# Really? No Super Bowl LII thread? What about the commercials??!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 30, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814 "2018-01-30T16:07:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/361 "2018-02-07T17:16:59Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I’m wondering why they weren’t called. You said the Hogan thing wasn’t seen by the refs, but surely they saw the Gronk thing. The Hogan hit also happened right as Brady left the pocket. During a scramble (a.k.a. outside the pocket), receivers no longer have illegal contact protection. I’m sure refs saw Gronk’s shove, but OPI is never called on a Hail Mary. I could tell you about one such play, but the salt hasn’t completely left my speech when I discuss it. > [@muldoonthief](#): > > Eh, you see late flags on PI all the time. It makes sense to wait a second - if the ball hits the ground, just let the game be over and everyone rush the field, and don’t deal with the bullshit of having an official have to talk to a coach and announce the call and have him announce the game is over. If anyone catches the ball, throw the flag, and figure everything out there. Officials often pick up a flag without a penalty being called. In that situation, it would certainly cause an immediate uproar, but as soon as someone went back to watch the replay and saw what the penalty MIGHT have been, it would die down quickly. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/362 "2018-02-08T08:40:12Z")
I have a silly question about the coin toss. I thought the toss winner had four choices: “Kick,” “Receive,” “Defend North goal,” “Defend South goal.” But New England won the toss and exercised a fifth option — “Defer.” 😕 Am I confused? If you want to kick, say _Kick_. If you want to pick a goal, _Pick it_! What’s with _Defer_ ?? In what settings of the game matrix can this ever be best? When I saw this peculiar New England response to a simple coin toss, I knew it was all over for Brady and the Batriots. 😃 (I watched the S’Bowl via #BBCNFL. During the commercials, they have commentary by Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell.) ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/363 "2018-02-08T09:12:42Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I have a silly question about the coin toss. > > I thought the toss winner had four choices: “Kick,” “Receive,” “Defend North goal,” “Defend South goal.” But New England won the toss and exercised a fifth option — “Defer.” 😕 Am I confused? > > If you want to kick, say _Kick_. If you want to pick a goal, _Pick it_! What’s with _Defer_ ?? In what settings of the game matrix can this ever be best? > > When I saw this peculiar New England response to a simple coin toss, I knew it was all over for Brady and the Batriots. 😃 > > (I watched the S’Bowl via #BBCNFL. During the commercials, they have commentary by Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell.) You have two choices. Receive or defer. Receive means you receive the first kick-off, and then the opponent receives the kickoff that opens the second half. Defer means you defer to the other team and they receive the first kickoff. You’ll receive the kickoff that opens the second half. That’s all. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/364 "2018-02-08T09:28:14Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > What’s with _Defer_ ?? In what settings of the game matrix can this ever be best? The option to defer wasn’t introduced in the NFL until 2008. Most teams that win the coin toss now elect to defer. The current conventional wisdom in the NFL is that it’s preferable to have the ball to start the second half for a couple of reasons: 1. It potentially gives you the opportunity for two consecutive possessions, and possibly two consecutive scores (if you wind up having possession at the end of the first half, and score then, as well) 2. At the start of the second half, you have more information about what’s working (and not working) in the game, and are able to make better use of the possession than you would have if you received the opening kickoff And, interestingly, it was Belichick who was among the pioneers in opting to defer. An 2016 SI article on the topic: [https://www.si.com/2016/01/14/nfl-coin-toss-deferral-patriots-bill-belichick](https://www.si.com/2016/01/14/nfl-coin-toss-deferral-patriots-bill-belichick) ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/365 "2018-02-08T10:16:23Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > You have two choices. Receive or defer… Oh. Am I correct that there used to be _four_ choices? Now, whichever team does _NOT_ receive the initial kick-off gets to assign goals? ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/366 "2018-02-08T16:59:25Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > You have two choices. Receive or defer. That’s not entirely accurate. The choices per the rulebook are: > [@](#): > > (a) The opportunity to receive the kickoff, or to kick off; > or > (b) The choice of goal his team will defend. Now, one team the makes the choice in the first half, and the other team make the choice in the second half. Which means you could actually choose to kickoff in the first half, and then the other team could choose to receive the ball in the second half. Obviously, that’s bad, so whenever you have the choice, you will choose to receive. Deferring just means, “I’ll give you guys the choice first and we’ll choose in the second half.” ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/367 "2018-02-08T17:04:10Z")
That doesn’t make sense to me, **enalzi**. See **kenobi 65** ‘s post #364. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/368 "2018-02-08T17:31:55Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > That doesn’t make sense to me, **enalzi**. See **kenobi 65** ‘s post #364. That’s the rule. Here’s the full thing: > [@](#): > > ARTICLE 2. TOSS OF COIN. > > Not more than three minutes before the kickoff of the first half, the Referee, in the presence of both team’s captains (limit of six per team, active, inactive or honorary) shall toss a coin at the center of the field. Prior to the Referee’s toss, the call of “heads” or “tails” must be made by the captain of the visiting team, or by the captain designated by the Referee if there is no home team. Unless the winner of the toss defers his choice to the second half, he must choose one of two privileges, and the loser is given the other. The two privileges are: > (a)The opportunity to receive the kickoff, or to kick off; > or > (b) The choice of goal his team will defend. > > If the coin does not turn over in the air or the toss is compromised in any way, the Referee shall toss it again. The captain’s original call may not be changed. > > Penalty: For failure to comply: Loss of coin-toss option for both halves and overtime, and loss of 15 yards from the spot of the kickoff for the first half only. > **For the second half, the captain who lost the pregame toss is to have the first choice of the two privileges listed in (a) or (b)**, unless one of the teams lost its first and second half options, \*\*or unless the winner of the pregame toss deferred his choice to the second half, in which case he must choose (a) or (b) above. \*\*Immediately prior to the start of the second half, the captains of both teams must inform the Referee of their respective choices. > > A captain’s first choice from any alternative privileges listed above is final and not subject to change So let’s imagine situation where Team A wins the coin flip. Unfortunately, the captain is an idiot. He knows they want to kick off the ball to start the game, but he forgets that he is supposed to say he wants to defer. So he tells the ref they want to kick-off. Team B says great, we’ll take the east goal. Then, before the second half, the ref goes to Team B first, and says, “What do you choose?” Obviously, they choose to receive the ball. So Team A just lost the chance to receive the ball at the start of either half. That’s the point of deferring. It’s saying, “Team B, you choose first, and we’ll choose at the start of the second half.” ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/369 "2018-02-08T17:34:17Z")
Even given the choice you don’t need to receive the kick. You could win the flip and defer, so you kick the first half kickoff. Then in the second half you could choose to kick. It’s theoretically possible for a team never to kickoff in the game if they don’t score and the other team elects to kick when they get to pick. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/370 "2018-02-08T18:01:24Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > So let’s imagine situation where Team A wins the coin flip. Unfortunately, the captain is an idiot. He knows they want to kick off the ball to start the game, but he forgets that he is supposed to say he wants to defer. So he tells the ref they want to kick-off. Team B says great, we’ll take the east goal. This reminds me of the infamous [“We’ll kick to the clock” incident](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abner_Haynes#%22We%E2%80%99ll_Kick_to_the_Clock%22) in the 1962 AFL Championship Game. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/371 "2018-02-09T01:57:08Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Didn’t it happen in one of the playoff games this year; a player intercepted a pass on fourth down and was quickly tackled? Cost his team about 20 yards. Yes, and I have seen it many other times. Defensive players want the glory of an interception. I think if they don’t return it past the line of scrimmage, they should not get credit for the pick. And don’t get me started on the players who return INTs, punts, or kickoffs out of the end zone when they have no chance to get past the ten yard line. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/372 "2018-02-09T03:00:34Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > And don’t get me started on the players who return INTs, punts, or kickoffs out of the end zone when they have no chance to get past the ten yard line. Are you thinking of the end of SB XLIX? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/373 "2018-02-09T03:50:07Z")
Are you allowed to take a touchback on an interception? I would have thought that would count as a safety. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/374 "2018-02-09T04:21:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Are you allowed to take a touchback on an interception? I would have thought that would count as a safety. Yes, you are. If you start to run the ball out of the end zone, and then get tackled, I think that that would be a safety, but if you take a knee right away (like a kickoff returner might), it’s a touchback. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/375 "2018-02-09T04:28:46Z")
It would be like if a ball carrier fumbles into the endzone and a defender falls on it. That is a touchback. Basically, a change of possession within the endzone is either a TD (for the defense) or, at the other end, a touchback. Hence, the fumble-through rule that some people seem to think is fair actually makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/376 "2018-02-09T05:34:42Z")
Except if an interception is made in the field of play but that player’s “natural momentum” (I don’t know the language of the rule) carries him into the end zone before he has a chance to change direction, if he’s then tackled in the end zone, even though he gained possession before the end zone it is a touchback. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/377 "2018-02-09T11:51:44Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Are you thinking of the end of SB XLIX? Not specifically. Refresh my memory? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/378 "2018-02-09T12:27:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Are you allowed to take a touchback on an interception? I would have thought that would count as a safety. Yes, you can take a touchback - unless you catch the ball in the end zone, run out, and \*\*\*then \*\*\*retreat back into the end zone again and get tackled. That’s a safety. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/379 "2018-02-09T14:57:37Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Not specifically. Refresh my memory? After making a field goal, the Eagles kicked a short kickoff which forced the returner to come out of the end zone to catch it. New England then tried to get cute with a couple of laterals to confuse Philly and get some yardage. The Eagles weren’t fooled at all and the Patriots were brought down all the way back at the 7 yard line. All they did was waste precious seconds they couldn’t afford at that point. That’s not a good example though, because there wasn’t any chance of a touchback in that kickoff. The Eagles brilliantly kicked it short, taking that option away, and covered it beautifully. It was a really good special teams effort that didn’t give Brady much room to stage a comeback. I’m sure you remember the end result. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2018, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814/380 "2018-02-09T15:04:25Z")
Yes that was brilliant on Philly’s part! Remind me again, who won the game? 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-no-super-bowl-lii-thread-what-about-the-commercials/807814.md?page=20)