In 5 overtime games, 3 teams have chosen to kick, 2 have chosen to receive
There's no consensus among NFL coaches about whether it's better to kick or receive at the start of overtime.
In the NFL's new overtime format, which began last season, teams have not reached a consensus on whether to kick or receive after winning the coin toss. As of five overtime games this season, three teams that won the toss opted to kick, while two chose to receive. On Sunday, the Commanders and Ravens played overtime games, with the Commanders kicking and tying the Giants, and the Ravens receiving and defeating the Falcons.
Ravens coach Jesse Minter attributed their decision to receive to research indicating the team taking the ball first generally has a better record. Minter also noted that their running back, Derrick Henry, was tiring out the Falcons' defense, making possession crucial. In contrast, Commanders coach Dan Quinn chose to kick, but his team's performance in managing the clock after overtime was criticized.
In the NFL's first three overtime games this season, the Jets, Colts, and Saints each lost after choosing to receive, while the Ravens won after choosing to receive. Overall, the current overtime format appears to be more favorable than the previous one for the team that wins the coin toss.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
