives up long drives and even if they only end up in field goals, our offense doesn't get enough 1st quarter possessions to get into a rhythm.