You may already know the Dolphins have gained the coin toss 10 occasions in 11 video games this season.
But right here’s one thing you may not know: the Dolphins will virtually definitely name “heads” for Sunday’s coin toss towards the San Francisco 49ers.
The identical is true for the coin toss the next week after they go to the Los Angeles Chargers, and the week after that after they go to the Buffalo Bills.
“That’s what’s been working,” linebacker Elandon Roberts stated. “Hey, don’t change up if it’s working. So I kinda go with heads.”
In the NFL, the visiting staff calls the coin toss, which implies the Dolphins name the toss the following three video games – on the 49ers, Chargers and Bills.
Here are a number of Dolphins coin toss tidbits:
—The Dolphins have gained all 5 coin tosses they’ve known as previous to street video games this season. They’re 3-2 in these video games, shedding at Cincinnati and on the New York Jets;
—The solely coin toss the Dolphins misplaced this season was earlier than the Pittsburgh sport;
—The Dolphins have elected to defer every time they’ve gained the coin toss, dwelling or street (extra on that later).
Team captains – the Dolphins have seven; three exit for the coin toss, just one truly speaks – make the decision. Coach Mike McDaniel doesn’t become involved in any respect.
And, sure, all the pieces toss-related appears to be working nicely.
“We’re pretty unstoppable at calling it,” McDaniel cracked in his typical deadpan supply, “and that’s why I can’t divulge too much of the process for competitive advantage purposes, because I know people are studying our process because the proof is in the pudding.”
It’s coincidence that the Dolphins often name heads on the toss.
It’s nothing anybody discusses or plans. It’s simply labored out that means.
At least nobody remembers calling tails.
This isn’t absolute, it’s all anecdotal. None of the captains is definite. But to the very best of their recollections, it’s (kinda, often) at all times heads.
“I’ve won a couple of times,” Roberts stated. “I kinda always go with heads.”
“I usually go with heads,” defensive lineman Christian Wilkins stated.
And so it goes on down the road with the opposite staff captains.
Left deal with Terron Armstead. Safety Jevon Holland. Cornerback Xavien Howard. They recall calling heads.
“It mostly hits heads,” Howard stated. “That’s the crazy part.”
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, one of many staff captains, was a little bit of an exception. He stated he by no means goes out for the coin toss with a set name in thoughts.
“It’s just up in the air,” Tagovailoa stated, no pun supposed.
But Howard, similar to a number of different Dolphins captains, does have a set name.
“As a kid I used to be like, ‘Tails never fails,’ ” Howard said with a laugh. “But now every time I just say heads. The times I say heads we’ve won.”
Then he recalled the final time the Dolphins known as a toss this season.
“Last time against the Bears we ended up winning,” Howard stated. “Tua said heads.”
Oh, and there’s broad receiver Tyreek Hill. He’s additionally a staff captain, however he’s in a separate class.
“I don’t talk when we do coin toss,” he stated. “I let the other guys talk. I don’t ever talk.”
Why?
“I can’t think; I’ll be so locked in,” he stated.
It seems Hill isn’t alone with not giving the coin toss a lot consideration.
Armstead doesn’t like going out for the pregame coin toss. He stated it interrupts his pregame routine.
The identical is true for Wilkins. But Wilkins goes anyway.
“Terron’s got a little more pull than I do being 10 years in, so he gets his say,” Wilkins stated. “But I don’t [like going out for the coin toss] because I’ve got my little routine and things I do before the game, and that kind of throws it off.”
Sometimes well-known/honored individuals are related to the coin toss, which may make it a rewarding expertise.
On a solemn observe, Jason Jenkins’ members of the family went out for the coin toss earlier than the opener towards New England. Jenkins was a beloved longtime Dolphins govt who handed away unexpectedly earlier than the season.
Holland recalled the Detroit coin toss this season and discovering himself at midfield with legendary working again Barry Sanders. The Hall of Famer was having his quantity retired by the Lions that day.
“That was pretty cool,” Holland stated.
Roberts remembered a 2015 sport on the University of Houston, taking part in towards Navy, when President George H.W. Bush (41, the daddy) was at midfield for a coin toss.
Tagovailoa recalled becoming a member of 4 members of the 1972 Dolphins — Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield and Larry Little — for the coin toss earlier than the Pittsburgh sport on Oct. 23.
“How much better could that get?” he stated. “That’s the only team in the NFL that’s been undefeated. A lot of greats on that team. I got to talk to Griese, so that was cool.”
As for the Dolphins profitable all these coin tosses, maybe you possibly can make the argument they need to take the ball instantly, going towards the broadly practiced leaguewide pattern of deferring and taking the ball at the beginning of the third quarter.
On 5 events the Dolphins have fallen behind 7-0 after giving up a landing on the game-opening drive or kickoff – Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, and Cleveland.
Chicago turned its game-opening possession right into a 3-0 lead, that means the Dolphins have surrendered factors six occasions on game-opening possessions after profitable the coin toss.
As for the success tales, the Dolphins obtained a game-opening-drive interception towards New England, and compelled punts from the Jets, Vikings and Texans after profitable the coin toss and deferring.
The solely time the Dolphins obtained the ball to begin the sport, Pittsburgh, they scored and took a 7-0 lead in a sport they finally gained, 16-10. In gentle of that you just could be tempted to say the Dolphins ought to take the ball, get an early lead, and dictate the early phases of the sport to their opponent.
But the Dolphins are 8-3 and in first place. And within the 10 video games they’ve began the second half with possession they’ve 4 touchdowns, one subject aim, 4 punts, and one possession misplaced on downs (the pretend punt failed).
So that just about takes care of the argument that after the Dolphins win a coin toss they need to take fast possession and buck the pattern of deferring to the third quarter.
As for Wilkins, he stated he’s superstitious so he’s not calling one other coin toss this season.
“I’ve been out there three times,” Wilkins stated. “I think I got to actually speak once.”
Which sport?
“I think that was the Jets,” he stated, “so…”
You gained’t go on the market once more?
“I’ll go out there,” he stated, “but I won’t call it anymore.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com