JustaSharkie
... for nefarious reasons.
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No… correlation does not equal causation but sometimes it comes awful close. Sometimes a pattern, of sorts, emerges and it can make your head tilt a bit as you say, “…huh, that’s weird.”
Having watched most of the 2019 Saints games and am now re-watching the season thanks to the NFL’s no-cost Game Pass most games start with the Saints kicking or receiving and maybe, just maybe the announcers will casually mention the coin toss results, which no network really covers the opening decision. (…overtime coin toss, of course, is treated very differently) We viewers at home just start watching the broadcasted game moments before the kick off and just kinda roll with it.
A minor curiosity of mine has always been the correlation between the opening coin toss (win-loss // defer or receive) and both teams opening drives to start the first and second half. Usually these are the drives that schemed for or practiced leading up to the game …or… in-game adjusted as the contest continues. So, does the “unseen” coin toss result cause an affect, influence, change, alter, or re-direct the opening drives, those drives under the direction of that random flip? Does it even matter?? Does it have meaningful impact???
This is what I have found….
Season Opener
Game #1, Home, Win 28 to 30
Houston TEXANS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Texans open with a 5-play, 7-yard, 2:21 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 83-yard, minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #2, Away, Loss 9 to 27
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Los Angeles RAMS
Rams win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 22-yard, 2:35 minute drive resulting in an INTERCEPTION
Second Half: Rams open with a 3-play, 1-yard, 0:55 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #3, Away, Win 33 to 27
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Seattle SEAHAWKS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Seahawks open with a 3-play, 5-yard, 2:54 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 12-play, 85-yard, 7:16 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #4, Home, Win 10 to 12
Dallas COWBOYS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Cowboys open with a 6-play, 26-yard, 3:03 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 3-play, 9-yard, 1:29 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #5, Home, Win 24 to 31
Tompa Bay BUCCANEERS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Buccaneers win the coin toss // elect to receive
First Half: Buccaneers open with a 5-play, 27-yard, 2:50 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 3-play, 75-yard, 1:16 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #6, Away, Win 13 to 6
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Jacksonville JAGUARS
Jaguars win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 24-yard, 2:22 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Jaguars open with a 4-play, 20-yard, 1:31 minute drive resulting in an INTERCEPTION
Game #7, Away, Win 36 to 25
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Chicago BEARS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Bears open with a 3-play, 7-yard, 1:31 minute drive resulting in a BLOCKED PUNT, SAFETY
Second Half: Saints open with a 6-play, 75-yard, 3:00 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #8, Home, Win 9 to 31
Arizona CARDINALS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Cardinals win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 12-play, 46-yard, 6:06 minute drive resulting in a MISSED FG
Second Half: Cardinals open with a 5-play, 21-yard, 2:06 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Post-Bye Week
Game #9, Home, Loss 26 to 9
Atlanta FAILCONS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Failcons win the coin toss // elect to receive
First Half: Failcons open with a 10-play, 61-yard, 5:33 minute drive resulting in a FG
Second Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 22-yard, 2:49 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #10, Away, Win 34 to 17
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Tompa Bay BUCCANEERS
Buccaneers win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 10-play, 50-yard, 6:15 minute drive resulting in a FG
Second Half: Buccaneers open with a 10-play, 37-yard, 3:52 minute drive resulting in a FG
Game #11, Home, Win 31 to 34
Carolina PANTERS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Panters win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 7-play, 75-yard, 4:21 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Second Half: Panters open with a 3-play, 4-yard, 1:02 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #12, Away, Win 26 to 18
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Atlanta FAILCONS
Failcons win the coin toss // elect to receive
First Half: Failcons open with a 3-play, minus 3-yard, 1:57 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 15-yard, 2:17 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #13, Home, Loss 48 to 46
San Francisco 49ERS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
49ers win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 9-play, 73-yard, 3:26 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Second Half: 49ers open with a 3-play, 14-yard, 1:30 minute drive resulting in an INTERCEPTION
Game #14, Home, Win 7 to 34
Indianapolis COLTS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Colts open with a 7-play, 33-yard, 3:57 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 12-play, 75-yard, 7:52 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #15, Away, Win 38 to 28
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Tennessee TITANS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Titans open with a 3-play, minus 1-yard, 2:02 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 2-play, 44-yard, 1:00 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #16, Away, Win 42 to 10
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Carolina PANTERS
Panters win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 8-play, 75-yard, 4:12 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Second Half: Panters open with a 5-play, 11-yard, 1:53 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Post season, Wildcard Round
Game #17, Home, Loss 26 to 20
Minnesota VIKINGS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Vikings win the coin toss // elect to receive
First Half: Vikings open with a 2-play, 12-yard, 0:50 minute drive resulting in a FUMBLE
Second Half: Saints open with a 6-play, 15-yard, 4:20 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Having watched most of the 2019 Saints games and am now re-watching the season thanks to the NFL’s no-cost Game Pass most games start with the Saints kicking or receiving and maybe, just maybe the announcers will casually mention the coin toss results, which no network really covers the opening decision. (…overtime coin toss, of course, is treated very differently) We viewers at home just start watching the broadcasted game moments before the kick off and just kinda roll with it.
A minor curiosity of mine has always been the correlation between the opening coin toss (win-loss // defer or receive) and both teams opening drives to start the first and second half. Usually these are the drives that schemed for or practiced leading up to the game …or… in-game adjusted as the contest continues. So, does the “unseen” coin toss result cause an affect, influence, change, alter, or re-direct the opening drives, those drives under the direction of that random flip? Does it even matter?? Does it have meaningful impact???
This is what I have found….
Season Opener
Game #1, Home, Win 28 to 30
Houston TEXANS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Texans open with a 5-play, 7-yard, 2:21 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 83-yard, minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #2, Away, Loss 9 to 27
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Los Angeles RAMS
Rams win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 22-yard, 2:35 minute drive resulting in an INTERCEPTION
Second Half: Rams open with a 3-play, 1-yard, 0:55 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #3, Away, Win 33 to 27
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Seattle SEAHAWKS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Seahawks open with a 3-play, 5-yard, 2:54 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 12-play, 85-yard, 7:16 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #4, Home, Win 10 to 12
Dallas COWBOYS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Cowboys open with a 6-play, 26-yard, 3:03 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 3-play, 9-yard, 1:29 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #5, Home, Win 24 to 31
Tompa Bay BUCCANEERS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Buccaneers win the coin toss // elect to receive
First Half: Buccaneers open with a 5-play, 27-yard, 2:50 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 3-play, 75-yard, 1:16 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #6, Away, Win 13 to 6
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Jacksonville JAGUARS
Jaguars win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 24-yard, 2:22 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Jaguars open with a 4-play, 20-yard, 1:31 minute drive resulting in an INTERCEPTION
Game #7, Away, Win 36 to 25
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Chicago BEARS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Bears open with a 3-play, 7-yard, 1:31 minute drive resulting in a BLOCKED PUNT, SAFETY
Second Half: Saints open with a 6-play, 75-yard, 3:00 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #8, Home, Win 9 to 31
Arizona CARDINALS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Cardinals win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 12-play, 46-yard, 6:06 minute drive resulting in a MISSED FG
Second Half: Cardinals open with a 5-play, 21-yard, 2:06 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Post-Bye Week
Game #9, Home, Loss 26 to 9
Atlanta FAILCONS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Failcons win the coin toss // elect to receive
First Half: Failcons open with a 10-play, 61-yard, 5:33 minute drive resulting in a FG
Second Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 22-yard, 2:49 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #10, Away, Win 34 to 17
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Tompa Bay BUCCANEERS
Buccaneers win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 10-play, 50-yard, 6:15 minute drive resulting in a FG
Second Half: Buccaneers open with a 10-play, 37-yard, 3:52 minute drive resulting in a FG
Game #11, Home, Win 31 to 34
Carolina PANTERS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Panters win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 7-play, 75-yard, 4:21 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Second Half: Panters open with a 3-play, 4-yard, 1:02 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #12, Away, Win 26 to 18
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Atlanta FAILCONS
Failcons win the coin toss // elect to receive
First Half: Failcons open with a 3-play, minus 3-yard, 1:57 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 5-play, 15-yard, 2:17 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Game #13, Home, Loss 48 to 46
San Francisco 49ERS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
49ers win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 9-play, 73-yard, 3:26 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Second Half: 49ers open with a 3-play, 14-yard, 1:30 minute drive resulting in an INTERCEPTION
Game #14, Home, Win 7 to 34
Indianapolis COLTS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Colts open with a 7-play, 33-yard, 3:57 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 12-play, 75-yard, 7:52 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #15, Away, Win 38 to 28
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Tennessee TITANS
Saints win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Titans open with a 3-play, minus 1-yard, 2:02 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Second Half: Saints open with a 2-play, 44-yard, 1:00 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Game #16, Away, Win 42 to 10
New Orleans SAINTS vs. Carolina PANTERS
Panters win the coin toss // elect to defer
First Half: Saints open with a 8-play, 75-yard, 4:12 minute drive resulting in a TOUCHDOWN
Second Half: Panters open with a 5-play, 11-yard, 1:53 minute drive resulting in a PUNT
Post season, Wildcard Round
Game #17, Home, Loss 26 to 20
Minnesota VIKINGS vs. New Orleans SAINTS
Vikings win the coin toss // elect to receive
First Half: Vikings open with a 2-play, 12-yard, 0:50 minute drive resulting in a FUMBLE
Second Half: Saints open with a 6-play, 15-yard, 4:20 minute drive resulting in a PUNT