Bill Belichick is never unprepared. Or at least that's the perception. When other coaches struggle with when to use timeouts or how to manage the clock, the Patriots coach, almost effortlessly, always seems to make the right decision.
Belichick has also been extremely lucky. The Pats have won the coin toss 19 of the last 25 times, according to the Boston Globe's Jim McBride.
For some perspective: Assuming the coin toss is a 50/50 proposition, the probability of winning it at least 19 times in 25 tries is 0.0073. That's less than three-quarters of one percent.
And when the Pats do win the toss they often defer, choosing to receive the ball to start the second half. Not surprisingly, Belichick has a logical explanation.
"It's one of the things we discuss prior to the game," he said, via the Globe. "We try to do what's best for that particular game, for that particular situation. ...
"Sometimes we actually withhold that decision until we see what the actual field conditions are for that particular game ... like last Thursday night," Belichick continued, though the Dolphins won the toss and deferred. "Games that are weather games, that could affect our decision too."
But it's more than weather; a good dose of strategy is involved, too.
"[It can be] how you want to start the game. What your offense is, what the defensive game plan is. Maybe not the first play, but in general, here's how we want to start the game. Maybe that affects it," said Belichick. "There can be a lot of factors, so we try to consider them all and try to do what's best."
It's worked. One of the three undefeated teams remaining in the AFC, the Patriots are 7-0, a lock to take the division and favorites to win another Super Bowl.
