Bill Belichick needs 14 words to explain decision to kick in overtime
Bill Belichick was all business as he offered terse responses to questions about why he decided to kick off to the Jets to start overtime.
By
Ryan Wilson
•
1 min read
There was no happy, smiley Bill Belichick at Sunday's post-game press conference. No George Costanza moments (at least intentionally), no mentions of candy canes or Santa Claus.
The Patriots coach was all business as he offered terse responses to questions about why he directed special teams captain Matthew Slater to kick instead of receive should the Pats win the overtime coin toss against the Jets.
VIDEO #Patriots head coach Bill Belichick asked about kicking ball to start overtime vs Jets #WBZ pic.twitter.com/Znq5EeyvKM
— Scott Sullivan (@SullySportsTV) December 27, 2015
"Because I thought it was the best thing to do," Belichick said. "... There was no confusion."
Fair enough, but it sure looked like it during the coin toss. And afterwards, Slater told reporters that he was surprised enough by Belichick's instruction to ask "three or four times."
#Patriots ST Captain Matthew Slater explaining what was going on on the sideline before coin toss #WBZ pic.twitter.com/uS0ve7AS0l
— Scott Sullivan (@SullySportsTV) December 27, 2015
And while the knee-jerk reaction is to wonder if Belichick should be drug-tested, this isn't the first time he's chosen to kick off in overtime.
The Pats kicked on purpose, and it's not the first time Bill Belichick has done that https://t.co/pYy9aeVuBa pic.twitter.com/1TW0Lqafpl
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) December 27, 2015
#Patriots @985TheSportsHub analyst Scott Zolak AGREES with Bill Belichick to kick the ball at the start of OT #WBZ pic.twitter.com/h4z4CZXj75
— Scott Sullivan (@SullySportsTV) December 27, 2015
The 26-20 loss to the Jets means the Patriots haven't yet wrapped up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. More importantly, the Jets now move into the No. 6 seed, bumping the Steelers, who lost to the Ravens on Sunday.
