The Patriots almost always win the coin toss and that's exactly what happened in overtime Sunday against the Jets. As they often do prior to kickoff, the Pats decided to kick. Yep, you got that right, they kicked ... in overtime ... where a touchdown means you lose.
And that's exactly what happened. On the Jets' first drive -- which took just four plays -- quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Quincy Enunwa for a 48-yard pass and then found Eric Decker for a 6-yard touchdown.
Game over.
So what in the name of Marty Mornhinweg happened?
According to ESPN's Kevin Seifert, here's how the midfield coin toss went down:
Referee Clete Blakeman: "Heads is the call."
Blakeman: "It is heads."Blakeman: "You want to kick?"
Patriots special teams player Matthew Slater: "We want to kick that way."
Slater: "Hey, we won. Don't we get to choose?"
Blakeman (mic off): "You elected to kick."
It's certainly weird that Blakeman's first question is if Slater and the Patriots "want to kick." Typically, when a team wins the toss, the official asks the player whether they want to kick or receive.
That said, Slater still says the Patriots "want to kick" and gives Blakeman the direction.
And after the game, Slater told reporters that coach Bill Belichick instructed Slater to kick off. In fact, Slater double-checked because, well, it's sorta weird.
Slater on Belichick wanting to kick off: "I checked three of four times. I think he was looking at me like, 'Are you concussed?'"
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 27, 2015
Belichick confirmed as much.
Belichick on electing to defer in OT: "I thought it was the best thing to do."
— Jeff Roberts (@TheJRob) December 27, 2015
Tom Brady toed the Patriots Way as well:
#Patriots QB Tom Brady on decision to kick: "Whatever coach decides, that's what we'll do. We as players need to do a better job."
— Lorenzo Reyes (@LorenzoGReyes) December 27, 2015
Not surprisingly, the sequence of events led to responses ranging from comedic to apoplectic to conspiratorial.
Agreed. https://t.co/LVQVwVZlsL
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 27, 2015
@Patriots Is slater Steve Harvey's son?
— #GTAV (@GTAV_LA) December 27, 2015
@Patriots pic.twitter.com/a2vkbHXkMd
— Sallad (@ImSallad) December 27, 2015
"We elect to kick" pic.twitter.com/Jbf7ZwHMJQ
— Poe Dameron (@aferraro94) December 27, 2015
.@Patriots #Patriots #NEvsNYJ #CoinTossGate pic.twitter.com/VdnKfwTUxr
— Celtics Australia (@celticaustralia) December 27, 2015
@Patriots pic.twitter.com/vHsXDoeukZ
— Cardkillah (@Cardkillah) December 27, 2015
@Patriots pic.twitter.com/oaldYIW6wM
— Rap & Sports Guy (@IamBijonSdot) December 27, 2015
Clearly Pats want Steelers out of the playoffs. This was all planned. Like Cassell throwing pass to Cheerleaders so they woud get Jags
— Dan Shaughnessy (@Dan_Shaughnessy) December 27, 2015
It almost looked like the Pats were trying to help the Jets get into the playoffs or something.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) December 27, 2015
Wherever the truth lies, the loss means the Patriots haven't yet wrapped up homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, and more importantly, the Jets now move into the No. 6 seed, bumping the Steelers, who lost to the Ravens on Sunday.